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Case of the Criminal Walk
and Other Stories |
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Synopsis
Stories from Ethiopia where the reality is more astonishing
than fiction "The Case of the Criminal Walk and Other
Stories" presents a collection of short stories by
Ethiopian writer Hama Tuma. As one reviewer put it, the
stories of Hama Tuma ' give a voice to the plight of the
ordinary people, tackling the themes of the tragedy of the
Ethiopian people as a whole, including corruption and poverty,
contrasted with the strength of the human spirit'. These are
tales of a City on the one hand and that of a nation and a
people on the other. .
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As the famous Kenyan writer, Ngugi Wa
Thiongo, put it in a review of Hama Tuma's earlier book, "The
Case of the Socialist Witchdoctor and other Stories", Hama
Tuma continues to "brilliantly capture the contradictions
that make up the real Ethiopia of the twentieth century". In
Ethiopia, the tragedy continues despite change of government and
Hama Tuma delves into the tormented souls of his compatriots to
highlight not only the suffering but also the hope and optimism
that makes the living, however hard the struggle, tolerable and
worthy
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Give Me a Dog's
Life Any Day |
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Synopsis
Give Me a Dog's Life Any Day, the second book of African
Absurdities by Hama Tuma, is a collection of satirical
articles on the African and the world political reality,
of the double standards that exist, the follies of
governments and politicians and of citizens too. There
is parody here, ironic laughter at the very serious
problems of Africa, a call to ponder on the failures of
governance, the lack of democracy using the prism of
irreverent satire.
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Nothing is
sacred; the pompous leaders are made fun of and their
naked state exposed. Book II of African Absurdities goes
even farther than Book I in poking fatal fun at African
leaders, their patrons in the West and at life in general.
This is a book that will entertain and make you laugh but
it will be the laughter of the knowing, the victim, the
conscious and the one who is keen on justice but is
realistic enough to know that this world is not fair to
the weak and the defenseless.
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Synopsis
A series of stories about the oppressive regime in
Ethiopia which places innocent people in the dock.
Here Tuma puts the regime itself on trial, and
includes other stories where life turns out to be
equally full of vengeance and betrayal - in bars,
brothels, guerilla hideouts and village huts. |
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The Case of the
Socialist Witchdoctor and Other Stories |
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Afrique.
Politiquement incorrect
Hama Tuma, éd. L'Harmattan, mars 2001, 134
pages.
Préface
de Antoine Glaser, directeur de la rédaction
d'Indigo publications, éditeur de la Lettre
de l'océan indien.
Avant-propos
de Barbara Malley, le Nouvel Afrique-Asie.
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| Hama
Tuma est Éthiopien et exilé. Écrivain et
journaliste satirique il a notamment publié
"The Case of the Socialist Witch Doctor and
Other Stories", Heinemann, Londres, 1993.
« Mon
Éthiopien préféré – celui qui a autant de
noms que son pays a d'éthnies », dit de
lui Barbara Malley dans la première phrase de
son avant-propos.
« Merveilleux
Hama Tuma. Qu'il reste mille ans en exil »,
conclut Antoine Glaser dans la dernière phrase
de sa préface…
Plus
amicalement, souhaitons à ce militant révolutionnaire
– égaré dans une époque où il n'y a plus
de place nulle part pour accueillir ses idées
– de pouvoir vivre le plus vite possible en
paix dans son pays ; qu'enfin soit dépassée la
malédiction qui le frappe et qui frappe l'Éthiopie.
– AL
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Imagine
Laurent Kabila of Congo having an affair with
Monica Lewinsky ? What if a mosquito caused
the Ethio-Eritrian war? Since Somalis have
successfully destroyed the state was the
rumour that karl Marx was a Somali true? Who
in Africa care about Viagra or Seinfeld? Who
came up with the idea of armies with out
frontiers and spurred the invasion of African
countries by troops of other African
countries? ……
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Why
should the MSF share the noble prize with poor
African refugees? Why should we thank America for
recounting of votes in Florida? What is Afrispeak?
Why is it important to die properly? Can anyone
tell me who is a refugee? Is the African President
a Human, Mineral, or Vegetable? Can we have some
humour in drab and grim politics? Long live double
standards, understanding “Ivorite” going back
to the roots, eulogizing the late Kabila ……
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by:
Hama Tuma
It
all begins with that pervasive and
omnipotent “Man Yawqal”,
a simple “who knows?” that has
forever warped the Ethiopian psyche
and stamped “Paranoiac” on his
or her soul.
Who
knows or “Man Yawqal?”
is not actually a question. It is
rhetorical and replies to itself
that no one really does know
anything. Anything is possible; it
is a dangerous and mysterious world
out there, beware. And the Ethiopian,
as we all know, is very keen on
warnings; we love mysteries; we
pretend to have secrets since we
presume possession of some secrets
gives us importance. There is
another side to the whole paranoia
scene with “YalTere’Tere
temene’Tere” and “MiqeNa
AyasaTah”. Curiously
enough, the average Ethiopian feels
the need for enemies as if his/her
existing troubles are not enough.
Read
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Absurdities II: Give me a dog's life any day,
by Hama Tuma
A
book review by Ewunetu Kefyalew
I
have read many books by African and non-African authors on
Sub-Saharan African political, economic, social, economic and
related issues. Many of these books are simplistic; some apologetic
& supportive of certain ideologies and tendencies; a few
supportive of the oppressed people of Africa; and others simplistic.
By contrast, I found the two editions of Hama Tuma entitled "
African Absurdities" refreshing and insightful..........Read
More
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Democratic
Cannibalism: African
Absudities III
Hama Tuma
2007
In
this, the third collection of African Absurdities,Hama Tuma
writes with his usual irreverence and satire on the foibles
of tyrants and the sad realities of the world. Nothing is
off limits Hama writes of Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan, of a
German cannibal, Aristide of Haiti and the new Back to
Africa Movement, of Darfur and the Janjaweeds, of actor
politicians, baby snatchers and self declared saviours of
Africa, of absurd Somalistan and a Swazi king or Fijian coup
maker and necessity measures ,of philosophers of the
unknown and of Bush and Osama, of Czars and lean beggars.
Hama Tuma has also included articles specified to Ethiopia
and other section to cast a Light on his view on the
role of African writers. And yes, Hama Tuma is once again
wailing about dogs and pets with designer Sweaters, first
class hospitals and hotels.
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"...The
folly of being black and alive is not
folly in both senses. It is wonderful to
be black and excellent to be alive."
-
Hama Tuma
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"The
Worst Slave is the one who thinks he is free" |
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Hama
Tuma`s Mother |
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Reviews
Give Me a Dog's
Life Any Day
ALMOST got
"This book is too serious for me to read and enjoy"
Field Marshall Idi Amin Dada
"This is an illegally absurd book"
The Latvian Anti-Absurdity Commission
"Starting from the author's name there are too many strange
words in this book"
George Bush
"If
he wants a dog's life let him return and live mine"
a stray dog in Addis Abeba
"Hama has tried to understand my complicated soul and failed
honorably"
Robert Mugabe
"This ungrateful writer should be expelled from France"
Sarkozy, the French Minister of Interior
"This
is a wonderful book that you should buy and treasure"
Hama Tuma
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