This archive report was first published on 21 October 2019.
Published on October 21, 2019, 'The Boy with Shoes' by Hillary Lisimba Ambani is a refreshing take on Kenyan childhood autobiographies.
Unlike the typical story plot of a boy growing up in poverty, passing with flying colours, and achieving success, Lisimba's book delves into the complexities of his childhood in Mbale in the 80s.
He writes about his strict mother, nicknamed Thatcher, who was as quick with her tongue as she was with her hands in reprimanding him for straying from her rules.
The author uses humour and witty descriptions to take the reader back to his childhood in Chotero village, where 'girls are more fertile than the farms'.
Lisimba introduces us to the colourful characters in his life, including his uncle Tope, first crush Esther, and his school teachers like the late Jumba Mamesa.
The book is anchored on Lisimba's indomitable appetite for adventure, but he also offers glimpses into the life-changing lessons he acquired alongside the beatings from his mother and teachers.
The book's charm lies in the author's ability to be vulnerable, admitting to missing a huge part of paternal upbringing and exploring his emotional ups and downs throughout the text.
'The Boy with Shoes' is the first in a series of five books, where Lisimba will explore what it means to be in a country that is 'always almost taking off but never does'.
