FEAST OR FAMINE

 

In the Botanical Garden in Paris, I met Abder Zegout, a French poet, born in Algeria. He has lived in Paris since 1999, and gets his inspiration from nature and daily experiences. He says his themes are also drawn from the political and economic situation of the times. But mainly, as the titles of his books of poetry reveal, ‘I express feelings and emotions for readers.’ He added that his main inspiration for writing was his mother.     Zegout has 17 books of poetry, two of which are Exubérance (2015) and Errance – Wandering (2012). Exuberance includes illustrations by French artist Micheline Masse. Micheline Masse (1932-2017) is described as a ‘wandering artist with a need to paint.’   Written in French, there are a couple of poems in English, including one about his mother, whom he had to leave behind when he moved to Paris:    In your warm shelter I have grown,  Motherly mark was on my daily life. To keep alive, exile was the road to take. A sad end! Whe...

Note: I received a free copy to independently review.   Hausa Blue (2021) is set from 1917 to 2017, and from Germany to India, England, and Africa, with flashbacks to the 1800s. Mostly, it is set in London. Starting in the passive voice is disappointing, as 15-year-old Greta and her mother Hildegard hunt an arachnid species in the heathlands of northern Germany after the First World War.     A hundred years later in 2017, the reader is taken to London, with Dipa Cameron, a dressmaker’s daughter. At the same time, the reader is also taken to Bangladesh. Dipa is ‘transitional’ – ‘Yes ! I’m transitional, in between, neither one thing or the other … I was a child, and a seamstress with Mum, and a nurse, and a lady’s maid and a villasitter Yangan and a Queen all irry and geedy.’ [Irry means imitation, and geedy means authentic.]   Fashion takes over the mystifying themes of this novel to bring visual references and insight to readers. Dipa Cameron is wearing a ...