Toubab

by Rob Coughlin

After driving 500 miles across the Sahara in an old Peugeot 405 diesel estate, Rob Coughlin found himself in West Africa, where for 3 years he lived and worked as a local fisherman. Here he fell in love with an African dancer and together they had a child.From the mania of a full scale riot at an African Nations football match, to a brief foray into the criminal world of diamond smuggling. From a sublime deserted island off the coast of Guinea Bissau, to saving a drowning man in the rough seas of the Atlantic, Toubab recounts Rob’s incredible adventure in the tiny nation of The Gambia.15% of any royalties recieved by the author will be donated to a Gambian childrens' charity.

177 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 13, 2019

About the author

Self employed author living in North Somerset.
Interests include hill walking, mountain climbing, travel, music, and enjoying sunshine and fresh air at every available opportunity.

Reviews

[Rob Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving and brutally honest account of a man who, following various traumas back home, sets out to the Gambia, where he marries a local dancer.
The punctuation and formatting were not of the highest standard, but I still enjoyed reading of Rob's take on African culture and how he coped with a range of setbacks and challenges.
I'd love to know what he's up to now; maybe even meet and compare stories!

[Lise Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Rob's experiences of living and finding love and bliss in The Gambia. Of all the books I have read by white people about The Gambia, Rob captures an essence of the Gambian people that rings true. They are indeed hardworking, resourceful, resilient, full of hope that things can and will get better, warm, witty and funny, friendly, and hospitable. The Gambia so often gets a bad rap in the British tabloids and one hopes that a book like Toubab can dispel some of these negative impressions. I have been travelling there since 2005, married a local man and brought him and his son to Canada four years ago. I, too, am writing about our journey and hope to publish it in 2021. Bravo to Rob and Adama for your courage to take a chance on love and ride the rough waves. I pray for a happy future for you all.

[Elise McKinnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book was such a privilege - what an amazing adventure! The author painted a story that shows the stark differences between living in the UK and The Gambia. It portrays the people within The Gambia in a beautiful way. It was also lovely to read all the reflective moments and seeing the author’s perspective shift throughout the book. “It’s nice to be nice” will stay with me for a long time.

[michelle ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book.

I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. The courage and determination was breath taking. What a lovely journey

[Carol Colasanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining and Honest

An interesting and honest account of one man's travels with all the highs and lows along the way. His often tough but rewarding time spent in Gambia and his struggle within his personal life.