Abyssinian Chronicles

Book report: I took this book by Ugandan author Moses Isegawa to Uganda with me -it was touted as being similar to Midnight’s children and One Hundred Years of Solitude, both of which I loved. Well, first, I failed to see that there was any “magical realism” here at all. Disappointment. There were lots of characters, like One Hundred years.... and fortunately a list in the front. I came back with almost half of it read(only on the plane) and did finish it as it was interesting from a historical perspective on happenings there in the 70s and 80s with the Amin and the Obotel ll regimes. And all the sights and descriptions of landscape, food and life in the villages made sense to me....(I couldn’t relate to the city) so worth it, but I think it wouldn’t be one I picked up just to read a good novel. Think he writes well but it didn't grab me. And I'm not sure about the reference to the nearby ancient culture Abyssinia. I do love to read about places where I have traveled!

I’ve set it on a dish towel bought at the woman’s non-profit center in Bwindi., Ride 4 A Woman, run by a dynamic lady Evelyne doing good work. Started as empowering women using bicycles (which I don’t really get as I saw no women riding bikes where we were. Hard to do in long skirts.) They did learn to be bike mechanics for a bike rental program. - we saw the shop- and now she is empowering women to sew with sewing machines and then sending them off with machine to make their own living. there are some pretty cool fabrics and products for sale - we all bought some. Here's their website One of things we are going to pursue - a market for their goods...