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African Psycho
Paperback / softback
Main Details
Title |
African Psycho
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Authors and Contributors |
By (author) Alain Mabanckou
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Translated by Christine Schwartz Hartley
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Physical Properties |
Format:Paperback / softback | Pages:156 | Dimensions(mm): Height 203,Width 127 |
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Category/Genre | Modern and contemporary fiction (post c 1945) |
ISBN/Barcode |
9781933368504
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Classifications | Dewey:FIC |
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Audience | |
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Publishing Details |
Publisher |
Counterpoint
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Imprint |
Soft Skull Press
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NZ Release Date |
8 August 2021 |
Publication Country |
United States
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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.
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