Description
". . .xa0 a rich and evocative story that will make a lasting impression on readers." BookLife Reviews, Editor's Pick; "Powerful and absorbing, this novel is a must-read for its vivid depictions and literary relevance." Readers' Favorite Reviews "A rich, absorbing story of destinies intertwined across time and space." Kirkus Reviews Recipient of Kirkus Star AwardRecipient of Readers' Favorite Book AwardSemifinalist, BookLife Prize"Best Books of 2020" Kirkus Reviews ". . . would highly recommend." LoveReading UK Stories matter. Long after we are gone from this world, we will be remembered because of the stories we told, or perhaps forgotten because of the ones we failed to tell. The author was born and raised in Kenya, and emigrated to the United States as an adult. He is a practicing Pulmonary and Critical Care physician, based in Virginia. Read more
Features & Highlights
- As the 1950s Mau Mau war breaks out in the foothills of Mt. Kenya, Wambũi, a fourteen-year-old girl leaves her besieged village to join a prestigious boarding school a half day’s journey away by train. There, she becomes aware of her extraordinary mathematical abilities discovered by her teacher, Eileen Atwood. Initially, Wambũi views Eileen’s attentions with suspicion and hostility, but over time, the two grow close and form a lifelong friendship. Unfortunately for Wambũi, the mid-twentieth century isn’t ready for a female math prodigy, particularly in Kenya. But she quietly and defiantly takes on the obstacles seeking to define her, applying her unusual gifts in new directions, which ultimately benefits her impoverished family and inspires her siblings and their children to pursue their own dreams. After forty years in Kenya, Eileen unexpectedly loses her employment authorization and is forced to return to England, where she struggles to adjust to living in a country she barely recognizes. Meanwhile, Wambũi’s son, Ray, a doctor, navigates a fraught visa application process and travels to America to begin residency training; however, his hospital becomes insolvent and shuts down a year later. He and his colleagues are assimilated into other programs where, as foreign-born physicians, they endure relentless prejudice. As a black man, he also discovers that the streets of Chicago are sometimes quick to judge, with serious consequences. A saga of family and friendship spanning five decades and three continents, 'The People of Ostrich Mountain' chronicles the interconnected lives of three outsiders as they navigate the vagaries of race, gender and immigration.
