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African Psycho

Paperback / softback

Main Details

Title African Psycho
Authors and Contributors      By (author) Alain Mabanckou
Translated by Christine Schwartz Hartley
Physical Properties
Format:Paperback / softback
Pages:156
Dimensions(mm): Height 203,Width 127
Category/GenreModern and contemporary fiction (post c 1945)
ISBN/Barcode 9781933368504
ClassificationsDewey:FIC
Audience
General

Publishing Details

Publisher Counterpoint
Imprint Soft Skull Press
NZ Release Date 8 August 2021
Publication Country United States

Description

Its title recalls Bret Easton Ellis's infamous book, but while Ellis's narrator was a blank slate, African Psycho's protagonist is a quivering mass of lies, neuroses, and relentless internal chatter. Gregoire Nakobomayo, a petty criminal, has decided to kill his girlfriend Germaine. He's planned the crime for some time, but still, the act of murder requires a bit of psychological and logistical preparation. Luckily, he has a mentor to call on, the far more accomplished serial killer Angoualima. The fact that Angoualima is dead doesn't prevent Gregoire from holding lengthy conversations with him. Little by little, Gregoire interweaves Angoualima's life and criminal exploits with his own. Continuing with the plan despite a string of botched attempts, Gregoire's final shot at offing Germaine leads to an abrupt unraveling. Lauded in France for its fresh and witty style, African Psycho's inventive use of language surprises and relieves the reader by injecting humor into this disturbing subject.

Author Biography

Alain Mabanckou is a novelist, journalist, poet, and academic. A French citizen born in Republic of the Congo, he currently lives in Los Angeles, where he teaches literature and creative writing at UCLA. His books include African Psycho, Letter to Jimmy, Black Bazaar, Tomorrow I'll Be Twenty, The Lights of Pointe-Noire, and Black Moses. Mabanckou has twice been a finalist for the Man Booker International Prize, in 2015 and 2017.