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Kintu
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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review
Billypar
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Pickpick

Absorbing novel that looks at five stories of relatives from the same family grappling with a curse that manifests in the form of mental illness. The first is from 1750 and steeped in Ugandan folklore, but the other four set in modern times show different ways the characters interpret their shared history as influencing their present challenges. Makumbi is skilled in examining how personal, political, and family histories speak to each other.

Billypar With the passing of yet another Ugandan anti-homosexuality law, we need voices like Makumbi's more than ever. This interview after the novel came out in 2014 gives a good sense of both Makumbi's artistic vision and values: https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/so-many-ways-of-knowing-an-interview-with-je... 12mo
Liz_M Good review! I read this not too long ago. Some characters/stories were more enjoyable than others, but overall I liked the structure. 12mo
Billypar @Liz_M Agreed - I liked how the multi-narrative structure served a clear storytelling purpose, which I think gets muddled in some novels. I liked the first two sections (1-Kintu Kidda and 2-Suubi) and Book 5 (Miisi) storylines the best. 12mo
29 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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Billypar
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Question for you all: teeth sucking... have you witnessed it? I see it in books all the time and understand it's an expression of anger, but have never seen it used that way in real life. I've only seen it when someone reacts to hearing about a painful injury. I got a partial answer from Google: a blog post says it is an expression of annoyance in West Africa (this novel takes place in East Africa so probably close enough). But......👇

Billypar ..... I've seen U.S.-born characters do this action all the time. So I guess my question is - have you seen angry teeth-sucking in real life, and if so, where are you from? Curious if it's something seen in different countries, regions, and/or cultures. Thanks in advance! 🕵️‍♂️ 13mo
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Texreader I‘ve never seen or even heard of it! Interesting. And yes I‘m from Texas 😁 13mo
Billypar @Texreader I think I used to just skip over it when reading without giving it much thought, and then it came up in a book podcast I listen to, but just in a 'what's the deal with that?' way, no conclusions drawn. Then I started seeing it everywhere in books but still nowhere in life (I'm from New Jersey and have also lived in New York and Pennsylvania). 13mo
Texreader @Billypar And odds are now I‘ll start seeing it in book! I‘ll let you know 🤔 13mo
Ruthiella It‘s placing your tongue behind your top teeth and sucking in. It makes a kind of “tsk” sound. 13mo
Billypar @Texreader So true, right? Much appreciated! 😬😀 13mo
Billypar @Ruthiella You made me realize I should have YouTubed it. The first video was from Jamaica - I don't think I've heard the sound before, and I guess over there they call it 'kiss my teeth' and spell it 'pschew'. More videos mention the expression as uniquely Carribbean. Still, I feel as though I've read plenty of characters doing it outside of that cultural context. And always 'suck teeth', never 'kiss' 😕 13mo
vivastory I'm so glad that you posted about this ?? I've seen this in several books and although I "understood" it I still found the description very puzzling!! 13mo
Billypar @vivastory Seeing videos made me realize it was not the sound I was picturing in my head! Everything I can find on the internet says African and Carribbean cultural usage. It's most likely that this has been true in books too, and I just never noticed it was just characters from these cultures doing it. Still, I can't shake the idea that there's some kind of authorial appropriation going on, and it's spread further in books as a result 🤷🏻 13mo
Reggie What @ruthiella said. Also, this was very common in that judgement that comes from family especially the aunts who knew you did wrong. At least in my family. 13mo
batsy Yes! Super common within certain modes of interaction (having extreme familiarity with each other) while I was growing up. Now—not so much, interestingly enough. This is Malaysia, for context, and largely among the Malaysian Indian community. 13mo
Billypar @Reggie Yeah, from the videos I saw, it's very different than I was imagining (and now I'm wondering, does that response to hearing about an injury that I thought was sucking teeth have a name? Lol). Interesting too that it's more common in family judgments that @batsy observed also. And that it might be on the decline in usage. I'd like to find more about it - so far I've just got a couple posts, videos, and an article from the 1970s. 13mo
Centique I love this kind of question! Thanks for such an interesting discussion and I went down a YouTube hole myself 😂 In terms of the name of that response to injury sound, the best “name” for it I could find was “inhaling through gritted teeth”. Fascinating to think out about different noises/gestures that are outside of spoken language but instantly recognisable within a culture. I hope there‘s a book on this someday. 13mo
Billypar @Centique I'm always happy to lead others down rabbit holes ? It is interesting when there's no good name for something recognizable - maybe four words is one too many for describing one action? One other phrase in this realm is "clucked his/her tongue", sometimes with "in sympathy" added. But I don't see it in novels from recent decades and maybe often less in real life too? 13mo
25 likes17 comments
blurb
Liz_M
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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I finished Future Home of the Living God.

I'm still pretending to be reading The Rainbow and Celestial Harmonies and I've started Kintu.

BarbaraBB *still pretending* 🤣 14mo
29 likes1 comment
review
TheKidUpstairs
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Pickpick

An epic tale of Uganda, family, Tradition vs Colonialism, spirits, curses, and intergenerational trauma. If you can get your hands on the edition with Aaron Bady's Introduction, I highly recommend it, especially if you are reading this from a white, Western space.

#foodandlit #Uganda
@Catsandbooks @Texreader

SamAnne I checked this out from the library but just couldn‘t get the time to read this month. But it is on my radar now thanks to #foodandlit 1y
Ruthiella I loved this book. I need to read her follow up work now. 1y
TheKidUpstairs @Ruthiella I've got it on my shelf, definitely interested to read more of her work! 1y
TheKidUpstairs @SamAnne it is definitely one that takes a bit of time and attention, but it pays off! I hope you like it if and when you get around to it! 1y
Catsandbooks So glad you enjoyed it!! 🇺🇬 1y
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Bookworm54
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this #Uganda pick for #FoodAndLit
It got quite confusing with names and times and relations, despite having part of a family tree… but it was pretty interesting.
I do however wonder why they didn‘t try to break the curse earlier 🤷🏼‍♀️

#JoyousJanuary

Andrew65 Sounds interesting. Well done 👏👏👏 1y
Texreader Fantastic!! 1y
Catsandbooks Nice review! 🇺🇬 1y
46 likes3 comments
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ElizaMarie
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Bailedbailed

This book has a lot of names/places and just at this point with my stress level… I can‘t finish it. I have enjoyed as much as I gave read so it‘s a #DNF really only because it‘s not the right time for me.

#FoodAndLit
@CatsAndBooks
@TexReader
@TheKidUpstairs

Texreader Ahhh I know the feeling. Maybe someday it‘ll be the right time. Good for you knowing when to call it!! 1y
Catsandbooks Totally get it! No worries! 1y
TheKidUpstairs I get that. There is a lot there, and is definitely one that needs your full mental attention. I'm reading it slowly so that I can take it all in, and I'm really enjoying it. But yes, if your brain is already on overload it would be a tough one! Maybe you'll come back to it when the time is right! 1y
ElizaMarie @TheKidUpstairs yeah what I read what super enjoyable … I just couldn‘t focus to continue. It was as one of those things just not the right head space for me 1y
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ElizaMarie
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Catsandbooks Always! 😉😂🇺🇬 1y
20 likes1 comment
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ElizaMarie
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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The Hispanic culture has many of these similar family groups. I have Tias and Tios that are in no way related to me. I have primos/as that probably are closer to 3rd cousins, maybe? Some of my younger relatives considered me their Tia. Oh, and then if you meet a Tocayo of someone (someone with the same name) how they are also a family member. like, “he's my Tocayo“ and then it's, bam, okay, I guess we are related? And the God Family!

#FoodAndLit

Texreader Ha!! 1y
TheKidUpstairs There are definitely parallels to a lot of different cultures. Where everyone in a community who is not an immediate family member is either “cousin“, “auntie“, or “uncle“, depending on their age in relation. 1y
Catsandbooks This is great! 🇺🇬 1y
ElizaMarie @TheKidUpstairs I feel very fortunate to have this type of culture. I moved from South Texas (among all my Mexican family) to VT (land of no color). When I talk about family gatherings' history or tell stories, everyone is in awe, like I was truly raised by an army of people and given safety and security by many where, as some of my peers up here didn't have that. 1y
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ElizaMarie
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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@TheKidUpstairs - That Breakfast looked too good! I hadn't picked my #FoodAndLit book this month, and after reading the synopsis of this one, I was lucky enough to find it on Libby!

Thank you for the recommendation!

SamAnne I just reserved this one from the library! 1y
Catsandbooks Yay! 🇺🇬 1y
TheKidUpstairs Yay! Glad you were able to find a copy! I hope you enjoy :) 1y
23 likes3 comments
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TheKidUpstairs
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Breakfast this morning is my (super overstuffed) take on Ugandan Rolex. https://eatwellabi.com/home-made-ugandan-rolex-recipe/

Tagged is one of my current reads: an historical Ugandan epic. So far it's excellent. If you decide to read it, don't skip the introduction by Aaron Bady, it gives excellent context to head into this one!

#FoodandLit @Catsandbooks @Texreader

ElizaMarie That just looks amazing! wow! 1y
Texreader I‘m going to have to give that a try. Thanks for posting the link! 1y
Catsandbooks Fantastic! Looks great and I'm glad the book is going well! 🇺🇬 1y
TheKidUpstairs @ElizaMarie so good, and so easy! And it is variable, so it's good to use up whatever veg you have :) 1y
TheKidUpstairs @Texreader no problem, enjoy! 1y
58 likes5 comments
review
TalesandTexts
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Pickpick

Kintu trace the lives of different people who are connected by a single clan. All characters come together to reckon with a centuries long curse that plagues them.

But what is the curse? A malevolent energy intent on wrecking their lives? Or a far more sinister reality that no one wants to acknowledge?

This book beautifully showcases Ugandan culture and African beliefs. The narrator has done a phenomenal job with authentic pronunciation.

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wanderinglynn
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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@Mitch thank you so much! What an incredible box! I can‘t wait to dive into these books and snacks. And I love using sticky flags for all my favorite quotes. 😀 And I‘m super excited to try . . . (see next post)

#SFS

Mitch Wow - box 2 got there in record time! Sorry it wasn‘t quite as busy as box 1 - I still hold out hope for that to arrive! Hope you enjoy! 2y
Dragon Rivers of London is a fun series 💚🐉 2y
wanderinglynn @Mitch The U.S. postal service is weird & unpredictable, especially when dealing with military overseas addresses. It will be nice to have a regular US address again. And this box is awesome 📚 + 🧩 + 🍫 = 🥳 2y
Avanders 😍😍😍 (and *wow* re box 2 getting there so fast!!) @Mitch (also same comment - apologizes sorry for such a delay in responding — I‘ve been crazed !!) 2y
75 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
Evita
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
Pickpick

4out of 5. Loved this book

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bnp
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Finished Kintu this morning, for a total of 8 books this month.

Upping my goal in February to walking 15 out of 28 days. (Walked 11 this month.)

Doing well on my goal to eat out less. Only one meal out in the past week.

#bfc21 @wandringlynn

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bnp
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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1. Kintu (Makumbi) & The doors of Eden (Tchaikovsky)

2. Eager: the surprising, secret lives of beavers and why they matter.

3. oregano

#weekend reads, @rachelsbrittain

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bnp
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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1. Kintu
2. Women's ways of knowing
3. The royal kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay by Patricia McKissack

#weekendreads, @rachelsbrittain

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bnp
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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1. Focus on decluttering, a bit at a time.
2. It was warm enough to gather outside with a few friends to catch up!

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Nebklvr
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Pickpick

This was a fabulous but not always easy read. So very interesting!! Also there was a great discussion about it on youtube: Brown Girl Reading. This feels like a classic. I had to invest more than usual but the payoff was a much more rewarding read.

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Afua
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Pickpick

Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi is a master storyteller and the ultimate griot.

Aaron Bady (though not in this particular published version) writes one of the best introductions to a book that I‘ve ever read.

That‘s it. That‘s all.

ErinSBecker This has been on my TBR list for a while and I'm excited about reading it soon after your review. I LOVE the cover design on your copy. 4y
Afua @ErinSBecker Right?! It‘s absolutely gorgeous. 4y
ErinSBecker I love it when graphic design is GOOD! 4y
4 likes3 comments
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Butterfinger
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
Pickpick

A masterpiece. An epic read about a Ugandan family who descended from Kintu and his twin wives in the 1700s. Most of the book is set in 2004, but with each descendent's own personal, hard childhood in the 60s and 70s. The book took me places I've not been such as Amin's butchery and the bush wars. An unforgettable read.

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FountainOfWords
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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CoffeeNBooks Welcome to Litsy! 📚 5y
SamanthaMarie Welcome to Litst!! 💕🎉🌸 5y
FountainOfWords Thank you 🥰 5y
See All 6 Comments
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 💜📖💜 5y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 🥳🎉 5y
Crazeedi Welcome to litsy!!🎉🎉 5y
6 likes6 comments
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FountainOfWords
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Onto Chapter 6 and promising to be a good read based on completely different culture, which is already proving insightful.

wanderinglynn Welcome to Litsy! 👋🏻 5y
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amok
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Pickpick

A compelling family saga, a sublime and important epic!! And so much more!
Reading this novel felt like travelling. To Uganda. Where the 21th century characters try to come to terms with their colononial past, the independence and the violence that came with this. And how can they reconcile the deeply rooted belief in an ancestor's curse and the western explanations for the mental and other disasters that chase Kintu Kidda's offspring?

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HardcoverHearts
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Multitasking Saturday!

25 likes2 stack adds
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amok
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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My next one waiting for me ... very promising start!

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Liberty
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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In case you still haven‘t heard: KINTU was one of the most singularly amazing reading experiences I have had. So I am OVER THE MOON to read Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi‘s upcoming book of short stories! It hits stores April 30th. And seriously, if you haven‘t read KINTU, drop everything and do it now. I‘ll wait here. (JK, it‘s 450 pages, I can‘t sit still that long. 😝)📚❤️📚

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HannaPolkadots
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Has anyone read this? Such great storytelling!??? In some ways it reminds me a bit of Roots by Alex Haley, because it tracks several generations of a family, but the topic is different. I also love that it is set in Uganda, I don't think I've ever "been" there before ?

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BookishTrish
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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thereadingowlvina Conn Iggulden 😊👍❤ 5y
BookishTrish @thereadingowlvina I ❤️ him too and have been reading Dunstan on and off since July! It‘s time to finish it! 5y
thereadingowlvina @BookishTrish I read The Falcon of Sparta recently. It was really good! Oh do let me know your thoughts on Dunstan when you finished reading it 😁 5y
77 likes3 comments
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BookishTrish
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Sometimes when I‘m Christmas shopping I sort of forget I added items (books) for myself to my cart and then I‘m surprised when they arrive. Is it just me? Pictured: yesterday‘s #bookmail

Tamra Love it when that happens! This one is calling my name on the shelf. 5y
72 likes1 comment
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Lel2403
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Book haul.....a gift from a friend....which one do I read first.....decisions!

Lel2403 I like the sound of this....will start with Cora... 5y
Ruthiella The Glass Castle was unputdownable for me😀 5y
105 likes3 comments
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ontheBL
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
Pickpick

A fabulous book about history, culture, family, and more.

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cocomass
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Pickpick

Story opens in 1750 in the pre-colonial land that will become Uganda. The first section focuses on the politics and customs of the time as experienced by an ancestor—Kintu—of the subsequent characters. The following sections jump to 2004 and look at 4 of Kintu‘s descendants. Interesting from many perspectives: political, social, familial, historical, cultural. Touches on generational trauma and employs magical realism. I really enjoyed it 4.5/5

Tamra I‘m so looking forward to reading this! 6y
HardcoverHearts Thank you for the review! 6y
42 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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cocomass
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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A third of the way through #24in48 and catching my minutes where I can. I took the train down the peninsula a little early—I‘m meeting some friends a little later to see a musical. But for now, reading before my pho arrives 🍲

HardcoverHearts I've got a copy of Kintu that I need to get to soon. Please let me know what you think of it! 6y
cocomass @HardcoverHearts I‘m REALLY enjoying it. I‘m over halfway through, but I‘m excited to see how it all comes together. I‘ll definitely post a review. 6y
46 likes2 comments
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cocomass
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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3 hours in and switching back to an audiobook so I can make myself some lunch! #24in48

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DannyOlda
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Just came in the mail. Very excited to settle in with this one.

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cocomass
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Since Litsy doesn‘t have a description of this book, thought I‘d snap the blurb

Eyelit Much appreciated!! 6y
33 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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cocomass
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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New from the library 🙌🏽 I‘ve never read about Uganda, so I‘m looking forward to this 🇺🇬 #ownvoices

Tamra I am excited to read this too! 6y
39 likes1 stack add1 comment
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RebelReader
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Some of my red books! #Decktheshelves

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jveezer
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Pickpick

This book was magnificent. Hard for me to put down at times. I'm working my way through books from as many countries and cultures of Africa as possible for an English reader, and this Ugandan epic stands out. Q

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jveezer
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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I have not been able to put this book down. But I need to get to bed so I can cook tomorrow so I can finish cooking on Thursday. Definitely NOT like "sucking a sweet in a wrapper"...so be careful absorbing this one.

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jveezer
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Book Three and 175 pages into a 443 page novel and not one white character or mention of a white person. England mentioned in passing. Maybe why all the mainstream publishers narcissistically thought it too "African" and passed on the manuscript. I say refreshingly well done...

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shawnmooney
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Bailedbailed

Abandoned just past the 30% mark. The novel wasn't holding my interest enough to read another 300 pages. The initial story about the tribal chief Kintu in the mid-18th century was riveting, but the more modern story was decidedly less so, and I felt the depiction of how the "curse" played out in successive generations was uninteresting and ham-handedly done.

shawnmooney @batsy Shall I slip this in the parcel I'll be sending to you soon? 6y
batsy @shawnmooney Oh, that would be lovely! Thank you so much. I'm sorry you didn't like it, but also not so sorry 😂😘 6y
shawnmooney @batsy Great! 😘 6y
44 likes3 comments
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shawnmooney
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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shawnmooney
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Liberty
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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Dewey's Readathon countdown, Day 28: Today's prompt is "red" so I grabbed all the red books I could reach without having to get up from my desk. ?❤️? #readathon #30DaysofReadathon

Cathythoughts ❤️ 7y
141 likes1 stack add1 comment
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shawnmooney
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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shawnmooney
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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#QuoteOfTheDay

This quote has not been brought to you by the makers of Viagra. 😂

(Nnakato and Babiyre are twins, and Kintu's first two wives; Mayirika is the residence where he lives with them; Kintu is a regional governor, or Ppoookino.)

keithmalek Call me crazy, but I don't feel bad for him. 7y
saresmoore I love this passage! 7y
shawnmooney @keithmalek Makumbi is taking on a challenge, writing a historical novel about such a patriarchal era of Uganda's history, but she is playing with gender in interesting ways so far! 7y
shawnmooney @saresmoore I am really drawn deeply into this novel so far! 7y
33 likes4 comments
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shawnmooney
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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shawnmooney
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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I myself won't read this interview until after I finish the novel, which is on my September TBR. But note the correct pronunciation of the title…

https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/so-many-ways-of-knowing-an-interview-with-je...

Shemac77 I love when people put the correct pronunciation in brackets. There's nothing worse than when I mispronounce something. 7y
shawnmooney @Shemac77 I know, right? I don't think this one is yet available on audio, but audiobooks really help me with that. Hey, IOU an email and hope to get one off to you very soon! 😍 7y
Shemac77 And IOU a package! I just need to go shopping! 7y
35 likes1 stack add3 comments
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mrsmarch
Kintu | Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
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#BookMail! Presents for myself thanks to my careful hoarding of loose change and a visit to the CoinStar machine. I'm excited for Kintu, something out of my usual realm but I've heard wonderful things about. I need to cleanse my palate with some quicker, lighter reads though before tackling. #hufflepuff4lyfe

ReadingEnvy I got this too, and same. Need to wait for the right time. 7y
mrsmarch @ReadingEnvy I've had a lot of "heavy" reads this year. Need some quick light reads to rest my brain up. 7y
30 likes2 comments