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Cockroaches
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
27 posts | 13 read | 58 to read
Imagine being born into a world where everything about you--the shape of your nose, the look of your hair, the place of your birth--designates you as an undesirable, an inferior, a menace, no better than a cockroach, something to be driven away and ultimately exterminated. Imagine being thousands of miles away while your family and friends are brutally and methodically slaughtered. Imagine being entrusted by your parents with the mission of leaving everything you know and finding some way to survive, in the name of your family and your people. Scholastique Mukasonga's Cockroaches is the story of growing up a Tutsi in Hutu-dominated Rwanda--the story of a happy child, a loving family, all wiped out in the genocide of 1994. A vivid, bitterwsweet depiction of family life and bond in a time of immense hardship, it is also a story of incredible endurance, and the duty to remember that loss and those lost while somehow carrying on. Sweet, funny, wrenching, and deeply moving, Cockroaches is a window onto an unforgettable world of love, grief, and horror. From the Trade Paperback edition.
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Twocougs
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Pickpick

This should be required reading. The pain the author feels for her family, fellow Tutsi, and Rwanda is beyond comprehension. Her strength and honor are a gift to her heritage. I pray that some day, we humans learn to cherish each other, instead of hate.

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DannyOlda
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Pickpick

A sad book, difficult subject matter. Full of so much humanity leading up to moment of so much dehumanizing. This was one of two books in the month's #boxwalla book box.

Taylor What is boxwalla? 5y
DannyOlda @taylor They're at theboxwalla.com. They have a bimonthly book box subscription for $30/ea. That includes two books and sometimes they come with little extras like bookmarks, pocket notebook, etc. I feel like they're selections align with my taste much more than any other book box subscription service I've seen. The other book that came for April is The Rings of Saturn by W. G. Sebald 5y
7 likes3 comments
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MayJasper
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Today's #augustisatrip photo challenge is #hell
I thought of this.
@vkois88 and @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

vkois88 Definitely sounds like hell 6y
Quirkybookworm Oh hell no! 6y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 😱😱😱 6y
AmandaL This book was devastating, but excellent. 6y
63 likes4 comments
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jveezer
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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"Where are they? Somewhere deep in the anonymous crowd of the genocide' victims. A million of them, their lives stolen, their names lost. What's the point of counting up our dead again and again? From the thousand hills of Rwanda, a million shades answer my call."
Surreal to be reading a first hand account of genocide while having tea. Mukasonga lost 37 family members. Acknowledging the safety of my privilege while my heart is breaking...????

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jveezer
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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"This will be another sleepless night. I have so many dead to sit up with."

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jveezer
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Hoping to squeeze one mor in for #Womenintranslationmonth

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Soscha
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Rearranging shelves & pulled out this stack of irregularly sized books.

Wow, I do have an intriguing personal library. I should probably start reading some of these instead of fighting the public library loan grind.

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shawnmooney
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Pickpick

Nearly 40 members of Mukasonga's family were massacred in the Rwandan genocide. In this short memoir, she documents the years of violence and discrimination that led to that atrocity. Her loved ones's deaths were "black holes and fragments of horror;" their otherwise perfectly ordinary lives are narrated with joy and dignity. Their killings were almost unbearable to write, but her keeping them alive on the page offers at least faint solace.

Sue ❤️ 8y
Suet624 I just can't imagine such horror. The world seems so dark sometimes. 8y
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shawnmooney
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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shawnmooney
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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saresmoore I've been coming across this concept quite a lot lately—the idea of a family legacy, or living on by way of relations. It seems to be pretty universal, especially in the context of war & severe oppression. It's tragic, but enlightening. 8y
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shawnmooney
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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MayJasper It makes me weep that we can hate like this 8y
Lindy So sad. 8y
shawnmooney @Lindy This is a heavy read, and important - so well written!! 8y
25 likes3 comments
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shawnmooney
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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shawnmooney
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Cinfhen Great passage and graphic 💜💜 8y
shawnmooney @Cinfhen The quote really encapsulates so much! 8y
JoeStalksBeck Wow! That gave me chills 8y
Suet624 Ugh. 8y
saresmoore Oof, so much. 8y
42 likes5 comments
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shawnmooney
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Best excuse for being late for—or skipping—school, EVER!

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shawnmooney
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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shawnmooney
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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💔💔 I found my way to this book today. It's going to be intense and heartbreaking. I'm ready.

(The stained-glass window is in the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center in Rwanda: http://www.traveladventures.org/continents/africa/kigali-genocide-memorial-centr...

Sue That opening 💔😢 8y
TrishB Wow 😢 look forward to hearing your views on this one. 8y
ReadingEnvy It's intense but important! 8y
DrexEdit Wow. 💔 8y
35 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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AmandaL
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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And here are my picks for #readjanuary #bestofjanuary. Several of these can be used to fulfill multiple categories for the #ReadHarder2017 challenge if you are still looking for books. 📚

Reviewsbylola Great month! 8y
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shawnmooney
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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I've heard this is a very difficult read. If I can get through it, I'll use it for the "creature" category for the #EclecticReaders challenge.

Lindy This sounds like it will be heartbreaking. 8y
Suet624 I agree with @Lindy 8y
saresmoore Whoa. 8y
45 likes3 comments
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AmandaL
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Pickpick

This is one of the hardest books I have ever read, but it needs to be read. It is devastating. It is the memoir of a woman who lost almost all of her family in the Rwanda genocide of 1994. She describes growing up Tutsi, being forcibly relocated, and living in constant fear through the '60's and '70's. She remembers friends, family, and neighbors, all lost to atrocities. This was translated from the original French. #micropress #ReadHarder17

Riveted_Reader_Melissa That one looks really good. Well, bad story, but a good read! Adding it now!! 8y
ReadingEnvy I needed a bubble bath and some candy reads after this... And alcohol. How can people be so cruel to one another? 8y
AmandaL @Riveted_Reader_Melissa It was excellent. 8y
AmandaL @ReadingEnvy I was reading with a box of tissues next to me. I can't even comprehend it. The next book I'm reading is a nice happily ever after romance. 8y
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tolmsted
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Pickpick

This memoir written by a woman who lost most of her family to the Rwandan genocide is heartbreaking. Scholastique Mukasonga writes very simply and starkly about terror and grief, making it just bearable to keep reading. 5 stars - I highly recommend.

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ramyasbookshelf
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Pickpick

The sight of the book is deceiving. It is a small book with less than 200 pages. At first glance, the language is so 'bare' and minimal that I didn't expect it to be so powerful. Mukasonga's matter of fact description of life in Rwanda for the tutsis leading up to the Rwandan genocide is heartbreaking. I cried like I've never cried before for this book..

ReadingEnvy SO powerful. I had started We Wish to Inform You (etc) but this account seemed far more personal. And awful, how can humans do this to one another. 8y
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ramyasbookshelf
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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This book is really packing a punch. The author doesn't beat around the bush or sugar coat the atrocities that happened pre-Rwandan genocide.. I don't know if 'enjoy' is the right word to describe what I'm feeling as I read this book..

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ramyasbookshelf
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Back from a book break with a translated gen from my favorite publisher - archipelago books. Cockroaches is Scholastique Mukasonga's autobiographical work translated from French. It is an account of growing up in Rwanda in the years leading up to the Rwandan genocide. The writing is haunting!

shawnmooney Gorgeous cover, fantastic photo, and oh wow do I ever need to read this book!! 8y
ramyasbookshelf @shawnmooney you just need the archipelago subscription :)) 8y
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RickMoody
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Comes out in Oct. I'm reading the galley. A totally gripping account of the Rwandan genocide. Heartbreaking and deeply moving.

Theresa That top is is not what I expected when I read the title. Looks fascinating, heartbreaking, anger-inspiring & all the other "-ings" I've felt when learning about this atrocity. Adding to my TBR. Never forget. 8y
Theresa Whoops, that "topic" not "top" 8y
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Sue
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
Pickpick

This book is sad, awful and so necessary. Full review at doddyaboutbooks.wordpress.com
Be aware that due to the nature of the material, this book has all the triggers. ❤️

Mayread I worked for documentarians who shot a film about the effects of war on children. I'll never forget a Rwandan girl they intv'd -who bore a slash of a scar across her forehead from the machete attack that she survived. She spoke about how her attackers had killed her. Alive but dead & not even 10. 8y
Sue @Skiles It's so awful. Mukasonga says something very similar of her nieces who survived 8y
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Sue
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Next up. This is going to be heart wrenching. 😔

MrBook Geez, sounds that way. 😕 8y
BookishFeminist I need to get to this bc the Netgalley deadline is soon! 8y
Sue @BookishFeminist Sure is! You might want to ease yourself into it - there are sections that are just awful 😢 8y
BookishFeminist @Sue Thanks for the pointer. I'll probably start it this weekend & read it in chunks. 8y
Sue @BookishFeminist Good plan and good luck. 8y
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ReadingEnvy
Cockroaches | Scholastique Mukasonga
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Pickpick

This is the hardest book I have ever read. I had no idea the racial violence against Tutsis was happening decades before 1994. This memoir names the names and chronicles the losses of one woman, her family, her community. I had to take breaks after each chapter, just devastating.

ReadingEnvy Comes out in October btw 8y
24 likes4 stack adds1 comment