‘Dreams in a Time of War’ By Ngugi Wathiongo
This biography lets us into Ngugi’s early life, his family and his experiences during Kenya’s colonial period. His young days were marked by ending wars. At home it was between family members, as he came from a polygamous home. On the outside the ongoing fight for Kenya’s independence split loyalties between modernity and long held traditions, between government and freedom fighters and between Christianity and traditional religious practices. The young Ngugi however, kept alive his desire to acquire an education and join Alliance High School. It is this ‘pact to have dreams even in a time of war’ that he makes with his mother. The memoir affirms that you can still be successful; in spite of the uncertain and severe conditions you find yourself in.