Episode Details

Why have so few read Soyinka? And can we find hope through his cynical dramas?

I admit I am a victim of the myth-making around me which has made Soyinka and other African writers largely invisible. Let’s see why.

Episode 6.24 –

Words from Nigeria Pt 2: Soyinka’s Tiger & Brother Jero

African writers named in this episode and some of the most rewarding reads:

• Soyinka, Wole: The Trials of Brother Jero, Kongi’s Harvest, The Lion and the Jewel, A Play of Giants
• Achebe, Chinua: Things Fall Apart, Arrow of God, The Anthills of Savannah
• Cole, Teju: Open City, Known and Strange Things
• Emezi, Akwaeke: Pet, Freshwater
• Nwapa, Flora: Efuru, This is Lagos and Other Stories
• Saro-Wiwa, Ken: Sozaboy
• Iyay, Festus: Violence
• Okorafor, Nnedi: Binti, Noor, Death of the Author
• Braithwaite, Oyinkan: My Sister the Serial Killer
• Okri, Ben: The Famished Road, Starbook
• Abani, Chris: Graceland, The Secret History of Las Vegas

Western writers from this episode:

• Kipling, Rudyard: Kim, The Jungle Book, “White Man’s Burden”
• Haggard, H. Rider: King Solomon’s Mine
• Cary, Joyce: Mister Johnson
• Ballyntine, R. M.: Coral Island
• Collins, Wilkie: Moonstone
• Boulle, Pierre: Planet of the Apes
• Burroughs, Edgar Rice: A Princess of Mars
• Cameron, James: Avatar
• Cooper, James Fenimore: The Last of the Mohicans, The Pathfinder
• Heinlein, Robert: Starship Troopers
• Longyear, Barry B.: Enemy Mine
• Verne, Jules: Master of the World, The End of Nana Sahib

Complete Resources: https://waywordsstudio.com/project/le-guin-omelas/

CHAPTERS

00:00     My White Mythology
08:35     Intro Theme
09:08    Tigritude
13:24    Frictions and Flux
21:58    The Text: The Trials of Brother Jero
29:53    The Trickster and False Omelas
37:38    From Satire to Ontology
38:50    Closing Credits

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