Avid readers will soon have literary content to feast their eyes on as Nigerian playwright, Wole Soyinka is set to release his third novel, ‘Chronicles of the Happiest People’ next month.
A statement posted on Twitter by the Nobel Laureate’s son, Olaokun Soyinka notes that the novel is set to be released on the 1st of December 2020, a development which comes 48 years after Soyinka’s last prose fiction hit bookstores.
A description of the 524-page book by its publisher, Bookcraft Africa reads: “The novel tells the story of a pact and an alliance formed between four friends, to make an impactful change in their nation. Now in the late stages of adulthood, against an evolving political landscape and a change of government, they drift apart, reunite, navigate complex familial relationships, and increasingly gain recognition in their professions — all the while, their paths interweave with those of prominent religious, community and government leaders, and the tide begins to turn against them, with dire consequences.
“It is a dramatic and engaging read, laced with humour and extraordinary characters. The read also provides a realistic perspective on the state of affairs in Nigeria, with a depth of commentary. In Soyinka’s expert hands, the apparently disparate strands are woven together with a master story-teller’s aplomb. Chronicles of the Happiest People on Earth is a great and unputdownable read from start to finish.”
Although Wole Soyinka is an accomplished poet and playwright, he has just two novels to his name, ‘The Interpreters’ in 1964 and ‘The Season of Anomy’ in 1972.
