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MY FIRST COUP DETAT AND OTHER TRUE STORIES FROM THE LOST DECADES OF AFRICA 1ST EDITION PDF, EPUB, EBOOK John Dramani Mahama | 9781608198597 | | | | | My First Coup dEtat And Other True Stories from the Lost Decades of Africa 1st edition PDF Book Sold by thrift. See all 4 pre-owned listings. His life also parallels the development of the independent country of Ghana, from just before the author's birth. In other essays, the author examines his study of history, love of socialist ideology, endurance of another coup in and exile to Nigeria, and his travel to the Soviet Union. Even more worrisome was the fact that when he came home with his school-mother, the house they lived in was under military guard and both he and the woman had to go back and find other solutions. At times the lost world he describes seems almost magical, as if it were populated by fairies and demons rather than real people Apr 11, Nicole Means rated it liked it. A collection of remarkable vignettes that blend a historian's sensibility with a novelist's prose, Mahama captures the evolution of that consciousness and, with it, glimpses of a nation's recovered soul. Nov 23, Karen rated it liked it. Newsweek says he was a young Marxist but came to question socialism after studying in the Soviet Union. Mahama talks about his hopes for the future are particularly overwhelming. An interesting, although somewhat lacking in passion and eloquency, memoir from John Dramani Mahama, ex President of Ghana. Mahama is a good writer, and should be praised for his openness as a leader in Ghana. My First Coup d'Etat offers a look at the country that has long been considered Africa's success story. Sign in using your Kirkus account Sign in Keep me logged in. The book started out strong with tons of potential, but it seems he got bored with his own story. Based on this autobiography and his biography on Wikipedia I would say that This is definitely someone I admire and would like to have as a friend. Jul 17, Drew rated it really liked it. Without sentimentality or condescension, he exposes homegrown African pathologies and helps us understand several contradictions of our postcolonial condition. After reading it, I have a much clearer picture of that time and place. More life reflections from the bestselling author on themes of societal captivity and the catharsis of personal freedom. Details if other :. I could visualize all he was describing, even to the point of smelling the smoke of Africa, and all they were cooking and eating. It is an interesting and very readable memoir of the man running for President of Ghana. Mahama's father was financially successful during much of his life so Mahama's experiences were not typical in that sense, which he admits. However, the major subject that runs through this memoir is the numerous coups that plagued the country and the continent during the period and their effects on him and his family; but more especially the effect of the coup that toppled Nkrumah's government of which his father was a Minister of State. Trying to erase it from my life would be akin to pulling at a loose thread or an intricately woven piece of clothing; the entire thing would unravel. Doyle offers another lucid, inspiring chronicle of female empowerment and the rewards of self-awareness and renewal. Because I have been to Ghana, this book held a particular fascination for me. Everybody has a story. Google Rating. Good insight into Ghana very interesting history. My First Coup dEtat And Other True Stories from the Lost Decades of Africa 1st edition Writer Non fiction written in a very pleasant, down to earth and personal voice, it is impossible not to like this book. Welcome back. Bill o'Reilly's Killing Ser. For instance, I had no idea how many coups had taken place there! As the author amply shows, her can-do attitude was daunted at times by racism, leaving her wondering if she was good enough. He had been living with his father since he was three, separated from his mother, who stayed in northern Ghana; his various siblings, 19 in all, by multiple marriages, were scattered throughout the country. There was just very little emotion expressed. Everybody has a story. Jul 21, Kwesi Brookins rated it liked it. But hey I learned new words. Enlarge cover. John Dramani Mahama. Dec 09, Dina Tanners rated it it was amazing. His father was suddenly missing. I will admit, though, that Mahama's political perspective sounded a little strange to my American ears, and I had to overlook that a little bit. Page Count: Publisher: Bloomsbury. Essential book if you want to understand coup d'etats, government systems, power from someone who was on the inside. This is not like that, since it is the story of a boy with a educated father who can afford to send his many children to school, and who have drivers, and better homes than most. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Other Editions 6. I learned so much about the Mahama family, and then he connected those learnings with the broader state of affairs and history within Ghana. In the last s he was a student in Gorbachev's Soviet Union just before it collapsed, which gave him rather atypical opportunities for studying socialism and a failing nominally socialist society. Jun 25, Susan Frazier-Kouassi added it. It's pretty easy to get caught up in the difficulty of our day to day lives but I have to say it's uncommon for me to feel my actual life is threatened or that of those close to me. It is his reflections and recollections from his childhood in Ghana during some trying years in the country's history. So the events, while seemingly fascinating, were rendered tedious by such a clinical telling. At times I felt like it could have been arranged a little better but in the end it all came together. Jul 17, Audrey rated it really liked it. The author, who is the vice president of Ghana, is a year or so younger than I am. Loved it! Some parts were better than others. Be the first to write a review. He wrote of the coup that Biography Memoir. I doubt many Americans know much about Ghana and this book is a good place to begin remedying that. Best Selling in Nonfiction See all. Good for non-fiction fans but not a difficult, terribly amusing or incredibly compelling read. He was seven years old when rumors of a coup reached his boarding school in Accra. I was deeply saddened when I finished reading because I miss my time with this book. Reader Votes The author served as President of Ghana from 24 July to 7 January That first coup d'etat was an indeclinable part of my history, linked to all that had happened before and all that had happened afterward. My First Coup dEtat And Other True Stories from the Lost Decades of Africa 1st edition Reviews His father, a minister of state, was imprisoned for more than a year. Feb 14, Nathalie Larsen rated it really liked it. Jul 29, Rebecca Pipkin rated it it was amazing. I found the book super informative about government systems in Africa between but I also found the words that Mahama used unnecessarily difficult tbh I really used the dictionary lol. Autobiography by the newly elected president of Ghana. Bill o'Reilly's Killing Ser. Mahama's attitudes towards this change, and this tension between tradition and modernity, are somewhat nebulous: he implies a healthy skepticism regarding religion and its uses; he describes his affair with socialism in relatively muted terms; and, while describing the later coups in Ghana's history, he refrains from pointing fingers. The book gives a very accessible view of culture and l The author was Vice President of Ghana when he published this book - he is now President. Lots of interesting events have happened in the author's life and yet this book was often boring. Mahama is a good writer, and should be praised for his openness as a leader in Ghana. Lately I have found memoirs by authors who are close to my age attractive, although some work out better than others in the reading. After reading it, I have a much clearer picture of that time and place. Sign Up. View 2 comments. An amazing tale about the struggles of a young nation. Additional Product Features Dewey Edition. Each chapter represents a different event, or period in his life, and as such there is some repetition, since some people appear in more than one chapter, but it is written as if we have not already been introduced to them. This work stays with his early life and ends about Somehow h John Mahama is a powerful, insightful writer. The book ends before any of his more relevant political activity. Biography Memoir. May 03, Michael rated it really liked it. The book then follows a meandering, indirect path through Mahama's life and musings: we learn both of his political maturation, his family history in the north of the country Written by the current Ghanaian President, My First Coup d'Etat is a far-reaching and interesting memoir of life in post-colonial Ghana. Loved it! The author served as President of Ghana from 24 July to 7 January Related Articles. This was an excellent book growing up in Ghana during the turbulent post-colonial years of the s and s.