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Old Drift
Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
75 posts | 33 read | 53 to read
An electrifying debut from the winner of the 2015 Caine Prize for African writing, The Old Drift is the Great Zambian Novel you didn't know you were waiting for On the banks of the Zambezi River, a few miles from the majestic Victoria Falls, there was once a colonial settlement called The Old Drift. Here begins the epic story of a small African nation, told by a mysterious swarm-like chorus that calls itself man's greatest nemesis. The tale? A playful panorama of history, fairytale, romance and science fiction. The moral? To err is human. In 1904, in a smoky room at the hotel across the river, an Old Drifter named Percy M. Clark, foggy with fever, makes a mistake that entangles the fates of an Italian hotelier and an African busboy. This sets off a cycle of unwitting retribution between three Zambian families (black, white, brown) as they collide and converge over the course of the century, into the present and beyond. As the generations pass, their lives - their triumphs, errors, losses and hopes - form a symphony about what it means to be human. From a woman covered with hair and another plagued with endless tears, to forbidden love affairs and fiery political ones, to homegrown technological marvels like Afronauts, microdrones and viral vaccines - this gripping, unforgettable novel sweeps over the years and the globe, subverting expectations along the way. Exploding with color and energy, The Old Drift is a testament to our yearning to create and cross borders, and a meditation on the slow, grand passage of time.
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Catsandbooks
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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1. The tagged was boring and way too long. Normal people was terrible characters and writing. Hated the writing style too.

2. Anything by Grady Hendrix or Riley Sager. Really any book that is mainly thriller or horror I'm just not a fan of. I read southern book club's guide to slaying vampires and ugh, I was just mad and disgusted the whole time.

#ihavequestions

TheBookHippie I‘m with you on both points !!! 🤣 14mo
IndoorDame Right there with you!!! 14mo
RaeLovesToRead Agree about Normal People! I do love a good thriller though 😄 14mo
Sharpeipup Agree on Grady Hendrix. 14mo
Laughterhp Oh yes! I read a few Riley Sager books and just hated them. So now I refuse to read them! 14mo
48 likes5 comments
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Lucy_Anywhere
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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#TBRPile 📚 “It sounds like a sentence: Victoria Falls. At any rate, that‘s the joke I used to make until Her Royal Majesty Queen Victoria actually died in 1901, just before I landed on the continent.”

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TracyReadsBooks
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Do you ever look at your bookshelves and say, “I mean yeah, I‘m in the middle of one, two, oh who really knows how many books but THIS one looks really interesting. Maybe I should start ANOTHER book.”

I do this with stunning frequency…I rather fear I might be about to do it again! 😂😬🤷‍♀️

MicrobeMom Yes!! 2y
29 likes1 comment
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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I‘m still sad when I think about this book. The premise was good but the execution was a mishmash of genres. When it was just telling a story it was so good. But the attempts at other genres was so bad, making this my #worstof2021. @Butterfinger

Care to share your worst book of 2021? @freeatlast1137 @JamieArc @sblbooks @Jari-chan @AnneCecilie @julesG @MoonWitch94 @TheSpineView @Crazeedi @Nute @GingerAntics @Kshakal @Jadams1776 @DieAReader

julesG That's a challenge. There were a lot of "worst" books. I'll think about it. Thanks for the tag, Karen. 2y
TheSpineView Bummer! 2y
GingerAntics I‘m with @julesG, I have several “worst” books. Almost everything I read in January was a DNF. 2y
Crazeedi I had several DNF I think I did post about this. 2y
Crazeedi Also I remember putting down Migrations halfway through... 2y
52 likes5 comments
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Mehso-so

This book is about the descendants of 3 matriarchs in #Zambia, as they intersect before Zambia becomes a nation to the near future. The Kariba Dam surprisingly is an important part of the intersection of families. Sounds interesting? Not really; It‘s a difficult read because it mixes genres in weird ways, making what could have been an fascinating story of a country into a struggle to read or care. I stuck with it since my husband grew up ⬇️

Texreader there & it was fun to ask him about things in the book (Kalingalinga, Lake Malawi, the tv station sign-off, etc). I didn‘t connect with any character, not for lack of trying—it‘s not a kind representation of the Zambian people. Little incentive to read and finish, so it took forever. A so-so rating rather than thumbs down for the family stories, which, interspersed between the weirdness, were interesting. #foodandlit @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger (edited) 2y
70 likes1 comment
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Finally finished! I‘ll write a better review later but for now: not recommended with a so-so rating. It‘s a schizophrenic book with no idea what it wants to be: historical fiction? Magical realism? Sci-fi? Folk tale? It‘s none consistently. The writing style changes throughout, even within chapters. She apparently published bits & pieces, then blended it together to make a bumpy & weird story. Its blurb makes it sound amazing. Sadly. It‘s not. ⬇️

Catsandbooks Proud of you!! 👏🏼 That was quite the accomplishment! 2y
Texreader @Catsandbooks Thank you!! I knew you‘d understand the stamina this one took. And I wouldn‘t regret bailing if I were you. It had good stories interspersed with weird, as you know, and that just continued until the last page. 2y
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Catsandbooks @Texreader sounds like quite the roller coaster. Glad I hoped off 🤣 Seriously though sending virtual high fives and hugs for finishing that bad boy! 🙌🏼 2y
AnneCecilie I‘m so happy about returning this to the library without trying to read it. From what I‘ve read here on Litsy, I‘m just not in the mood for this kind of book. 2y
Texreader @AnneCecilie Good decision 2y
TheBookHippie Don‘t you feel like you deserve a ribbon ?! I did😂😂😂😫👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼you did it!!!! 2y
63 likes8 comments
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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When fiction meets reality. I spent much of today working, thanks to the on-again off-again new OSHA vaccine mandate, trying to help my clients figure out what to do. And tonight I couldn‘t escape it in my book as a feared “National Virus Vaccination Programme” in #Zambia is being debated. #foodandlit

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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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This may be my second or third pedicure while trying to read this book. I‘m now only about 120 pages from finishing. #foodandlit #Zambia @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger

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Bookworm54
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Pickpick

I finished! 🥳

The chapters were long. There were some weird bits - I‘m not sure if I would describe it as like magic/supernatural but there was something. The end also threw me a little. But I liked the merging of character arcs and the science, the tech, and the politics. Overall I think it was worth it, but I don‘t know if I would recommend it per se!

I added some pictures from #Zambia to the picture as well as the cover :)

#FoodAndLit

Bookworm54 #Screamathon #SpookOWeenReadathon #20in4 #Scarathlon #TeamHendrix I ended up reading 13 hours 36 min in total for 20in4 (don‘t think I will read much tomorrow) and for the book it took me 14 hours and 50 min 😱 2y
TheSpineView Great job 2y
Catsandbooks Wow! Great job! 👏🏼 2y
Andrew65 Brilliant 👏👏👏 2y
36 likes4 comments
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Bookworm54
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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In Sylvia‘s chapter we meet Lee, a doctor who thinks the salon is a front for a brothel, and wants to take samples from the employees for research. This reminded me of something I read when doing my dissertation (How the CCR5 gene confers resistance to HIV, and its evolution) and how one of the first mutations was found in Kenyan prostitutes. And this is discussed in Thandiwe‘s chapter!
Who knew my dissertation would come in handy for #FoodAndLit?

Texreader Wow!!! I just started Thandiwe‘s chapter. Interesting!! 2y
TheBookHippie Wow! I enjoyed this book. It was hard. But I‘m so glad I read it. 2y
Catsandbooks Very cool! 2y
31 likes3 comments
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Bookworm54
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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58% through this book.

It is a struggle because the chapters are so long, and the stories are becoming interconnected. Some aspects are super weird too. But I am quite enjoying it!
Hopefully I can power through the rest tomorrow…

And for tea I have made nshima and chicken stew. It was very tasty and FILLING. ☺️
You need to be strong for mixing nshima though!

#FoodAndLit

Texreader Sounds like we‘re both right around the same place in the book. Yes some parts are so weird. Not a favorite read for me for sure. I‘m impressed you made nshima !! 2y
Bookwormjillk I‘m impressed too! 2y
Catsandbooks Way to go on the book! And yes the nshima takes a strong arm lol 2y
39 likes3 comments
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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The Balaji family goes on vacation to Chipata and Lake Malawi.

So of course I ask the husband if he‘s been. It stirred up more childhood memories, and the “many times” they went to Lake Malawi.

#foodandlit #Zambia @butterfinger @catsandbooks

Butterfinger Cool!!! 2y
Texreader @Butterfinger This book is a struggle but at least I get these little bonuses. 2y
Butterfinger I think you are doing great. 2y
TheBookHippie How fun! Also I want a ribbon for finishing you should get one too! It was a struggle. 2y
57 likes4 comments
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TheBookHippie
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Pickpick

#FOODANDLIT ZAMBIA

Took me all month but I finished it!

Texreader Whoohoo!! I started last month and am just a little over halfway done. I‘m thinking it‘ll take the rest of the year at this rate. 😁 2y
TheBookHippie @Texreader I must confess zoom meetings helped me get it done 😂😂😂 all that in between time I read. And if it didn‘t pertain to me. 2y
Texreader @TheBookHippie Oh that‘s awesome! I‘m impressed you found the motivation. It just doesn‘t pull me in so when I read it it‘s like a chore. 2y
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Catsandbooks Congrats on this achievement! 2y
TheBookHippie @Texreader I‘m a tad stubborn 😂 comes in handy. 2y
TheBookHippie @Catsandbooks it was work- I gotta be honest, however I‘m glad I did it! 2y
50 likes6 comments
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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“She heard it every day at 1700 hours, when the TV came on, as the brightly colored bars gave way to an image of soldiers standing at full salute. Stand and sing of Zambia, proud and free. Land of work and joy and unity.”

I read this to the husband, and he startled with the memory from his childhood. Yep, accurate.

This is a hard read, but these little nuggets are incentive to keep on keeping on. #foodandlit #Zambia @butterfinger @catsandbooks

Crazeedi Your hubby lived in Zambia? 2y
Texreader @Crazeedi Yes. Before he turned 17, he lived about half his childhood in Zambia and half in Norway. He‘s now on his third continent. 😁 2y
Crazeedi @Texreader I thought I remembered Norway, but didn't know Zambia! He must be multilingual too. Such an interesting life he's had! 2y
48 likes3 comments
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Catsandbooks
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Bailedbailed

☠️I'm calling time of death on this one. I'm over 9 hours in and only at 38% of this book and I just don't have the patience for another 15.5 hours! I'm bored and confused and honestly don't care at this point. Hope you're able to make it through Karen!

#FoodandLit #bookspinbingo this was my bookspin book #OutstandingOctober

KristiAhlers Sorry you didn‘t care for it. But your review/comment was pretty amazing 😂 2y
Catsandbooks @Katbooklover 😂 thanks. Maybe I'll try it again at a later time but my heart's just not in it now! 2y
Hooked_on_books I wanted to love this one, but it didn‘t work for me. I do love that cover, though. 2y
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AnneCecilie That doesn‘t sound too good. I was hoping to read this at some point for #foodandlit (edited) 2y
Catsandbooks @Hooked_on_books I know, I love the cover too! 2y
Catsandbooks @AnneCecilie Maybe you'll end up liking it! It is a long one so be prepared for a lengthy read. 2y
Andrew65 Oh dear 😔 2y
Texreader I so don‘t blame you and I almost bailed on chapter 1. I just plain didn‘t like it. It goes up and down for me. A plodding read. I‘m 50% in. 2y
Catsandbooks @Texreader good luck to you on this endeavor! 💪🏼🍀 2y
Texreader @Catsandbooks Ha! “Endeavor” is the right word! It helps there are little tidbits I run by the hubby and it helps him recall things from his childhood. That‘s incentive for me to keep going. In fact I‘ll post one now. 2y
Catsandbooks @Texreader that's a good reason to keep going! 😊 2y
TheAromaofBooks Sometimes a book just is NOT the right fit!! 2y
Bookworm54 Only read the first grandmothers chapter so far. The chapters are so long that I keep leaning towards other reads. It is pretty weird so far, but I‘m not far enough through to have decided if I like it or not! I‘m intrigued enough to see where it goes for a bit longer haha 2y
Catsandbooks @Bookworm54 yeah the chapters are ridiculously long. Made me not want to pick it up 2y
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Can you make this out @Catsandbooks ? Hopefully you can take a snapshot and blow it up. Hang on to it. It will help tremendously.

#Zambia #foodandlit @Butterfinger

Catsandbooks Oh my goodness thank you!!! This will make the book do much better! 😂 probably why I've been having such a hard time! 🤦🏼‍♀️ 2y
Texreader @Catsandbooks I don‘t think that‘s the entire issue. It‘s still a hard read. Glad I could help 2y
Texreader @Catsandbooks That is the problem with audiobooks—no graphics when they are needed 2y
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Crazeedi @Texreader maybe that's why I dont listen to many books... 2y
AnneCecilie How do you find this book? I‘ve also borrowed this from the library. 2y
Texreader @AnneCecilie It‘s a slow hard read for me. What do you think? 2y
AnneCecilie I haven‘t started it yet. It was a little bigger than what I expected. 2y
Texreader @AnneCecilie I agree! I was surprised at how long it is 2y
57 likes8 comments
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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This book‘s chapters are titled by people on the family tree, 3 grandmothers, 3 mothers, and 3 children. I‘m finally on the second mother. This isn‘t an easy read and I took a week‘s break to read the very readable This Savage Song. A welcome relief from this one. But I‘m determined. How are you coming along @Catsandbooks ? #Zambia #foodandlit @Butterfinger

Catsandbooks Slow... I'm halfway through Matha. Do the characters connect better the farther you get? Cause I was confused as to how they all related to one another until you said it's 3 generations of women. 2y
Catsandbooks Does the physical book have a family tree? I'm listening to the audiobook. 2y
Texreader @Catsandbooks Posting the family tree shortly. Omg, I can‘t imagine trying to get through this book without it. 2y
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Catsandbooks @Texreader thank you!! 💕 2y
Butterfinger I wish I was reading this with you. @Catsandbooks I still think a buddy read would be a nice addition for next year. Just a thought. 2y
Catsandbooks @Butterfinger I've been thinking about that too! I'll email you both with my thoughts on that later. 2y
52 likes6 comments
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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One chapter of the tagged book is set in Kalingalinga, a “low-income high-density settlement” (so-called by the internet). Husband did remember a “shantytown” in Lusaka when he was growing up in Zambia although he just remembered it being called Kalinga. I think this photo depicts well the circumstances in the book.

#foodandlit #Zambia @butterfinger @catsandbooks

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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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I‘m really having to jog my husband‘s memory about his growing up in #Zambia. The tagged book is helping a little but I decided to do some browsing on the web. Here‘s a nice overview of touristy things in the country:

https://travel.earth/6-reasons-to-visit-zambia-this-year/amp/

#foodandlit @Butterfinger @catsandbooks

wanderinglynn Zambia is on my top 5 my travel bucket list. 2y
Catsandbooks Looks beautiful! 2y
61 likes2 comments
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Bookworm54
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Starting this for #FoodAndLit #Zambia and reminiscing about visiting Victoria Falls.

While I don‘t have pictures of the event (my camera broke and it was 12 years ago so phones were no use!) I did manage to see the lunar rainbows while I was in Zambia as well as the falls during the day. A beautiful place!

Catsandbooks I bet that was an amazing trip! @Texreader and I are reading The Old Drift right now. I'm having a hard time staying interested and following everything. Hope you enjoy it though! 2y
Texreader The beginning of the book is just not very compelling. It‘s sort of magical realism, sort of not. 2y
Bookworm54 @Texreader yeah I just finished the falls (before we start on grandmothers) and the end of that section threw me a little. I expected something more along the lines of homegoing… but I‘m liking it so far anyway @Catsandbooks ! 2y
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Texreader @Bookworm54 Be ready. It‘s going to take a very unusual turn 2y
Butterfinger A buddy read is a great idea @Catsandbooks and @Texreader 2y
Catsandbooks @Butterfinger it wasn't planned but just a happy coincidence 😊 2y
Texreader @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger A very happy coincidence since it can be a struggle of a read and it‘s nice to know I‘m not alone. It is very cool that I‘m mentioning things from the 1975 chapter, when husband lived there, and it‘s refreshing his memory! He remembers his brother eating nshima (but husband refused to try it). (edited) 2y
Texreader I wished you had photos but on the other hand you lived it in real life rather than through a camera lens! 2y
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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“ Sylvia woke up with a small person‘s hangover, a dizzy, fuzzy feeling born of sugar and adrenaline.“

#foodandlit #Zambia @butterfinger @catsandbooks

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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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A lot of nshima is being eaten in the tagged book so I found this recipe from the Lusaka Times:

https://www.lusakatimes.com/2015/09/15/in-the-kitchen-with-kanta-traditional-zam...

Where the heck does one buy pumpkin leaves?

#foodandlit #Zambia @butterfinger @catsandbooks

Catsandbooks I was thinking the same thing when looking at recipes. I read they have a pretty mild flavor similar to a mix of spinach and broccoli. Maybe you could sub kale or Swiss chard too. 2y
Dilara Funny you shouls say that! The first time the market stall owner gave me a bunch, my reaction was ”what the heck do I do with pumpkin leaves”! The leaves are thicker but they taste exactly like spinach so I would just use spinach in your recipe (which I‘m going to try - it looks delicious!) 2y
Catsandbooks How are you doing with this book? I've gotten to Agnes, but I'm really struggling to keep going. 2y
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Texreader @Catsandbooks It gets better. I found a Agnes‘ story interesting and Matha‘s story as well until it gets weird again. I‘m on Sylvia now. It‘s a bit of a roller coaster. 2y
Catsandbooks @Texreader OK well I'll try to keep going with it 2y
TheBookHippie SUBSTITUTES
Beet Greens, Kale, Spinach, Savoy Cabbage, Swiss Chard, Turnip Greens or I can go down the street to the pumpkin patch and pick leaves ?! 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️😂
(edited) 2y
Daisey I just happened to see this and the comment about pumpkin leaves. I have a pumpkin in my garden, so I may need to try one of the recipes you‘ve found using the leaves this weekend. 2y
Texreader Who knew that pumpkin leaves were edible much less a staple food in Zambia? I look forward to hearing out it works out! 2y
57 likes8 comments
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Catsandbooks
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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October #bookspinbingo 🔮 👻

Bookwormjillk I love the frogs 🐸 2y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Looks great!! 2y
40 likes2 comments
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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I just realized the section dividers are mosquitoes!

#foodandlit #Zambia @butterfinger @catsandbooks

rabbitprincess Haha I would definitely have swatted the book 😂 3y
SamAnne What do you think of it? I read it when it came out and it felt like a crazy ride! 3y
Texreader @SamAnne Really? I‘m not far enough along yet…I‘m such a slow reader. And I‘m having to use the dictionary a lot. The author has a much larger vocabulary than me. Glad I‘m getting a head start on it. 3y
SamAnne @texreader Okay, maybe a slow, crazy ride. Isn‘t it 700 pages or so? It felt like a couple different genres fused together…starts historical fiction and then takes a turn into AfroFuturism. It wasn‘t a top read of the year for me but definitely interesting. (edited) 3y
60 likes4 comments
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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The founding of Lusaka, #Zambia, the city where my husband grew up!

#foodandlit @Butterfinger @catsandbooks

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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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The tagged book starts here, one of the most famous and said to be one of the most beautiful places on earth, Victoria Falls. When husband was growing up in #Zambia one of his family vacations was to the falls. Can you even imagine? Have any Littens been here?

Image from here: https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/google_map_Victoria_Falls.htm

#foodandlit @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks Gorgeous! 3y
Butterfinger Absolutely beautiful. I knew about Victoria Falls, but didn't know the location. 3y
TheBookHippie Beautiful. Not me but my grandparents have been. 3y
Ruthiella I‘ve been on the Zimbabwe side of the falls in the late ‘80s. They are beautiful but sadly affected by many years of drought now. 3y
Bookworm54 I went many years ago and it was beautiful! I managed to see the lunar rainbows too. Amazing! 3y
55 likes5 comments
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TheBookHippie
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Catsandbooks Thanks for sharing! 🇿🇲 3y
Texreader Thanks!! 3y
See All 14 Comments
Chrissyreadit Thank you! 3y
TheBookHippie @Catsandbooks I love this challenge ! 3y
TheBookHippie @Texreader I‘m loving this challenge so very much. Do you do it every year? 3y
Texreader @TheBookHippie This was the first year. The good news is we plan to do it again next year!! You‘ve certainly helped make it so much fun with all of your terrific posts! @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks 3y
Bookwormjillk Thank you, and so glad to hear you plan on continuing ❤️ 3y
Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Thank you! I haven't had time to plan for Zambia yet. 3y
Butterfinger Thank you @Texreader I love seeing the posts and know everyone would love seeing them. 3y
TheBookHippie @Texreader OH YAY I‘m so excited!!!!! 3y
TheBookHippie @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick with school going in person I figured I‘d better be organised !!!! 3y
58 likes14 comments
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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This is a chunkster so I‘m starting on it early for #foodandlit #Zambia, our country for October. I‘m really looking forward to it as my husband spent about half his childhood growing up in Lusaka. @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks I'm planning on doing the audiobook book of this one! 3y
peanutnine Pretty cover 😍 3y
Texreader @peanutnine I actually hadn‘t thought of that but you are right! It is quite nice 3y
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MsLeah8417
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell

Through blistering heat and blundering rain, beating off the taboo that to carry death is to beckon it?

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Singout
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
Pickpick

This was loooong but pretty good, although I think it could have been pared down. The first Zambian novel I've read--a three-family century-long saga with characters whose roots are in England and Italy as well as Zambia. I liked the historical elements, although that wasn't the core theme, challenging colonialism, centring of women, and the play with magic realism and sci-fi.
#ArmchairTravel #Booked2020

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Lindy
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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I‘m moving this closer to the top of my TBR after watching Namwali Serpell‘s award acceptance video.

https://youtu.be/dtnvEGVNZK0?list=PLdgePvblfv94vi2LEAkHWu1SD8sWGaWwg

readordierachel Wow. This sounds very timely. 4y
39 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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Nitpickyabouttrains
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Mehso-so

This one took me forever to get through

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parasolofdoom
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Pickpick

Likely one of my favorites this year

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2681935143

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parasolofdoom
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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February reads

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vivastory
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Pickpick

This review is NOT for the tagged book, rather it is for Serpell's version of Poe's story "Will Williams." I have been reading quite a few novellas lately, including from Amazon original stories. I've had particularly great success from the Disorder collection Serpell's is no exception. A faithful, & colloquial version of Poe's story which was also an influence on King's The Outsider.

Aimeesue The Min Jin Lee Story in this collection was stunning. The audiobook narration was terrific. 4y
vivastory @Aimeesue I think that the Lee & Beukes are the only two I have yet to read in the collection. I'm looking forward to them, I've honestly not been disappointed in a single one. 4y
81 likes2 comments
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shaynarae
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Mehso-so

There‘s a lot packed into this multi-generational family history, and while it was admirably ambitious, I‘m not sure it pulled it off. I wish I had had some direction to where the story was going and that the chapters of each family line were consistently ordered throughout. It was hard to keep track of, and I found myself zoning in and out of the story. I do appreciate this book, but it didn‘t quite do it for me.

Ruthiella Hmm... I have this on my shelf. I‘ll still give it a go but will keep your critique in mind. 4y
shaynarae @Ruthiella I hope you love this book! Lots of people do. There was more to pay attention to than I had anticipated. And I came to it thinking it would be like Homegoing, which was an error on my part. 4y
25 likes2 comments
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Booksnchill
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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I love book serendipity when it comes along. I have been reading The Old Drift and then I decided to listen to Michael Palin read his commentary for the travel documentary Pole to Pole. When Palin gets to Rhodesia and Zimbabwe the events and history mentioned matched where I was in Serpell‘s novel. Those moments just make me smile!🥰

CaramelLunacy I love it when it all slots together like that! 4y
Booksnchill @CaramelLunacy seems almost magical☺️ 4y
54 likes2 comments
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Texreader
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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A top 15 book of 2019 according to The Atlantic magazine. Added to tbr right now!

JSW I loved it! 4y
Texreader @JSW So glad to hear that! It‘s by a Zambian author, and Zambia is where my husband grew up. So I‘m excited to read something by an author from there. 4y
Texreader @Butterfinger This is the Zambia book I am looking forward to reading. 3y
Butterfinger I remember stacking it. I'm glad you retagged me. 3y
62 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Blaire
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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On vacation so this is a bookshop spot. #7covers7days #covercrush day 7.

Ruthiella I had that one up for consideration. I really love it! 5y
sudi 😍 5y
Blaire @Ruthiella it is gorgeous. It‘s hard to capture the almost textural look it has in a photo. 5y
Blaire @sudi 💕 5y
63 likes4 comments
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Expandingbookshelf
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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“And so. A dead white man grows bearded and lost in the blinding heart of Africa. With his rooting and roving, his stops and starts, he becomes out after unwitting, our inadvertent pater muzungo. This is the story of a nation-not a kingdom, or a people-so it begins, of course, with a white man.”

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Rachel_nyc
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Pickpick

I‘ll start by saying I am a sucker for a good multi-generational story! The characters are very “unique” and it did take me some time to get into this one but I loved learning more about Zambian history and reading about these families and how they interconnect. The last section veered off in an unexpected direction but I still found it interesting and relevant to what is happening in the world. #aty2019

Ruthiella 😃 Yay! I have this sitting on my shelf! Hopefully I‘ll get to it this Fall. 5y
Rachel_nyc @Ruthiella I can‘t wait to hear your thoughts. It almost feels like 2 novels in one because it switches from a more traditional multi generational historical fiction to a near future tech novel but I enjoyed it! 5y
13 likes2 comments
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Kathrin
Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Bailedbailed

I tried, but 10 hours in I am going to throw the towel.

I thought the storytelling was so discombobulated and the individual stories felt drawn out.

Unfortunately not for me.

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jveezer
Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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White truth! Ha ha ha ha!!!

6 likes2 stack adds
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jveezer
Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Ha ha. I went past several of these before I noticed they were mosquitoes. Cool and apt text decoration. Looking forward to my first Zambian novel.

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Hooked_on_books
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Mehso-so

Not gonna lie—I struggled with this novel. Parts of it I just loved, parts dragged, and parts don‘t seem to below here at all. That said, I think Serpell is a very talented writer and I‘ll be looking for her in the future for sure.

Oh, and I 😍 this cover!

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Sarz
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Pickpick

5 🌟 All the stars!
Wow 😍 If you get the chance to pick up this book, please do. Don't be frightened by its size. It is an absolutely beautiful first novel by a talented Zambian writer. I adored it! Like Gyasi's Homecoming, it tells the story of three generations of three families connected to the British settlement in Rhodesia, known as Old Drift. It is beautiful, it is powerful - it took me 6 weeks to read because I wanted to savour it.

20 likes2 stack adds
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Hooked_on_books
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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I think someone doesn‘t want me to read anymore. 😂

#dogsofLitsy #Bindi

MrBook 😻😻😻 5y
ravenlee Aren‘t you done yet?! 5y
Soubhiville Yep, I think someone needs some attention! 🐶💜 5y
See All 6 Comments
SaturnDoo Ohhhh my heart 🐶🐶🐶🐶💖💖💖💖💖 5y
Hooked_on_books @ravenlee Yes, that‘s it exactly! 5y
Hooked_on_books @SaturnDoo Yeah, she‘s hard to resist. 5y
59 likes6 comments
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JSW
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
Pickpick

Wow. What a work of art. Creative and brilliant and real and earthy and literary. Serpell is a master at capturing the different voices of the multigenerational characters and plays loose with the past/present/future time structures. Really great, one of the best of 2019 for me!

21 likes2 stack adds
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Hooked_on_books
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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Before I dive back into my current read, I‘m enjoying my post card from @Soubhiville along with my delicious microwave mug brownie. I haven‘t been to Black Canyon since I was a kid and my mom thought the cry of the golden eagle was my sister or I falling into the canyon. 😆 We still teas her about it. Thanks for the card—I‘m glad you had a good trip!

Soubhiville Oh no, how scary for your mom! I enjoyed my time there with my family. So beautiful! 5y
44 likes1 comment
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JSW
The Old Drift | Namwali Serpell
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History, in short, was the annals of the bully on the playground. Truth bomb.