What do you think?
Rate this book
Footsteps
A richly detailed picture of the challenges and hardships confronting indigenous village peoples in contemporary Kenya.
-Hanny Lightfoot-Klein, author, Prisoners of Ritual; Children's Genitals Under the Knife; The Doctor and the Poet
Steeped in wisdom and conflict, these pages tell a poignant, vivid tale of Kenyan sisters who struggle for a brighter future against the bonds of cultural traditions and sacrifices. The author writes with a calm authority, her prose richly detailing the setting and its people. Kirsten Johnson is a remarkable new voice writing in the tradition of authors such as Chitra Divakaruni and Alexis D. Pate.
-Christine DeSmet, author, faculty associate and director, Writers' Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Kirsten Johnson's first novel, Footsteps, opens the door to life in a traditional, east Kenyan village. Johnson creates deep layers of authenticity, describing faces in firelight, capturing village customs and dialogue, and introducing us to fascinating words in the native languages of Swahili and Kitharaka. One wonders how on earth she came so close to the intricacies of the circumcision ceremonies of young teen boys and girls. She writes with great sensitivity to the feelings of those circumcised, as well as the often conflicting perspectives of the adults surrounding them. With all the shrill debate and despair over female genital mutilation and Africa's HIV/AIDS rates, it is a relief to read about young girls' actual experiences, their anxieties, pain and even triumph, as they create new paths, leading away from those of their brothers, fathers and lovers.
-Madeline Uraneck, Teacher trainer, Lesotho College of Education and returned Peace Corps volunteer, southern Africa
When you read Footsteps, you can almost smell the smoke of the cooking fires, hear the rhythm of African song and see the red clay of the footpaths around Kanini's village. In short, Kirsten Johnson has made the Kenyan bush come alive!
Ms. Johnson's characters are Kenyans struggling to make sense of the changes taking place all around them. The protagonist, Kanini, faces challenges all her life - physical challenges, for sure, but more importantly, challenges to her beliefs and upbringing. Tradition has given a number of people the power to control her life, and they do ... forcing her to set aside her hopes and dreams. But somehow she survives and, in a sense, prevails over these setbacks and disappointments.
Kanini's experience can help Americans better understand why Africa continues to struggle. But in the shadows of this struggle, we also find seeds of hope in the form of Kanini's sister, Gatiria, and a new generation that is ready to lead the people forward.
-Mark Green, Director, MalariaNoMore Policy Center, Ambassador to Tanzania, 2007-08, Member of Congress, 1998-2006
-Hanny Lightfoot-Klein, author, Prisoners of Ritual; Children's Genitals Under the Knife; The Doctor and the Poet
Steeped in wisdom and conflict, these pages tell a poignant, vivid tale of Kenyan sisters who struggle for a brighter future against the bonds of cultural traditions and sacrifices. The author writes with a calm authority, her prose richly detailing the setting and its people. Kirsten Johnson is a remarkable new voice writing in the tradition of authors such as Chitra Divakaruni and Alexis D. Pate.
-Christine DeSmet, author, faculty associate and director, Writers' Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Kirsten Johnson's first novel, Footsteps, opens the door to life in a traditional, east Kenyan village. Johnson creates deep layers of authenticity, describing faces in firelight, capturing village customs and dialogue, and introducing us to fascinating words in the native languages of Swahili and Kitharaka. One wonders how on earth she came so close to the intricacies of the circumcision ceremonies of young teen boys and girls. She writes with great sensitivity to the feelings of those circumcised, as well as the often conflicting perspectives of the adults surrounding them. With all the shrill debate and despair over female genital mutilation and Africa's HIV/AIDS rates, it is a relief to read about young girls' actual experiences, their anxieties, pain and even triumph, as they create new paths, leading away from those of their brothers, fathers and lovers.
-Madeline Uraneck, Teacher trainer, Lesotho College of Education and returned Peace Corps volunteer, southern Africa
When you read Footsteps, you can almost smell the smoke of the cooking fires, hear the rhythm of African song and see the red clay of the footpaths around Kanini's village. In short, Kirsten Johnson has made the Kenyan bush come alive!
Ms. Johnson's characters are Kenyans struggling to make sense of the changes taking place all around them. The protagonist, Kanini, faces challenges all her life - physical challenges, for sure, but more importantly, challenges to her beliefs and upbringing. Tradition has given a number of people the power to control her life, and they do ... forcing her to set aside her hopes and dreams. But somehow she survives and, in a sense, prevails over these setbacks and disappointments.
Kanini's experience can help Americans better understand why Africa continues to struggle. But in the shadows of this struggle, we also find seeds of hope in the form of Kanini's sister, Gatiria, and a new generation that is ready to lead the people forward.
-Mark Green, Director, MalariaNoMore Policy Center, Ambassador to Tanzania, 2007-08, Member of Congress, 1998-2006
248 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2009
1 person is currently reading
9 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 29, 2016
I knew nothing about the Tharakan culture in Kenya and I will not likely be traveling to that part of the world in my lifetime. But after reading Footsteps, I feel as though I've traveled to that part of the world and that I got to know several people from that culture intimately. I realize this is fiction but I am convinced these stories were based on real people, especially after reading the Foreword.
Kirsten Johnson is a true story-teller. I have never felt so drawn in to a story from a part of the world I knew so little about. She has also challenged me to think philosophically about the cultural issues she raises in Footsteps.
The main protagonist is Kanini, the eldest daughter in her family. Even though she has questions about the cultural traditions that cause women great suffering, she feels she has no choice but to follow those traditions.
As I read Footsteps, I realized more than once that growing up in the Amish culture is mild compared to growing up in the Tharakan culture, and yet there were so many parts I could relate to. When I read how Kanini was preparing for the day of her circumcision, I wanted to scream, "Don't do it!" It reminded of the days leading up to my baptism into the Amish church when I was expected to promise that I would stay Amish for the rest of my life. I did not consciously choose to become a member -- nor did I consciously choose NOT to, and so the cultural expectations won out. One big difference between Kanini's situation and my own: my body was still going to be whole after my baptism.
Though Kanini submits to this ritual, her younger sister, Gatiria, is a whole different story. She is a force to contend with, and even the ancient culture into which she is born, is no match for her. I found her to be a true kindred spirit. I kept wondering why the author chose to narrate the story through Kanini, rather than through Gatiria. As I keep thinking about this story days after I finished reading it, I think she was wise in her choice. By seeing Gatiria's inborn strength and independence through Kanini's eyes, the reader gains a whole different perspective.
The relationship between Kanini and Gatiria is a strong one, and even after they are physically apart, they remain in communication through letters. In this regard, the reader does gain Gatiria's perspective.
I knew that female circumcision is still practiced in parts of Africa. I read Alice Walker's book "Possessing the Secret of Joy" years ago and became aware of the brutality of this tradition. But I don't remember feeling how culturally rooted this tradition is from reading Walker's book. Johnson plants it firmly in the tribal culture where it belongs. To change this one tradition would change the whole culture, and changing an ancient culture is not so easy. This is the aspect of Footsteps that I related to the most -- no matter how much a woman resists submitting, she knows that if she refuses, she will be blamed for bringing about the demise of her culture. For Kanini, it is even more profound. No matter how clear it is to her that there is something horribly wrong with traditions that require her to submit to such deep and terrible suffering, she also knows at fourteen she does not have the strength and courage to resist. That is how her culture won out.
There is some truth to the thinking in Tharakan culture that if women no longer submit, the culture will have to change or fall apart. It is also true in the Amish culture, and in so many others around the world.
Footsteps also tells the HIV/AIDS story in the Tharakan culture in the 1990s. Many of the men are having intercourse with women outside marriage and expect that their wives will not ask them where they have been or whether they are staying faithful to their marriage. Compounded with widespread denial, the men's behavior is a major factor in how fast the disease is spread. Whole villages are devastated, leaving young children orphaned with no one to care for them.
The conclusion of this story is mostly tragic. The men who refuse to change their ways and continue to deny the existence of HIV/AIDS are doing exactly what they didn't want the women to do: bringing about the demise of the culture as they know it.
There is a ray of hope, however. There are survivors who are like the Phoenix bird, rising from the ashes of a culture that should have adapted and changed long ago for the sake of its own survival and for the sake of humanity. The men who do not insist on marrying women who are circumcised, and who do not seek sex outside of marriage can live healthy, normal lives with their families. There are also people like Kanini and Gatiria who have the courage to look truth in the face and deal with their situation the best way they can. Even in the face of oppression, they will carry on and provide hope to others. Two beautiful souls, shining through the clouds of despair like a double rainbow.
Thank you, Kirsten Johnson, for writing Footsteps. It is a philosophical novel that will find it's place on my bookshelf to read again someday.
Kirsten Johnson is a true story-teller. I have never felt so drawn in to a story from a part of the world I knew so little about. She has also challenged me to think philosophically about the cultural issues she raises in Footsteps.
The main protagonist is Kanini, the eldest daughter in her family. Even though she has questions about the cultural traditions that cause women great suffering, she feels she has no choice but to follow those traditions.
As I read Footsteps, I realized more than once that growing up in the Amish culture is mild compared to growing up in the Tharakan culture, and yet there were so many parts I could relate to. When I read how Kanini was preparing for the day of her circumcision, I wanted to scream, "Don't do it!" It reminded of the days leading up to my baptism into the Amish church when I was expected to promise that I would stay Amish for the rest of my life. I did not consciously choose to become a member -- nor did I consciously choose NOT to, and so the cultural expectations won out. One big difference between Kanini's situation and my own: my body was still going to be whole after my baptism.
Though Kanini submits to this ritual, her younger sister, Gatiria, is a whole different story. She is a force to contend with, and even the ancient culture into which she is born, is no match for her. I found her to be a true kindred spirit. I kept wondering why the author chose to narrate the story through Kanini, rather than through Gatiria. As I keep thinking about this story days after I finished reading it, I think she was wise in her choice. By seeing Gatiria's inborn strength and independence through Kanini's eyes, the reader gains a whole different perspective.
The relationship between Kanini and Gatiria is a strong one, and even after they are physically apart, they remain in communication through letters. In this regard, the reader does gain Gatiria's perspective.
I knew that female circumcision is still practiced in parts of Africa. I read Alice Walker's book "Possessing the Secret of Joy" years ago and became aware of the brutality of this tradition. But I don't remember feeling how culturally rooted this tradition is from reading Walker's book. Johnson plants it firmly in the tribal culture where it belongs. To change this one tradition would change the whole culture, and changing an ancient culture is not so easy. This is the aspect of Footsteps that I related to the most -- no matter how much a woman resists submitting, she knows that if she refuses, she will be blamed for bringing about the demise of her culture. For Kanini, it is even more profound. No matter how clear it is to her that there is something horribly wrong with traditions that require her to submit to such deep and terrible suffering, she also knows at fourteen she does not have the strength and courage to resist. That is how her culture won out.
There is some truth to the thinking in Tharakan culture that if women no longer submit, the culture will have to change or fall apart. It is also true in the Amish culture, and in so many others around the world.
Footsteps also tells the HIV/AIDS story in the Tharakan culture in the 1990s. Many of the men are having intercourse with women outside marriage and expect that their wives will not ask them where they have been or whether they are staying faithful to their marriage. Compounded with widespread denial, the men's behavior is a major factor in how fast the disease is spread. Whole villages are devastated, leaving young children orphaned with no one to care for them.
The conclusion of this story is mostly tragic. The men who refuse to change their ways and continue to deny the existence of HIV/AIDS are doing exactly what they didn't want the women to do: bringing about the demise of the culture as they know it.
There is a ray of hope, however. There are survivors who are like the Phoenix bird, rising from the ashes of a culture that should have adapted and changed long ago for the sake of its own survival and for the sake of humanity. The men who do not insist on marrying women who are circumcised, and who do not seek sex outside of marriage can live healthy, normal lives with their families. There are also people like Kanini and Gatiria who have the courage to look truth in the face and deal with their situation the best way they can. Even in the face of oppression, they will carry on and provide hope to others. Two beautiful souls, shining through the clouds of despair like a double rainbow.
Thank you, Kirsten Johnson, for writing Footsteps. It is a philosophical novel that will find it's place on my bookshelf to read again someday.
December 27, 2013
An incredible, though very hard, book about women in Kenya.
It's hard to know what to say or where to start. This is way more than just a story. This is an education, wrapped in an incredibly well-written and engaging story, about female circumcision, the oppression of women, rural poverty, arranged marriages, the Kenyan education system, and the early days of the AIDS epidemic sweeping through that country and devastating its people.
It is also the story of a dutiful daughter trying her best to be true to her family, herself, and her beliefs. It is about her amazing sister, and their deep friendship that grows throughout their lives, even as their lives diverge.
Here is what may have been the most difficult thing about this book: most books these days find redemption for the main character within the boundary of the story. Change happens, and we get to see it. But here, the change that we get to hope for is mostly like big systems get in real life: change from generation to generation.
I couldn't stop thinking about this after I finished it.
It's hard to know what to say or where to start. This is way more than just a story. This is an education, wrapped in an incredibly well-written and engaging story, about female circumcision, the oppression of women, rural poverty, arranged marriages, the Kenyan education system, and the early days of the AIDS epidemic sweeping through that country and devastating its people.
It is also the story of a dutiful daughter trying her best to be true to her family, herself, and her beliefs. It is about her amazing sister, and their deep friendship that grows throughout their lives, even as their lives diverge.
Here is what may have been the most difficult thing about this book: most books these days find redemption for the main character within the boundary of the story. Change happens, and we get to see it. But here, the change that we get to hope for is mostly like big systems get in real life: change from generation to generation.
I couldn't stop thinking about this after I finished it.
March 21, 2014
This book had the potential to be very good, but instead of letting the story share the message, the message was spelled out. The story itself was interesting & plausible but the characters used words & phrases that weren't authentic to the location & time period. Often, I found myself hearing the voice of the author & not the character. I was disappointed.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews