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To Stir the Heart: Four African Stories
These powerful stories by two of Africa’s most renowned twentieth-century authors explore African cultures at the intersection of tradition and modernity, colonialism, and independence.
Botswana’s preeminent writer Bessie Head and Ngugi wa Thiong’o , “the most significant East African writer” (the New York Times ), each use the politics and history of Africa in the midst of change as background for compelling stories of characters who, like their countries, are in search of their identity. In different ways, Head and Ngugi also chart the uneasy coexistence of men and women when their individual natures and desires conflict with societal expectations and customs.
Botswana’s preeminent writer Bessie Head and Ngugi wa Thiong’o , “the most significant East African writer” (the New York Times ), each use the politics and history of Africa in the midst of change as background for compelling stories of characters who, like their countries, are in search of their identity. In different ways, Head and Ngugi also chart the uneasy coexistence of men and women when their individual natures and desires conflict with societal expectations and customs.
96 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2007
2 people are currently reading
170 people want to read
About the author
Bessie Head
48 books205 followersBessie Emery Head, though born in South Africa, is usually considered Botswana's most influential writer.
Bessie Emery Head was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, the child of a wealthy white South African woman and a black servant when interracial relationships were illegal in South Africa. It was claimed that her mother was mentally ill so that she could be sent to a quiet location to give birth to Bessie without the neighbours knowing. However, the exact circumstances are disputed, and some of Bessie Head's comments, though often quoted as straight autobiography, are in fact from fictionalized settings.
In the 1950s and '60s she was a teacher, then a journalist for the South African magazine Drum. In 1964 she moved to Botswana (then still the Bechuanaland Protectorate) as a refugee, having been peripherally involved with Pan-African politics. It would take 15 years for Head to obtain Botswana citizenship. Head settled in Serowe, the largest of Botswana's "villages" (i.e. traditional settlements as opposed to settler towns). Serowe was famous both for its historical importance, as capital of the Bamangwato people, and for the experimental Swaneng school of Patrick van Rensburg. The deposed chief of the Bamangwato, Seretse Khama, was soon to become the first President of independent Botswana.
Her early death in 1986 (aged 48) from hepatitis came just at the point where she was starting to achieve recognition as a writer and was no longer so desperately poor.
Bessie Emery Head was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, the child of a wealthy white South African woman and a black servant when interracial relationships were illegal in South Africa. It was claimed that her mother was mentally ill so that she could be sent to a quiet location to give birth to Bessie without the neighbours knowing. However, the exact circumstances are disputed, and some of Bessie Head's comments, though often quoted as straight autobiography, are in fact from fictionalized settings.
In the 1950s and '60s she was a teacher, then a journalist for the South African magazine Drum. In 1964 she moved to Botswana (then still the Bechuanaland Protectorate) as a refugee, having been peripherally involved with Pan-African politics. It would take 15 years for Head to obtain Botswana citizenship. Head settled in Serowe, the largest of Botswana's "villages" (i.e. traditional settlements as opposed to settler towns). Serowe was famous both for its historical importance, as capital of the Bamangwato people, and for the experimental Swaneng school of Patrick van Rensburg. The deposed chief of the Bamangwato, Seretse Khama, was soon to become the first President of independent Botswana.
Her early death in 1986 (aged 48) from hepatitis came just at the point where she was starting to achieve recognition as a writer and was no longer so desperately poor.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
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October 6, 2020this was an interesting collection of short stories from two prominent African writers. if i didn’t read this for a class on post-colonialism, i wouldn’t have ever read this and i’m glad i did - i would highly recommend this!
November 5, 2018
This was my first introduction to Bessie Head. I absolutely fell in love. Short stories, at their best, I believe, are a tease to seek out full manuscripts by authors. In the case of Bessie and this particular book, I cannot wait to find more of her literature. Ngungi Wa Thiong'o on the other hand I had heard about and once sat in a talk he was giving, his talent I was long aware of and this book didn't disappoint.
A full review should be up on my site: www.vuvuvenareads.com, soon.
A full review should be up on my site: www.vuvuvenareads.com, soon.
March 2, 2011
Writing from a a woman's and man's distinct views of post-colonial Africa, each short story provides insights into the repressive and traditional societies of Africa. They write of a transitional age, the struggle between urbanization and traditional ways of life; "she was part of a generation which would never again be one with the soil, the crops, the wind and the moon" [Thiong'o]
April 6, 2020
This tiny book has 2 short stories from two Kenyan authors. It was a nice taste of the writings of the two authors. I'm interested in exploring more of these authors' works. The stories were engaging and gave some food for thought. All touched on different aspects of life in Kenya, but could be applied universally.
October 4, 2018
I read this for a class and truly enjoyed it. It's made me very interested in both of the author's other works and I'm excited to read more soon. I really enjoyed all four stories and I thought the introduction was insightful and interesting as well.
July 22, 2019
To say that this combination of stories is unique to its genre because of the intersectionality present in themes, while true, is also reductive. These stories are also complex, unpredictable, and beautifully written. Some of my favorite stories revisit me and continue to occupy my brain long after reading. All four of these stories fit that description.
January 1, 2023
Quick stories. Solid entires but have not stick with me
August 21, 2025
"Two soft pools of cool liquid light were in his eyes and something infinitely sweet passed between them; it was too beautiful to be love."
June 11, 2011
In her two stories, Bessie Head pleads in favor of a life ruled by love and kindness instead of by other factors such as tradition, social status, or hedonism. The first, "The Deep River", is an imaginary origin story for an ethnic group -- wouldn't it be nice if they got started by a man leaving his home for the love of one woman, in the face of all pragmatic decision-making where women were of no account, nor individual emotions. She imagines, among the river of people without faces, a momentary awakening of positive individuality. The second, "The Collector of Treasures", has a strong woman as its hero, one whose hands can do anything, and who knows good people when she meets them, compared to the many egotistical, power-obsessed men who are "hollow" compared to those who know how to love, and who make the world a bad place. Such a phallocrat "who imagined that he was the only penis in the world" was her husband; she dealt with that problem in the usual (though extreme) way.
"Wedding at the Cross", by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, is a love story too, but here the enemy of happiness is the pursuit of the symbols of high status in colonial society: money and the missionary church and Rev. Clive Schomberg's British Manners for Africans. This is contrasted with a distinctively indigenous form of spirituality, as practiced by the poor members of the "Brotherhood of Sorrow". The story makes interesting use of the hymn "At the Cross", with its wedding imagery. Evidently, Christianity has resources that can be living and satisfying, but Miriamu has to know to give herself to the right bridegroom (represented by Wariuki "who is dead", though the analogy to Jesus is not very exact I don't think), and does she have the spiritual resources stored up, like the wise virgins, to do so?
"Minutes of Glory": What is freedom in a society where nothing matters but money and "connections"? Beatrice and Nyagūthiī are dissatisfied with this state of affairs but can't live without it either; the only happiness they know is being admired and desired by powerful men. Beatrice achieves this briefly by robbing a man who seems to her to be the worst because though a "fellow victim", he doesn't have her sense of discontent, instead thinking power is his by right -- indeed, as a man, it's much more within his grasp than within any woman's. Ngũgĩ was perceptive to tell this story from a woman's perspective.
"Wedding at the Cross", by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, is a love story too, but here the enemy of happiness is the pursuit of the symbols of high status in colonial society: money and the missionary church and Rev. Clive Schomberg's British Manners for Africans. This is contrasted with a distinctively indigenous form of spirituality, as practiced by the poor members of the "Brotherhood of Sorrow". The story makes interesting use of the hymn "At the Cross", with its wedding imagery. Evidently, Christianity has resources that can be living and satisfying, but Miriamu has to know to give herself to the right bridegroom (represented by Wariuki "who is dead", though the analogy to Jesus is not very exact I don't think), and does she have the spiritual resources stored up, like the wise virgins, to do so?
"Minutes of Glory": What is freedom in a society where nothing matters but money and "connections"? Beatrice and Nyagūthiī are dissatisfied with this state of affairs but can't live without it either; the only happiness they know is being admired and desired by powerful men. Beatrice achieves this briefly by robbing a man who seems to her to be the worst because though a "fellow victim", he doesn't have her sense of discontent, instead thinking power is his by right -- indeed, as a man, it's much more within his grasp than within any woman's. Ngũgĩ was perceptive to tell this story from a woman's perspective.
May 17, 2013
Interesting short stories concerning the struggles of post-colonial Africa and its people from both male and female perspectives. They are concerned mainly with the extremely different roles that men and women have in African society, and all of the stories except the first are focused on women who rise up from the constraints of the strict societal standards imposed on them. A very good read for anyone concerned with this period of history or with the differing gender roles in post-colonial Africa.
My one complaint: even the introduction notes that Bessie Head's two stories have extremely polarized versions of manhood within them, with no middle ground. Either a man is pure evil, or he is the kindest, most understanding person to have ever lived. I understand this is a device used by the author to illustrate what women had to deal with, but it got old quick for me, knowing that the men would either be perfect or completely flawed.
My one complaint: even the introduction notes that Bessie Head's two stories have extremely polarized versions of manhood within them, with no middle ground. Either a man is pure evil, or he is the kindest, most understanding person to have ever lived. I understand this is a device used by the author to illustrate what women had to deal with, but it got old quick for me, knowing that the men would either be perfect or completely flawed.
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January 7, 2010The infoshop has sold off its old fiction selection when it switched to a radical library and the thrift store at 63rd and Troost is getting a little V.C. Andrews and Sue Grafton heavy, things are getting rough for used book shoppers in Kansas City. The two choices I know of are Prospero's -- which is local but is a while ago had a totally jackassy publicity stunt of holding a book burning -- and Half Priced Books. I had been relying solely on the library, but I accompanied my sister on a trip to Half Priced Books today and was lucky enough to find this. I've read the two Ngugi We Thiong'o stories elsewhere but they're totally worth reading again. The Bessie Head stories are new to me and I'm excited to get into them.
P.S. While waiting for my sister I read a third of a collection of Marmaduke comics published in 1968. Marmaduke was more of a dick back in the day.
P.S. While waiting for my sister I read a third of a collection of Marmaduke comics published in 1968. Marmaduke was more of a dick back in the day.
January 7, 2011
Moving stories. Fiction, but for those who understand traditional Africa, mostly rural,these 4 stories
offered insider perspectives from 2 fabulously talented short story writers.
offered insider perspectives from 2 fabulously talented short story writers.
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September 17, 2015The Deep River
January 21, 2016
this book is good
April 18, 2017
To Stir the Heart is an extremely interesting collection of short stories by two African writers, Bessie Head and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o. Bessie Head’s works begin the collection with her unique story “The Deep River: A Story of Ancient Tribal Migration.” This piece of fiction reads like a (self-proclaimed) romanticized oral history of an African tribe. Head used actual accounts from the remaining members of the tribe and a form of writing to mirror that of a traditionally oral history. From this view into the past, the collection moves to my favorite story, also by Head: “The Collector of Treasures.” This story is that of a woman as she explains her reason for imprisonment to her fellow inmates. It is a tragic story about love and oppression. The stories of Ngugi Wa Thiong’o round out the collection. She begins with “Wedding at the Cross” which provides a view into the superior characteristic of colonialism. Finally, the collection is rounded out with “Minutes of Glory.” Like the rest of the stories, the theme of Colonialism is extremely strong in this story as the protagonist attempts to do everything she can from changing her name to bleaching her skin to become more “white.”
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