Born on a Tuesday by Elnathan John(Pre-Owned)

Product Description

From two-time Caine Prize finalist Elnathan John, a dynamic young voice from Nigeria, Born on a Tuesday is a stirring, starkly rendered first novel about a young boy struggling to find his place in a society that is fracturing along religious and political lines.

In far northwestern Nigeria, Dantala lives among a gang of street boys who sleep under a kuka tree. During the election, the boys are paid by the Small Party to cause trouble. When their attempt to burn down the opposition’s local headquarters ends in disaster, Dantala must run for his life, leaving his best friend behind. He makes his way to a mosque that provides him with food, shelter, and guidance. With his quick aptitude and modest nature, Dantala becomes a favored apprentice to the mosque’s sheikh. Before long, he is faced with a terrible conflict of loyalties, as one of the sheikh’s closest advisors begins to raise his own radical movement. When bloodshed erupts in the city around him, Dantala must decide what kind of Muslim—and what kind of man—he wants to be. Told in Dantala’s naïve, searching voice, this astonishing debut explores the ways in which young men are seduced by religious fundamentalism and violence.

Editorial Review

'With brave, unflinching candor expressed through spare, unadorned prose, Elnathan John considers the rise of Islamic extremism in Nigeria as experienced by one young man. Anyone seeking to peer beyond the media's portrayals of Boko Haram must read this book, not because it offers a hopeful account but because it offers a human one.' - Taiye Selasi, author of Ghana Must Go; 'Elnathan John's first novel is an ambitious book that tackles modern Nigeria s extremely complex religious landscape with great insight, passion, and humour by taking us deep into the mental and emotional space of the country's most neglected.' - Uzodinma Iweala, author of Beasts of No Nation; 'Working in the tradition of Achebe, Elnathan John has penned a coming of age novel worthy of Twain. At times tragic, at times humorous, 'Born on a Tuesday' is the story of those who find the courage to transcend violence even when born to its confines.' - Elliot Ackerman, author of Green on Blue; 'I was completely pulled into Dantala's world ... How easy it is for those of us from a stable country to judge young men from other nations who are lured into following leaders simply for the promise of a full belly!' - Jamie Fiocco, Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, NC; 'Elnathan John's debut coming of age novel is a striking and unnervingly assured depiction of a complex and tumultuous world. John's writing is controlled and lucid, full of compassion yet fiercely unerring.' - Colin Barrett, author of Young Skins

Review

Working in the tradition of Achebe, Elnathan John has penned a coming of age novel worthy of Twain. At times tragic, at times humorous, 'Born on a Tuesday' is the story of those who find the courage to transcend violence even when born to its confines.' - Elliot Ackerman, author of Green on Blue

About the Author

Elnathan John is a writer and one of Nigeria’s most well-known contemporary satirists. He has twice been shortlisted for the prestigious Caine Prize for African Writing (2013 & 2015). His writing has been published in Per Contra, Evergreen Review and Chimurenga's The Chronic. His debut novel, Born on a Tuesday, won a Betty Trask Award in 2017. He was a judge for the 2019 Man Booker International Prize.