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Out of Darkness, Shining Light
Out of Darkness, Shining Light: A Novel | Petina Gappah
14 posts | 7 read | 24 to read
Engrossing, beautiful, and deeply imaginative, Out of Darkness, Shining Light is a novel that lends voice to those who appeared only as footnotes in history, yet whose final, brave act of loyalty and respect changed the course of it. An incredible and important book by a masterful writer. ?Yaa Gyasi, author of Homegoing This is how we carried out of Africa the poor broken body of Bwana Daudi, the Doctor, David Livingstone, so that he could be borne across the sea and buried in his own land. So begins Petina Gappah's powerful novel of exploration and adventure in nineteenth-century Africathe captivating story of the loyal men and women who carried explorer and missionary Dr. Livingstone's body, his papers and maps, fifteen hundred miles across the continent of Africa, so his remains could be returned home to England and his work preserved there. Narrated by Halima, the doctor's sharp-tongued cook, and Jacob Wainwright, a rigidly pious freed slave, this is a story that encompasses all of the hypocrisy of slavery and colonizationthe hypocrisy at the core of the human heartwhile celebrating resilience, loyalty, and love.
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Tove_Reads
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About to start reading the tagged for book club next week. Still in a bit of a slump 🤷🏼😳 At least the dogs are having a blast 😊

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Hooked_on_books
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Bailedbailed

I love the idea of reframing a well known story about a white man (in this case David Livingstone) to instead discuss the local people of color surrounding him. But the execution here just isn‘t working for me. I think it‘s me, not the book, but I‘m finding it scattered and a slog, so I‘m bailing out.

Ruthiella Bummer! I was excited about this one. 2y
45 likes1 comment
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Soubhiville
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Pickpick

I don‘t know much about Dr David Livingstone... but this was a historical fiction novel told from the point of view of his cook, Halima, and Jacob Wainwright, an aspiring Christian missionary, as they transport his body across Africa to return it for burial to England.

My favorite part was Halima‘s description of drying the body and how she came up with that idea. 😱

Very good narration and an interesting and unusual story.

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EliNeedsMoreShelves
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DNF at 30%.

Nothing wrong with this one - writing was good, narrative strong. I just never felt excited to pick it up, and I have too many other books I AM excited about to spend any more time on this one right now.

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Mitch
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Put a pause on my FB and Instagram accounts this week and have resurrected the ‘Sunday morning with the papers and pastries‘ ritual.

Hazel2019 Love that! 4y
MicrobeMom Love it Mitch! I have been considering the same! 4y
Fridameetslucy Yummy. I do the nyc version - bialys and nova with a smear and the NYTimes :) 4y
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Books88 Get those hand ink stains!!!! It's the best 🙌🏻 4y
MicheleinPhilly I do that every Sunday with the NY Times. But every other article is about the presidential election so for sanity‘s sake, here I am on Litsy. 😂 4y
Mitch @MicheleinPhilly I know what you mean - im definitely a Review section backwards person! 4y
85 likes6 comments
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Tamra
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Pickpick

This is a very human, personalized narrative of the loyal Africans who carried David Livingstone‘s body 1500 miles to the coast so that it could be buried in his homeland. It was difficult to keep track of names & places via the audio format, but I really enjoyed the characters & exploration of the impact of colonialism on African culture nonetheless.

Ohhhh, the irony at the very end. I can‘t say more! 😮

65 likes2 stack adds
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BookNAround
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Pickpick

A novel told from the perspective of two native people who were part of the entourage that carried Livingstone‘s body from the interior of Africa to the coast, this is a slow and sometimes hard read but it is worth the effort. Full review at https://booknaround.blogspot.com/2019/12/review-out-of-darkness-shining-light-by....

Tamra My current audio. 👍🏾 4y
64 likes1 comment
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Tamra
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Audio baking - chocolate loaf. Kids will be happy campers after school. 😋

Halima, the female MC of the tagged book is cheeky! Love her suffer no nonsense, tell it like it is, get it done attitude. 💪🏾👌🏾👍🏾 Since she is the cook, I‘m thoroughly enjoying all the food references. Though right now she is comparing how long it will take to dry out Livingstone‘s body to a goat.

Cathythoughts Yum 👍🏻 4y
TheSpineView Looks yummy! 💜 4y
readordierachel Looks delicious! 4y
64 likes3 comments
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Soubhiville
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These are the books I got from last night‘s Jolabokaflod party! I had a wonderful group of ladies, some from each of my two bookclubs, and we were joined by Litsy pal @Eggs , who I was so excited to finally meet 😊📚

@Eyelit and I may have even converted some new Littens... stay tuned.

Happy Holidays friends! I hope you get some time with a good book today. 💚❤️💚

Eggs It was lovely of you (and M) to host the Eve social!!! Nice meeting everyone in your beautiful, welcoming home! Thanks for having me! 💕🥰 4y
Zelma The Nest is so good. I absolutely loved it. 4y
58 likes2 comments
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Mitch
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Oh my goodness @BookNAround - such lovely lovely gifts, thank you sweet friend you and I have such similar taste! 😘

Wishing you all a very very happy Christmas - have a wonderful holiday season. 🥳❤️🥳 #litsylove

Mitch Ps.. the wonderful card - showing the cheeky black and white cat deconstructing the Christmas tree- is very apt for our household of bauble loving kitties! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 (edited) 4y
Silly_Gull I have socks with that design! 😁 4y
78 likes2 comments
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Eyelit
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Not to be outdone, Elliot had to get in on the sunbeam sleepy cuteness on this fine #Caturday #catsoflitsy (love that my cats like books as much as I do 😸)

Soubhiville So comfy 😁 4y
CoverToCoverGirl So precious! (edited) 4y
readordierachel 😍😍 4y
87 likes3 comments
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Ellen_C
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Pickpick

Extraordinary historical fiction about the last days of David Livingstone in Africa & the efforts of his African attendants to move his body & papers 1500 miles to the coast & England. Narrated by two members of the party, female cook Halima and freed slave Jacob Wainwright (both real people), the novel examines colonialism‘s impact on those most directly affected. https://cannonballread.com/2019/10/out-of-darkness-shining-light-elcicco/

5 likes2 stack adds
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
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Surprise #Bookmail today!! Thank you @ScribnerBooks for this arc!!! It looks so good!!

#Catsoflitsy (I still haven‘t named them 🤷🏼‍♀️ I figure when I do they will leave!)

Crazeedi They aren't going to leave, they know they have it made! I adore them!😽😻 5y
Karisa What a cutie! Looks just like our cat, Chewie (our other cat is Han Solo). 5y
TheShaggyShepherd I got this one too! 5y
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Leftcoastzen Cute!😻 5y
brit91 Beautiful cat!😻 5y
98 likes10 comments
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bookseller_cate
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2/3 of my #bookfair #arc #bookhaul

Some great buzz about this one. I‘m so pleased to see African authors getting more of the spotlight.

The plot involves the journey of David Livingstone‘s body and papers from inland Africa to the coast so his body could be buried in England and his work preserved.

I confess, I know little more than “Dr. Livingstone, I presume.” I‘m interested in reading an African perspective before a European one.

Itchyfeetreader This looks interesting and I love the cover (edited) 5y
43 likes2 stack adds1 comment