This month, the Zeda Book Club is reading Kifo Kisimani by Kitheka Wa Mberia, a novel that has shaped the literary memories of many Kenyan millennials. For most of us, it was a set book in high school, a story that captured the trials of youth, love, and societal expectations with honesty, humor, and heart.
Mberia’s novel is powerful in its simplicity, exploring family, friendship, ambition, and the challenges of growing up in Kenya. Its characters feel real and enduring, their struggles and triumphs resonating across generations. Revisiting it now, as adults, reminds us of the nuances we might have missed in our teenage years and the timelessness of its themes.
To make this month’s reading even more special, we’ll be attending the Hive Theatre production of Kifo Kisimani at Jhain Bhavan together after our book club meeting. Experiencing the story on stage promises to be an incredible way to bring the beloved characters and their world to life and to reflect on how this story shaped us all.
Zeda Book Club is open to women to join. We café hop and read a new book every month. We meet on the first Sunday of each month in Nairobi. Join the group here. Happy reading!
