The Two Hearts of Kwasi Boachi
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The Two Hearts of Kwasi Boachi by Arthur Japin
The first ten years of my life I was not black. Thus begins this startlingly eloquent and beautiful tale based on the true story of Kwasi Boachi, a 19th- century African prince who was sent with his cousin, Kwame, to be raised in Holland as a guest of the royal family. Narrated by Kwasi himself, the story movingly portrays the perplexing dichotomy of the cousins' situation: black men of royal ancestry, they are subject to insidious bigotry even as they enjoy status among Europe's highest echelons. As their lives wind down different paths-Kwame back to Africa where he enlists in the Dutch army, Kwasi to an Indonesian coffee plantation where success remains mysteriously elusive-they become aware of a terrible truth that lies at the heart of their experiences. Vivid, subtle, poignant and profound, The Two Hearts of Kwasi Boachi is an exquisite masterpiece of story and craft, a heartrending work that places Arthur Japin on a shelf that includes Joseph Conrad, J.M. Coetzee, Kazuo Ishiguro and Nadine Gordimer.
Arthur Japin, born in Haarlem in 1956, studied theater in London and Amsterdam and spent years acting on and writing for the stage, the screen, and television. He has sung with the Dutch National Opera and recently hosted his own television show. Japin's first novel, The Two Hearts of Kwasi Boachi, was made into an opera by the British composer Jonathan Dove in 2007. Japin has won many major literary prizes, including the 2004 Libris Literary Prize for In Lucia's Eyes.Both of these titles have been adapted as stage plays and are set to become major motion pictures. His work has been translated into more than twenty languages. He has taught at New York University and divides his time between Utrecht and the Dordogne.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780375406751 |
| ISBN 10 | 0375406751 |
| Title | The Two Hearts of Kwasi Boachi |
| Author | Arthur Japin |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year published | 2000-11-14 |
| Number of pages | 384 |
| Prizes | Short-listed for Literary Award (Translation) 2001 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |