Second Round

by Lenrie Peters

The story, preceded by a poem on Freetown, is about a young physician, Dr Kawa, who settles down in Freetown at the morrow of independence after completing his studies in England. He falls in love with a young girl only to discover that she is unfaithful . He is seduced by his neighbour's wife. His passionate love affairs ends up in dismal failure. Dr Kawa's romantic life is plagued by disorder. In an attempt to escape from this situation he moves to the country side. Dr Kawa, someone who sees life to be simple, or too simple, sees himself involved in the complex problems of other people which will eventually affect his own.

Genres: Africa, African Literature, Fiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Dr Lenrie Peters graduated with a B Sc. from the TRINITY College of Cambridge in 1956. In 1959, he received a Medical and Surgery diploma from Cambridge. He holds a Master’s degree in Arts. He worked as journalist of African programs with the BBC from 1955 to 1968. He was the president of the Historic Commission of Monuments of the Gambia, President of FESTAC comity in 1977 and President of the board of directors of the National library of the Gambia and Gambia College from 1979 to 1987. From 1985 to 1991, he was a member and President of the West African Examination Council (WAEC). He was member of the jury for the Literary prize of the Commonwealth in 1995.
He passed away on 27 May 2009 in Dakar after a brief illness.
Dr Lenrie Peters' poems, Satellites, Katchikali and Selected Poems were published in the African Writers Series along with his only novel The Second Round.

Reviews

[Paul Lothane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much better novel than some self-styled critics would admit. Lenrie Peters made his name as a polished, eclectic poet, and this his only novel intermittently bears witness to this. The focus is on a young idealistic doctor (Kawa) trying to orientate himself back into his (African) society. Despite the odd melodramatic moment weaved around some colorful characters (eg Freddie) that the protagonist gets acquainted with, this imaginative, resplendent work is one that would enrich and benefit the percipient reader.

[Leke Giwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful work with many inspiring allusions

[Jean Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This passage stuck out to me: “He became overwhelmingly convinced that the trouble with the society into which he was snuggling like a roosting hen, was its weightlessness. . . A people at the middle way; the turning point. . . Frightened as if they had suddenly found themselves on the moon. People were always frightened of pain, disease, love and death, but most frightened of emptiness, not knowing what they were about” (pg 16).

In another passage, while speaking to Dr Kawa, Jonah asks him whether or not he can hear anything from his stethoscope. The dr responds with this: “Not very much, but as the lawyer wears the wig, and the priest a collar, so the doctor must have a stethoscope. It’s a symbol. People believe in it; it gives them confidence” (pg 71). In the days or months preceding entry into the so called post-colonial, the symbols of “progress,” symbols of individual wealth and an imitation of Europe are in constant conflict with the traditional. With society as it is or was; society as it cannot continue to be.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gambian author Peters masterfully surprises with turns and twists in an otherwise straight-forward melodrama of a young doctor's return to his home town.

Dr. Kawa is an expertly drawn protagonist. He is sympathetic in his bad decisions and his lack of appropriate love choices. Kawa gets embroiled with his next door neighbors, which ends in unexpected and somewhat convenient tragedy.

Peters' is prose stylist who turns his phrase to create in a single sentence a chapter's worth of information. It was highly enjoyable to read - even when Peters is describing a simple act as sitting on a couch, he impressively creates mood and character.