Lessons from My Grandmother: Every Life is a Guided Journey
Ghost and horror stories, Serious and literary fiction, Health and medicine
Synthetic audio, Automated braille
Summary
After completing her graduate studies in England, Yeukai returns home to rural Zimbabwe to a jubilant celebration rich in the cultural traditions of the Shona-speaking people. There, she receives life lessons from her beloved grandmother—a wise elder holding sacred knowledge… passed down through generations. Though impressed by her grandmother's lessons, Yeukai sets them aside to pursue a corporate career in the biotech industry in California. For years, Yeukai embraces a consumer lifestyle, pretending to live the American dream. However, the busy activities of her life--focused on chasing material delusions--hide the emotional turmoil within, until things come to a head. In search for meaning in her life, Yeukai returns home to Zimbabwe only to be heartbroken by the devastation inflicted by AIDS, rampant corruption, and a near-collapsed economy. In despair, Yeukai turns within in search for answers in her life. And the answers start to be revealed—in the deep meaning of her grandmother's teachings and the rediscovering of her own true nature. And she begins to redefine her relationship with the world. Poems interspersed throughout the novel poignantly capture Yeukai's triumphant journey to the realization that a life of purpose is truly possible if we allow ourselves to be guided by mystic powers. Praise for Lessons From My Grandmother Brilliantly compelling and deeply moving story telling by Martha Mutomba. This book took me to my inextricable attachment to my own grandmother which evoked poignant emotions. The author's ability to draw the reader to the characters throughout the book was powerful and emotional for me as I was able to directly connect with Yeukai's journey and identify with her struggles and victories. This is truly a beautifully written book and I give Martha credit for having hypnotic power to keep a reader glued, making it hard to put the book down. This is a book of rich cultural diversity that triumphantly integrates one's imagination. Lessons From My Grandmother is one of those rare novels that lingers on long after you have put it down, utterly compelling from the very first page. —PAM SAMASUWO-NYAWIRI, Cultural Journalist / Author of Rainbow Soul