God's Bits of WoodIt is 1947 and the workers on the Dakar-Niger Railway have come out on strike. Sembène Ousmane, in this vivid and moving novel, evokes all of the colour, passion and tragedy of those decisive years in history. 'Ever since they left Thiès, the women had not stopped singing. As soon as one group allowed the refrain to die, another picked it up, and new verses were born at the hazard of chance or inspiration, one word leading to another and each finding, in its turn, its rhythm and its place. No one was very sure any longer where the song began, or if it had an ending.' God's Bits of Wood is Sembène Ousmane's internationally renowned novel, based on his own experiences of the landmark 1947 railroad strike that spread across French West Africa. 'A classic.' Guardian 'Ousmane Sembène [was] a crucial figure in Africa's postcolonial cultural awakening.' New York Times 'A powerful story.' Kirkus Translated from the French by Francis Price. |
Contents
The City | |
Houdia MBaye | |
Ramatoulaye | |
Tiémoko | |
The Trial | |
Mame Sofi | |
Sounkaré the Watchman | |
Penda | |
The Vatican | |
The March of the Women | |
The Edge of the | |
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Common terms and phrases
Ad'jibid'ji Alioune already arms Arona asked Assitan Bachirou Bakary Bakayoko Bamako Bambara Beaugosse began Bineta blind woman body Boubacar cabin called chief of police child cloth courtyard cried crowd Dahomey Dakar Dejean Deune Diara Dieynaba door Doudou Edouard everything eyes Fa Keïta face father feet girl gone Gorgui Grandmother Hadramé hand happened head heard Houdia M'Baye Isnard Kaolack knew Konaté Koulikoro Lahbib laughing Leblanc legs listen looked Mabigué Magatte Maïmouna Mame Sofi Mariame Monsieur morning N'Deye Touti N'Diayène never night old Niakoro Ouolof Penda Ramatoulaye rice Rufisque Sadio Samba savanna seated seemed shoulders shouted silence sleep soldiers Sounkaré speak spoke station stood stopped street strike strikers suddenly talking tell Thiès thing thought Tiémoko told tomorrow took toubabs trying turned union office Vendredi voice waiting walked wall women words workers