Land Without Thunder and other stories

by Grace Ogot

The first collection of short stories from Kenya's foremost woman novelist. Twelve stories bring alive the author's feeling for the macabre and fantastic - reminiscent of the tragedy in The Promised Land.

Genres: Fiction, African Literature, Short Stories, Africa, Female Authors, Kenya

156 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Grace Ogot (May 15, 1930 – March 18, 2015) was a Kenyan author, nurse, journalist, politician and diplomat. Together with Charity Waciuma she is the first Anglophone female Kenyan writer to be published.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Madolyn Chukwu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many of the stories here are disturbing, what many in the past might think of our "primitive" past in Africa. But this is the honest truth in rural area as perceived by one of Africa's finest female writers. None more disturbing than the story of a brave hunter who ends up killing the young ones, and eating "choice" parts of their body. Disgusting and disturbing. One would have praised the hunter for his great bravery, but his barbaric degeneracy is more than sickening. Imagine the horror of his victims, the kids!! But we must also remember that this is the action of a deranged person whose actions shock the whole community.

[Buruji Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace Ogot - from east Africa - was one of the pioneering female writers in the continent. Her writings show her brilliance and talent. She knew unpalatable things about the past of her society, rural settings of which she created or re-created powerful stories and vignettes. I wonder: are some of the stories in this collection based on reality, on events she knew/heard about vicariously? I think so, even though some of the events here are macabre indeed. Yet we can still read about idealism and heroism; in particular the story, The Hero. Ogot has interesting, gripping themes with strong African settings; and also writes very well.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of short stories written by one of the all-time female greats of African literature, Grace Ogot, who passed away this year (2015). The stories here are well written, but there is plenty of horror, cruelty, and even barbarism (for example the cannibal who kills his own children!). Stories here:

The old white witch
The bamboo hut
The hero
Tekayo
Karantina
The green leaves
The empty basket
The white veil
Land without thunder
The rain came
Night sister
Elizabeth

[Faith aka Suckerforcoffe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Guchu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t really read or enjoy short stories. They always feel rushed and a little inauthentic to the nuances of life. I worry I might be beyond the age of forcing myself to like things I don’t like.

I don’t really know how to rate short stories, most of these (as most ever) felt mid. I loved Tekayo, of course, I think it’s a work of genius. I quite enjoyed that most of the stories appeared to wrestle (or reconcile? contrast?) traditional Luo society with the colonial import way of life. Most are also about death, I guess that’s authentic to life.

I will remember some, I will forget most, I will be thinking about Tekayo

3.5/5*

[Eileen Oduor · Rating 5 out of 5]

It should go down in the History of Kenyan Literature that Grace Ogot is one of the best. In this anthology, Grace Ogot shows a range of themes, and very nice storytelling.
What always irritates me is the fat eeeveryone and their grandmother gets stuck up on Tekayo's tale in this book. The thing that Grace in her own way portrays in some of her tales, is the life of the post-colonial educated woman and how her day-to-day conflict of her traditional culture, and the somewhat modern one she has taken on. The White Veil was a more captivating story than Tekayo. and Elizabeth felt more horrific ( and to some extent, realistic) than Tekayo.

[Phoebe Oyugi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminded me of home, the description of the luo culture and way of life, the good and the bad, was prevalent through the book. Some of the stories stay with you for ever like the story of Oganda the daughter of the chief and the story of the old man who ate the unforgettable liver. Some stories were light and funny, while others were poignant and philosophical. All in all, I really enjoyed reading the book

[Muthue · Rating 5 out of 5]

the book basically about Tekayo who had pleasure for children liver was made watery after an encounter with unknown meat as he took his cows for grazing.
He knew it was a taboo but still went ahead.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in my pre-teen years. One of my favourite collections of short stories.

[Prince Mellano]

Super

[Orgeluse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grace Ogot's first short story collection Land Without Thunder was a solid 3-star-read. The stories told from the 3rd person limited point of view centre around both female and male characters and their struggles with determinism. It becomes obvious that their roles in life are determined by a society rooted in traditional values so that individual development is impossible and the characters cannot but suffer and sometimes even die.

[Tabu Chika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the first book i ever seriously read and thoroughly enjoyed. Hope I can find a copy of my own for my library