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| Toni Morrison |
The April edition of Lime Magazine is just out and I have a review of African Voices: Quotations by People of African Descent by Ms Serwah and Kwaku in it. Read it at www.comelime.com using this link: African Voices or I have posted it below.
Lime Review Toni Morrison said "If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, you must be the one to write it." You will find this quote on page 65 of African Voices. It is precisely what the authors of African Voices have done. They both love quotes but apart from the occasional quote from Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela or Malcolm X, most books of quotations are dominated by the sayings of Europeans. So Ms Serwah and Kwaku, decided to do their own. It is wonderful. There is so much here, as they have been diligent in ensuring a huge range of quotes from people of African descent from all over the world and all walks of life. In fact there are 542 quotes from 108 people. There are only 500 copies of this brilliant book, so it is a very limited edition. You must get a copy – you’ll love it!
The book is available from www.btswc.com and I also have one copy to give away. For the competition I would like you to send me via the comments box below or to my email your favourite quote by a person of African descent. I will pick my favourite one and post it on the blog in two weeks time and I will send the winner the book as their prize. I will also send all the entries not in this first edition of African Voices book onto Ms Serwah and Kwaku as encouragement for them to do another book. How is that for a first competition? Do please enter – and send this blog to all your friends who you think might also like to take part. I look forward to receiving all your wonderful and inspirational quotes.
To get you started here is my favourite quote by the late Eric Williams, the former Prime Minister of Trinidad. It was one of the goodwill messages from all around the world taken to the moon by Apollo 11 in 1969. As far as we know it is still there.
"It is our earnest hope for mankind that while we gain the moon, we shall not lose the world."
Great Review - African Voices should be on every bookshelf and for people of African descent, it should be the beginning of a love affair with books and learning
ReplyDeleteOne of Bishop Desmond Tutu's that has always rung true - and shown the 'white man' in a true light (and yes, I am white) - is when he said,
ReplyDelete"When the missionaries came to Africa, they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened our them, we had the Bible and they had the land."
Sad but so true.
Twitter @eppytaff
Hello Abena, Thank you for your kind words, I shall pass them onto the authors. Thanks also for reading the blog.
ReplyDeleteHello Kevin, Your entry is the first one in the compeition - congratulations for that. There is a Desmond Tutu quote in the book, but it is not this one. Thank you.
with best wishes, tricia
Thomas Sankara "We must dare to invent the future"
ReplyDeleteHello Card, Thank you for your quote - it is a good one. There is nothing by Thomas Sankara in African Voices.
ReplyDeleteWith best wishes, tricia
There are 542 quotes in African Voices. Some are very short, others take a little more time to read and digest. One thing in common about all the quotes other then being from people of African descent is their ability and potential to inspire. I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy this book and so will you. I think it is an essential read for all.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments Ope, I shall make sure that the authors get it. Do you have a favourite quote that you would like to include? with best wishes, tricia
ReplyDeleteAfrican Voices has armed me with lots of favourite quotes so it's pleasing but hard to choose one. There is however a simple quote (452) from Madame CJ Walker that I very much like, which is "Don't sit down and wait for the opportunities to come; you have to get up and make them."
ReplyDelete"The will must be stronger than the skill" Muhammad Ali
ReplyDeleteWestern ethnocentrism runs through the British education system and African Voices is a stellar work that will help overcome this damaging bias.
Hello Opi, Thanks for posting again - I was asking if you had a quote that was not in the book that you would have liked to have seen in it.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - Thanks for highlighting the Muhammad Ali quote - it is a good one. I like the way that the authors have included the full version in the book. As Ope has said in earlier comments whether the quotes are long or short they really give way to deeper thinking. African Voices really should be in every school.
"Africa, help me to go home, carry me like an aged child in your arms. Undress me and wash me. Strip me of all of these garments, strip me as a man strips off dreams when the dawn comes..." Aime Cesaire
ReplyDeleteceeaitch@hotmail.com
Thank you; the Aime Cesaire quote is not in the book. It is a good one. best, tricia
ReplyDeleteAfrican voices is rewriting history for our coming generations. Instead of learning about Africans only in slave trade, they are now learning about Africans as philosophers, scientists and Presidents from ancient civilizations to date. The quotation which inspires me and lift my spirit is the quotation of President Barack Obama" And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:Yes, we can"
ReplyDeleteGreat book with pearls of wisdom for everyday use! Boomy Tokan
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Tricia for support and for running the competition, much appreciated. Your favourite quote by the late Eric Williams, the former Prime Minister of Trinidad, is spot on.
ReplyDeleteWe would also like to thank all those who have posted comments.
Ms Serwah & kwaku
It is indeed a good collection of quotes from the diaspora. It portrays the reflective and prescriptive power of the Black MAJORITY and not MINORITY in recognising the contributions we have made to the world at large. Its essence is the antidote that it gives to our future generations and generations yet to come!
ReplyDeleteYAZ
Respects to Ms Serwah and Kwaku. African Voices is a book that should have been written long ago because as African people we've always had to raise our voices loud enough for some to take note.
ReplyDeleteMy quote is, "We need to constantly encourage our youth to grow mentally by feeding them positive information which will help to build our heritage".
So, let's hope this book is the first of many as necessary literature not just for African people but for the rest of mankind.
African Voices is an eye opener. Clearly, it shows the right direction by connecting its reader with the past and the future.
ReplyDelete@ Naglaa - the Obama quote is a good one thanks for reminding us of it - and it is in African Voices.
ReplyDelete@ Boomy, @ Melissa @ Yaz @ Hailu - thank you for your comments about African Voices - I am glad that you have enjoyed it.
@ Ms Serwah and Kwaku - thanks for checking out the blog, as you can see your work has been inspiration, thank you.
Thank you to everyone who has commented, I will be making the selection shortly. best, tricia
Only when we acknowledge each other positively ,regardless of country, town, city, Village, tribe or tongue, then and only then can we once again become the great nation we once were.
ReplyDeleteThis acknowledgement begins with self and kind.
By Joy Nichols.
Hello Joy, Thank you for posting your comment. best, tricia
ReplyDeleteThis book is inspirational in many ways. It demonstrates the quality of wisdom and knowledge contained within African culture and its people. I feel proud reading it, it should be an official educational material for children and adults of different background so they can learn and appreciate Africans values.
ReplyDelete2 quotes from African voices :
"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." Alice Walker (writer)
"Education is an ongoing task. The obligation to improve oneself does not cease simply because one has a regular job." Haile Selassie (Emperor of Ethiopia)
My quote:
"Fear is the Mother of division Love is the Mother of Unity" Giza (Event manager)
Thank you Ms serwah and Kwaku for African Voices, Your Work is really appreciated in the community.