Samson Kambalu

"I already knew enough jive to invent myy own religion in time for my twelfth birthday"
By sally tarbox on 7 June 2017
Format: Kindle Edition
Malawi-born artist Kambalu tells of his early life in Africa. Gifted son of a medical officer (despite his title, the family struggled financially for much of the time), this is a melange of African life - the animals, the diseases, the customs, the corrupt regime - and a very European-style adolescence. The author got a scholarship to the Malawian version of Eton, and learning Greek and Etiquette go alongside his developing interest in popular music, conceptual art and girls. And his strange thoughts on religion: tearing up his Bible to cover a football in its pages in a rather incomprehensible belief about 'Exercise and Exorcise.'
I was irritated by Kambalu's tendency to insert 'lists' into his writing - several pages detail every comment left in the visitors' book for his first exhibition; an entire list of teaching staff at his school - and numerous others, which the reader just turns over!

Mildly entertaining and a look at a little-known country.… (more)