JAGUA NANA. By Cyprian Ekwensi

Few major works of fiction anchored on professional prostitutes/prostitution exist in African literature. Chika Unigbe’s On Black sisters’ street is already something of a classic, and some years ago SA's Futhi Ntshingila published Shameless. But Ekwensi published his own work well over 50 books, a book which acquired a measure of notoriety when it was well known and well distributed. Jagua Nana is actually a very well written book, as Ekwensi was an acknowledged dexterous story-teller even if some self-styled critics tended to undermine him. Here he presents a magnificent picture of a veritable, shameless, calculating and ruthless African prostitute. Jagua has sunk low - well below the nether rungs of degeneracy, and she lives within her own rules. A cardinal rule for her is to regard sex as an easy route to quick money, and the richer the clients the better; especially "white" clientelle who apparently hold the keys to lots of money. And local "big men" politicians too. She sleeps and milks them all, but still has an eye on her own marital and romantic future - she fastens her claws on young promising Freddie. It does not matter that he is like 20 years younger than she is. There are plenty of events, twists and turns, most of it prurient, but what does it matter? Jagua has set out her stall, and prostitution for her is life. Even when she is forced back to the rural areas (village) where she continues providing sex for men, including pertinent aristocracy. At last even at her age, she gets pregnant! Does it matter that she would not know the biological father of the child? Sadly (perhaps) she loses the child; but at least by a stroke of great fortune, she finds out that she has a fantastic unexpected horde of money, and of course she has no qualms helping herself to it. She can now become a very important merchant of sorts, and de-emphasize selling her aging body all over the place. We hope so anyway!

-         - Malome Eric

MURDER IS EASY. By Agatha Christie

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This is another brilliantly plotted story by the author, and we as readers are misled for quite a long time. The convincing portrayal of a sensitive man, feeling some higher force is exacting retribution and revenge for him in excellently done, as the murders pile up. On my own part as a young man I actually knew someone like this, who seemed to rejoice in tragedies befalling others "He/she wronged me and is now being punished...that's the way it should be," this guy would say even then, making him look guilty or responsible for bad things happening to others. Hence Christie I think is psychologically spot-on here; and

THE MARRIAGE OF ANANSEWA. By Efua T. Sutherland

Efua T Sutherland - a revered figure in Ghanaian and African literature; one of the early pioneers; a great dramatist and visionary. She did so much for Ghanaian theatre and inspired so many others along the line. She wrote a number of books in her lifetime, mainly drama and works for children. This book, Marriage of Anansewa used to be a prescribed work in west African schools, and rightly so. It is a drama of great richness rather weaved around the legend and symbolism of "ananse" in the Akan prism. On a simplistic level, this play concerns the suitors of a fetching young lady; who deserves her most? How does her apparent premature, heart-rending death resonate all around? But it is much more than this. Sutherland adroitly introduces us to the richness of the pertinent culture with the complement of wise saws, proverbs, songs and witticisms. In the end the reader's appetite is not only whetted but exhilaratingly satisfied. This play, published long ago, showcases Ma Sutherland at her best.
- Eric Malome