Arrow of God

Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe, 230 pages

In the 1920s, the Igbo village of Umuaro was dealing with the continued presence of British military and Christian missionaries in their area. Chief priest Ezeulu has been dealing with these challenges the best ways he knows how, while still upholding the traditions of his culture and faith. But when he is imprisoned by the British for refusing to take on the mantle of his village's primary leader (a position that does not exist in Igbo culture), Umuaro's people and crops are threatened.

This was the second book we read in this summer's Adult Summer Reading program, and it once again shows the way in which hubris and ignorance conspired to tear down traditional Nigerian culture during the colonial era. I particularly liked the depictions of Igbo customs, daily interactions, and annual festivals, and I look forward to reading and discussing No Longer at Ease next month.

How to Age Disgracefully

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley, 337 pages

On her 70th birthday, Daphne decides that her years of being a virtual recluse are over, and she's going to try to make some friends to help her enjoy her older years. An advertisement for a new senior social club at the local community center seems to be just the ticket, especially at the first meeting, when Daphne realizes that her fellow members are anything but stereotypical old people. There's Art, a failed actor-turned-shoplifter, and his best friends, a former paparazzo named William; anonymous yarn-bombing activist Ruby; and former truckdriver and five-times-over widow Anna. (Oh, and Pauline, a former headmistress who doesn't much figure into the story for reasons revealed early on in the book.) When the council decides that the community center's needed repairs are more than they can halfheartedly justify, the seniors team up with the nursery school to fight the demolition, with uproariously funny results.

The characters in this book are fantastic, and all are well developed, from Daphne (who I kinda want to be when I grow up) to single teen dad Ziggy to the surprisingly talented mutt named Maggie Thatcher. I loved reading about this community, and I'll be heartily recommending this to everyone. 

Ash Dark as Night

Ash Dark as Night by Gary Phillips (2024) 295pp
You know you are getting older when you read historical fiction that you lived through. Phillips has set his novel in the heart of LA in 1965 in what has been deemed the Watts Riots. The protagonist, Harry Ingram, is in the middle of the action as the insurrection takes place and in his job as a lone African-American photojournalist he describes a variety of incidents, looting, burning and shooting, culminating in his photographing the murder by police of a young activist. On a personal note, I was a photojournalist in the 1970s and found myself in a few, albeit minor, civil disturbances similar to those described in the book, Phillips’ description of the mayhem and uncertainty reflects my experience. I remember the march of the police phalanx as it confronted “rioters” and the need to seek shelter as night fell and cars burned. One dubious detail is the description of photo equipment used by Ingram. I found it unlikely that he would use a large format press camera in a such a tense environment. In his defense though, he does use the sheet-film camera as a plot element in a true-to-life scenario. Following the riot, Ingram, after surviving a brutal beating, becomes involved in a noir mystery tracking down a missing person and unraveling a knot of corruption. Many characters are introduced, including his love interest, a no-nonsense woman with a number of secrets and a fascinating back story. This fictional re-telling of the infamous incident takes the point-of-view of the people living in the area and reflects a narrative untold in the main-stream media of the era.