Δρόμοι της Αφρικής

by Emmanuel Dongala, Εμμανουέλ Ντογκαλά, Δημήτρης Ζαπώνης (Translator)

Στο Κογκό των πρόσφατων εμφυλίων πολέμων, ο δεκαεξάχρονος Τζόνι και η συνομήλική του Λαοκολέ μεγαλώνουν σε αντίπαλα στρατόπεδα, ανάμεσα σε ένοπλες συγκρούσεις, ανεπαρκείς διεθνείς οργανισμούς και κατασκευασμένες ειδησεογραφικές ανταποκρίσεις. Αναζητώντας ο καθένας τη δική του αλήθεια για τη ζωή, ακολουθούν διαφορετικούς δρόμους, σε μια Αφρική που παραλογίζεται πολεμώντας τον εαυτό της.
Η αναμέτρηση της βίας και της ανθρωπιάς, σε ένα βαθύτατα αποκαλυπτικό μυθιστόρημα. (Από την παρουσίαση στο οπισθόφυλλο του βιβλίου)

"Ο Ντογκαλά ειρωνεύεται σ' αυτό το βιβλίο του την Αφρικανική πραγματικότητα, όπως στην περίπτωση του Κογκό-Μπραζαβίλ" (Monde Diplomatique)
"Ο Εμμανουέλ Ντογκαλά επέλεξε να αυτοεξοριστεί, εγκαταλείποντας το Κογκό-Μπραζαβίλ. Το ίδιο θα έκανε βέβαια και οποιοσδήποτε βομβαρδιζόταν (μαζί με το σπίτι του) στις μάχες αντιπάλων πολιτοφυλακών. Ωστόσο δεν έχασε καθόλου την αισιοδοξία του. Γιατί στο τέλος του μυθιστορήματός του, η αγνότητα και η τιμιότητα θα νικήσουν την απόλυτη και παράλογη κακία και τα όνειρα θα λάβουν την εκδίκησή τους" (Le Francais dans le monde)
"Ένα βιβλίο που ρίχνει τον αιφνιδιασμένο αναγνώστη του σε κάποιον παράλογο κόσμο, από τους πολλούς και παρόμοιους που βρίσκονται στην Αφρική" (Liberte Hebdo - Arts et culture)
"Ο Ντογκαλά, παρότι ζει επί χρόνια στις ΗΠΑ, συνεχίζει να γράφει στη γαλλική, ίσως λόγω νοσταλγίας, αλλά περισσότερο επειδή, όπως δηλώνει με έμφαση, τα παιδιά-ήρωες του βιβλίου του αποτελούν υποπροϊόντα της αμερικανικής κουλτούρας" (Politis)

Genres: Africa, Fiction, Historical Fiction, War, France, African Literature, Novels

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Emmanuel Dongala born July 14, 1941 is a Congolese Chemist ,short story writer, novelist and playwright, schooled in Brazzaville , and studied in the United States where he earned a BA in Chemistry from Oberlin College and an MA from Rutgers University . He then left the United States for France , where he was awarded a PhD in Organic Chemistry. Upon his return to the Congo he worked as a teacher and dean until 1998, when he was forced to leave because of the civil war. Helped by his friend, the writer Philip Roth, Dongala now lives in the United States , where he teaches at Bard College and holds the Richard B. Fisher Chair in Natural Sciences.

Dongala, who writes in French and whose books have been translated into a dozen languages, has published four novels, a collection of short stories and a play. His collection of short stories, Jazz et Vin de Palme ( Jazz and Palm Wine) , published while the Congo was a Marxist-Leninist state, was banned because it satirised those in power. The ban was only lifted in 1990 after the collapse of the Soviet Union and subsequent collapse of the Congolese one-party state.

Dongala is the founder and former president of the National Association of Congolese Writers and the Congolese chapter of PEN. He also founded and led the theatre company, Le Théâtre de l'Eclair. His essays and articles have appeared in numerous major newspapers and magazines, including Le Monde, The New York Times, and Transition.

Dongala's novel Le Feu des Origines ( The Fires of Origins) , received the Grand Prix d'Afrique Noire and the Grand Prix de la Fondation de France. La Marseillaise described it as "a stunning novel…the art of Emmanuel Dongala is extreme…this novel, which plunges into the heart of reality, becomes legend." His novel, Johnny Mad Dog, was selected by the Los Angeles Times as one of its books of the year - a film adaptation was released in 2008. Questioned on his reasons for writing, Dongala answers “Why do people make love?”

A great African novel: inspired yet sober, wide-ranging yet written concisely, purely, without a superfluous word. . .a human history of an entire continent." - La Suisse on The Fire of Origins

In 1999 Emmanuel Dongala was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and in 2003, he was the winner of the prestigious Fonlon-Nichols Prize 2003 for literary excellence. His works have been translated into a dozen different languages.

Reviews

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic and thoroughly cynical account of African warfare, told from the POVs of Mad Dog, a sixteen-year-old soldier, and Laokole, a sixteen-year-old refugee fleeing with her family from Mad Dog and his ilk. The two teens have more in common than they will ever know, but they're on opposite sides of a cruel conflict. Characters appear in full detail, then disappear just as quickly as they are killed. The affect is to leave the reader off balance. The selfishness and ineptitude of Western "humanitarian relief" efforts are portrayed as well -- they care more about rescuing wild animals than human refugees. The days pass by, the tension rises, and Mad Dog and Laokole come closer and closer to each other. The explosive, ambiguous ending leaves you wondering.

I think this book makes African war more real to me than any non-fiction account I have read thus far, and the author is good at characterization and foreshadowing too. However, the wooden dialogue kept me from giving it a five-star rating.

[AC · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting. Strong start, but then starts to run out of steam... irony becoming slapstick...

[Seth T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emmanuel Dongala crafts something that is in several ways important, even if its not great literature. Johnny Mad Dog is the tale of two teenagers participating in one of the seemingly perennial genocidal civil wars in Central Africa: one as aggressor and one as victim. The chapters alternate narrators between Johnny, the gun-toting kid who imagines himself an intellectual yet kills freely and without remorse and sees enemies everywhere, and Laokole, a girl caught in the midst of horror, fleeing with her legless mother and younger brother amongst the throng of terrified refugees. Johnny has a second-grade education and believes that true power comes from the barrel of a gun. Laokole is a week away from graduating at the top of her class in highschool with dreams of studying to become an engineer. The story plays out as the narrators live out concurrent events from wildly differing perspectives.

The storytelling conceit is clever, but I'm not sure if it is just a poor translation, but there's rarely any life to the writing. The events themselves power the story, so I suppose that excellence in writing is unnecessary; but it would have been nice. Additionally, the book may have been more interesting had it sought to portray a more sympathetic individual as a member of the genocidal militia. With the sheer number involved in these killings, I'm skeptical that the entire aggressive force is constituted of morons (historically we see time and again people from everyday walks of life get caught up in national madness). The perspective of Johnny seems too easily dismissible, as if Dongala believes education to truly be the solution - which seems a little naive to me.

At the end of the day, it was a worthwhile read. But there are plenty of other worthwhile reads that I'd had preferred to read first.

[Transom Bookshop · Rating 2 out of 5]

terribly written, poorly conceived parallel-narrative device, shallow characters -- all this has going for it is the edgy, in-vogue backdrop of civil-war-torn Africa. and even that wasn't very well executed.

[Ελένη Καραχανίδη · Rating 4 out of 5]

Κογκό, εμφύλιος, δύο παιδιά. 16 ετών. Παιδιά. Ένα βιβλίο που θα μπορούσε να περιγράφει κάθε εμφύλιο, κάθε πόλεμο. Ένα βιβλίο που δεν θα έπρεπε να περιγράφει μια ιστορία που να έχει ζήσει κανένα παιδί. Ποτέ. Κανένας άνθρωπος. Ποτέ. Κι όμως..
Με λέξεις που διαλύουν το στομάχι κ εικόνες που τσακίζουν τον εγκέφαλο. Με έναν τρομακτικα ώμο ρεαλισμό που σελίδα με τη σελίδα θες να εξαφανιστεί, περιμένεις να γίνει κάτι να διακοπεί, να αλλάξει, να βελτιωθεί έστω κ λίγο όλη αυτή η ζοφερη εικόνα. Μα η πραγματικότητα δν είναι τόσο μακριά κ δυστυχώς απέχει από αυτό που θα ήθελε η ανθρωπιστική μας διάσταση κ κάθε ανθρώπινη υπόσταση.
Θάνατοι, βιασμοι, λεηλασίες, κατ επίφαση σωτήρες που απλά μαίνονται κ λυμαίνονται. Μοναξιά, εγκατάλειψη, βίαιοι αποχωρισμοι.
Και η ανθρωπιά, όσο κι αν προσπαθεί να τρυπώσει, δεν αρκεί κ δεν τα καταφέρνει.
Βιβλίο δύσκολο, δυνατό, ώμο στον ρεαλισμό του κ κυνικό στις περιγραφές του.

[Wilco · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a beautiful, or you must say horrible book, about Laokolé and Johnny in a civil war in Congo. Laokolé is fleeing for the rebels and soldiers, of which Johnny is one. You could say it's sometimes a bit too poetic and like a fairytale, but it suits the book. I didn't mind. The total chaos, anarchy and complete lack of humanity in situations like this and the role of the western world is brilliantly portraited in this book. I have the feeling I have a good impression of such a situation in real live. As well from the side of the oppressed as the oppressing (if you can make are harsh distinction between these two). Impressively done. Unless the inhuman conditions, there are glimmers of humanity. These glimmers shown makes you feel it's not hopeless to keep fighting for people in hopeless situations. Even if it seems there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
One minor point of critisism is the abrupt feeling the book sometimes gives. Chapters feel somewhat chopped (one part written, write the next one) and also within the chapters it sometimes feel somewhat a bit too much writing from a to b to c, etc. Pure looking at the writing style it doesn't flow that well. I can't pin-point it exactly, it's a feeling the book gave to me.

[Julia Palma · Rating 5 out of 5]

02/199 do Desafio dos 199 Livros

[Bert Huisman]

5 t13

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

There may be spoilers but I may be too lazy to use a tag.... just sayin.




So I may have a bit of a vendetta against endings. Bad endings that is. See my review of The Roar. More examples are: the movie Master and Commander, previous relationships, the melty at the bottom of an ice cream sundae, the tv show "The Whole Truth" and oh, wait, did I mention this book? I was engrossed in this book so much that I didn't want it to end. I put it down for two days with two chapters left to prolong my time with these characters. I should have left good enough alone. This was a solid 5 star book at that point. And then I read the last two chapters.......Disappointment! I am not even sure that I can put my finger on what went wrong for me. It almost was too perfect, exacting revenge, fairy-tale like but not at all. Most of all, it annoyed me. Maybe it annoyed me because I didn't want it to end. I wanted to know more. I didn't want to be done with the characters and my involvement in their lives yet. Maybe.

This book may not be the most eloquently written book that I have ever read but it was engaging. Dongala captured the teenage mind set amazingly and converted that mindset to those in a brutal civil war. Little slights become big issues but instead of a gruge being held for a week or writing a nasty note or slam book about them, it gets people killed. The self-centeredness of youth, perceived slights, distorted thinking, entitlement all was shown brilliantly. Although hope was a strong theme throughout, it wasn't thrown in your face.

Overall a book I would definitely recommend. Even with the ending it is a worthwhile read.

ETA: So I continue to think about this book. Over a year later, and it still haunts me. I have changed my rating to 5 stars. How can I not when I continue to think about this book frequently and it still has profound emotional affects on me.

[Lorraine M. Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the way Mr. Dongala used the two person tale telling.

[Ryan T · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found myself disgusted and inundated by Johnny’s narrative, but Laokolé makes up for it by her eloquence and world view. Looking forward to discussing beyond the more obvious themes

[Rhoda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my read the world selection for Republic of the Congo.

This book is told from the perspective of both Johnny Mad Dog and Laokole, who are both sixteen. Johnny is a teenage gun-toting rebel soldier who thinks he is an intellectual as he finished second grade at school. He seems to see war as some sort of game and kills freely and with no remorse.

Conversely, Laokole is just about to sit her final exams when civil war breaks out and she is forced to flee with her legless mother and younger brother and join the countless refugees fleeing from their city. As Johnny and Laokole’s paths cross a few times over the course of the story, the reader sees the same events told by vastly different perspectives.

I’ve found that you never really know what sort of books you’re going to find doing the read the world project and although I wouldn’t say I have low expectations overall, some countries have so few options to read that you become resigned to the fact that the book may not be to your taste. I have to say I wasn’t filled with enthusiasm about reading a book about civil war, however this book was very very good and the vastly differing perspectives were both powerful and poignant

Johnny is hard and remorseless, however provides a little comic relief due to his inflated sense of self and importance. Laokole just wants to live her life, finish school and become an engineer and is disheartened by her country and it’s politicians that will just never let anyone live in peace or any sort of prosperity (unless it’s within their own ranks, of course). Although this book is fiction, sadly I believe most of these occurrences would be based in truth, as having read a non-fiction book for Central African Republic, it unfortunately seems typical of this region.

I found this book gripping, shocking and heartbreaking but there were parts of goodness that shone through. While I would not say it was an ‘enjoyable’ read, it gave the reader a unique perspective that was will really linger with you. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.

[Kees van Duyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Johnny, valse hond is een Congolees oorlogsverhaal dat verteld wordt vanuit twee paar ogen: door de ogen van de 16-jarige kindsoldaat Johnny en door de ogen van de 15-jarige vluchtelinge Laokolé. Johnny, die zichzelf beter vindt dan wie ook, die doet alsof hij voor niemand bang is, maar ook zijn kinderlijke, of misschien beter, jeugdige kanten heeft.

Op sommige momenten is hij wél bang en heeft hij zijn dromen over de toekomst. Zoals iedereen van zijn leeftijd heeft. Laokolé. Nog maar 15 jaar oud, maar ondanks dat erg volwassen. Ze neemt de leiding in alle situaties waarin ze terechtkomt. Samen met haar gehandicapte moeder en haar jongere broertje Fofo vlucht ze weg. Naar een veiligheid.

Maar wat is veiligheid in een land waarin je in feite op de steun van niemand kunt rekenen. Niet van officiële regeringsleger, niet van de ambassades en zelfs niet van een aantal hulpverleners. Johnny, valse hond is een aangrijpende en meeslepende roman waarin Johnny symbool staat voor alle kindsoldaten en Laokolé voor alle vluchtelingen. Hoewel dit verhaal fictie is, zullen de verhalen die de werkelijkheid van deze fictie bevestigen talloos zijn. Hoe triest het ook is.

[Jane Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

To me this novel set in the Republic of Congo is a masterpiece. It somehow manages to be both harrowing, with graphic descriptions of brutal violence, and very funny. 16 year old 'Johnny Mad Dog' is a member of one of the many militia fighting in a bloody and confused civil war. He considers himself an intellectual despite having minimal education and being really quite naïve. He is a thoroughly unpleasant character capable of extreme cruelty, but he provides the novel's layer of rich, ironic humour. The book's other narrator is Laokolé, a 16 year old girl caught in the crossfire of tragic events, who embodies the innocent victims of warring post-colonial Africa. She is also the beacon of hope for a better future.

[Geoffrey Nutting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting personalized view of war from a militia member and common person's vantage point.
As a Westerner in America, I'd understand it better if I understood the historical background (seems to be historical fiction about some era in the Republic of the Congo) better, & understood the country's geographic regions better. It took me a while to understand that the mindless violence of the malitias was about just that - mindless violence.
Presented from an African prespective. Well-written, good descriptons and relatable characters. Works well for a reader if they can accept it as a portrayal of ordinary life.

[Laura Bousquet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book a few years ago, and I still remember it. It made me want to vomit and I cried. Although these feelings are not the ones one likes to experience, this book is one of my favourite ones and one of the most still vivid in my memory. And may do not remember the names of the characters, but I shall never forget the violence depicting what is unfortunately a reality. I would have liked this story to only be a fiction, but I know it isn't and it is probably what created such strong emotions in me. It is a mind blowing book I can only highly recommend.

[SusyG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non è stato facile leggere questo libro ogni tanto. Ci sono scene molto forti di violenze e stupri e a volte mi veniva da chiudere. Ma nel complesso è davvero una testimonianza potente dell'inferno della guerra. Di come distrugge i paesi e le persone. Ci sono anche scene interessanti su come la comunità internazionale (soprattutto EU e USA) si comporta in queste situazioni.
La storia ruota attorno a Mad Dog e a Laokolé, stessa età che però vivono la guerra in maniera diversa.
Libro che andrebbe sicuramente letto se ce la si sente!

[Bikie Sana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je n’avais encore jamais lu jusque là d’auteurs qui abordait la guerre civile qu a connu le Congo en 97 . Merci à cet auteur de le faire et de le faire aussi bien .
De dénoncer le machiavélisme de ses politiques qui ne sont intéressés que par l’accès au pouvoir .
La plume est au service du récit !

[Marco van der Most · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vreselijke realiteit van een burgeroorlog die jongens verandert in gewetenloze onmensen. Vrouwen en meisjes worden opgejaagd en verkracht. Mannen en zonen genadeloos vermoord. Lao, probeert deze hel te ontvluchten maar de hel is overal.

Geen boek om als een roman te lezen.
Misschien als een eerste stap richting hulpverlening.

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an interesting book. The way it was written made it hard to put down, even though--as a warning--there are many difficult topics to stomach. But at the same time, this made this read all the more illuminating into the realities faced by refugees, child soldiers and in war. The differing perspectives gives this book depth and complexity. Couldn't reccomend this book more.

[Ulla Libre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for class. Would I recommend it? No. Should you read it? Absolutely. It’s display of the post colonial/neocolonial conflict it the Congo was so incredibly gut wrenching and painful. The narrative style is violent and jarring. Huge trigger warning on the graphic displays of violence against women. Fantastic is not the right word but it’s the only one I can think of.

[David Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Johnny Chien Méchant est peut-être le meilleur roman que j'ai jamais lu au sujet de la stupidité et de l’horreur de la guerre. La scène est la guerre civile en Congo-B, vu des yeux d'une jeune fille et une jeune garçon - la fille est déplacée par les batailles et le garçon est milicien. C'est un roman, mais c'est trop croyable. La guerre c'est l'enfer. Honte a tous qui la soutienne.

[Rachel Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a French class and enjoyed it more than I expected. It definitely wasn’t an easy read, but was incredibly eye-opening. Some parts felt slow/hard to get through, but I think Dongola intentionally did that to almost mirror the stagnation and heaviness of war. Also really appreciated both Johnny’s and Lao’s perspectives and the moments where their stories overlap.

[Valerie Miramand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrifiant et sublime, la guerre civile au Congo avec des yeux de jeunes adultes. Le récit est captivant, rythmé, on suit le cours de l'histoire dans 2 versions opposées et pourtant si proches.
J'ai adoré

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dongala weet zelfs in de meest gruwelijke verhalen nog absurde humor te verwerken. Minder grappig dan 'het vergeten kind' maar zeker zo schrijnend.

[Olivier]

*** : Enfants soldats

[Elisa Desiglioli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harsh.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerfully horrible. Very good but not comfortable reading.

[Vitalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot say that this was very enjoyable, being in Johnny’s head was a quite unpleasant experience, but overall it was a good read. The ending was very satisfying.

[Bogdan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you find a gem, it is time to tell it: Absolutely marvelous novel!