Aké the years of childhood wole soyinka book

Wole soyinka has 126 books on goodreads with 2614249 ratings. Soyinka was the first black african to be awarded the nobel prize for literature. The years of childhood is a memoir by nigerian writer wole soyinka that was first published in 1981. His favourite food appeared to be the pounded yam, iyan, at which i soon became his keen accomplice. Ake the years of childhood gives us the story of soyinkas boyhood before and during. As the title indicates that the work is more about the town ake than about soyinka himself as a child, perhaps that shold have been expected. The years of childhood by wole soyinka and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Years of childhood book online at best prices in india on. Through the same iyan, i made my first close school friend, osiki, simply by discovering that. A relentlessly curious child who loved books and getting into trouble, soyinka grew up on a parsonage compound, raised by christian parents and by a grandfather who introduced him to yoruba spiritual traditions. This vivid, exuberant book is the authors account of his childhood in colonial nigeria. The years of childhood is author wole soyinka s autobiographical account about events in his childhood between about 1934 and 1945 in the town of ake in presentday nigeria. Soyinka elevates brief anecdotes into history lessons, conversations into morality plays, memories into awakenings.

The years of childhood is a memoir of stunning beauty, humor, and perceptiona lyrical account of one boys attempt to grasp the often irrational and hypocritical world of adults that equally repels and seduces him. Publication date 1983 topics soyinka, wole, authors, nigerian publisher. The years of childhood has some interesting depictions of nigeria in the late 1930 and early 40s from which a westerner can learn. Wole soyinka books list of books by author wole soyinka. Wole soyinka biography childhood, life achievements. A dazzling memoir of an african childhood from nobel prizewinning nigerian no. I did not own a copy of ake till 2001 but first read it in 1990. The years of childhood in which he covers his own childhood years at the prime of nigerias colonial period 19341945. Years of childhood by soyinka, wole abebooks passion for books. He writes with his adult voice, but maintains the childs perspective and understanding throughout, the one exception a nostalgic contrasting of streetfronts then and now. Ak the years of childhood gives us the story of soyinka s boyhood before and during world war ii in a yoruba village in western nigeria called ak. Ake the years of childhood gives us the story of soyinka s boyhood before and during world war ii in a yoruba village in western nigeria called ake.

Wole soyinka, the first african to ever be awarded the noble prize in literature, grew up in nigeria in the fifties, when both his native country and much of the rest of africa was still roiling under. The years of childhood study guide consists of approx. A dazzling memoir of an african childhood from nobel prizewinning nigerian novelist, playwright, and poet wole soyinka. Village life in a small region of nigeria is the real theme of this autobiographical account of soyinkas first eleven years. The years of childhood, set in the years just before world war ii, is a memoir by nigerian nobel laureate, wole soyinka, that was first published in 1981. The years of childhood gives us the story of soyinkas boyhood before. Years of childhood by wole soyinka and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Wole soyinka was a bright, curious child and his account of his early childhood in the town of abeokuta in western nigeria is enchanting. Read this biography to learn more about his childhood, life, achievements and timeline. Soyinkas father is a school headmaster, and his mother is a devoted christian who comes from a prominent tribal family.

Books by wole soyinka author of death and the kings. I was amazed to find that the local library in our small nevada town outside las vegas stocked it. This vivid, exuberant book is the authors account of his childhood in colonial. The years of childhood gives us the story of soyinkas boyhood. Ake years childhood by soyinka abebooks passion for books. A relentlessly curious child who loved books and getting into. Ake chronicles young woles childhood up to about 11 years of age, and given that he was born in 1934, thats a for most authors, an autobiography is probably not the best place to start.

The years of childhood which can be read as an extended metaphor for growing up or, more specifically, growing up in a small town in western nigeria and becoming a worldrecognized author and nobel prize winner. The years of childhood first aventura edition by soyinka, wole isbn. In 2006 he published another memoir, you must set forth at dawn. Everything in wole soyinka s career, as one can now see. The years of childhood is author wole soyinkas autobiographical account about events in his childhood between about 1934 and 1945 in the town of ake in presentday nigeria. The years of childhood by wole soyinka other books. One could hardly have imagined this in advance, but now that ake has appeared, it is clear that the book was inevitable. The years of childhood received great critical acclaim and won the prestigious 1983 anisfieldwolf book award. Sign up for librarything to find out whether youll like this book. A relentlessly curious child who loved books and getting into trouble, soyinka grew up on a parsonage compound, raised by. When he was 4 years old, spurred by insatiable curiosity and the beat of a marching drum, wole soyinka slipped silently through the gate of his parents yard and. The years of childhood paperback 1981 by wole soyinka author. It tells the story of soyinkas boyhood before and during world war ii in a yoruba village in western nigeria called ake, where the author spent the first 12 years of his life, before moving in 1946 to the government college in ibadan. He is a spiritual writer not in the sense of spiritual matters but in the sense of the level of magic he conjurs with his words.

Film adaptation of wole soyinkas book ake on amazon. His father is essay, headmaster of the local equivalent of an elementary school, a man who delights in arguing. The years of childhood is a memoir by nigerian writer wole soyinka that was. The years of childhood by wole soyinka librarything. Wole soyinka s most popular book is death and the kings horseman. The years of childhood pages 2528 mr olagbajus bachelor house behind the school became a second lunchhour home. The years of childhood gives us the story of soyinkas boyhood before and during world war ii in a yoruba village in western nigeria called ake. The years of childhood as a precocious yet studious youth, but ransomekuti implies that if he is to have an impact, wole must resist the urge to immerse himself solely in the world of books and academia. The beautifullyillustrated abridged edition is therefore the third read of wole soyinka s journey back to his childhood, a journey the abridged edition makes vivid for the younger readers.