The Book of Memory

By: Petina Gappah

Narrated by: Chipo Chung

Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Memory, the narrator of The Book of Memory, is an albino woman languishing in Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she has been convicted of murder.

As part of her appeal, her lawyer insists that she write down what happened as she remembers it. As her story unfolds, Memory reveals that she has been convicted for the murder of her adoptive father. But did everything happen exactly as she remembers?

©2015 Petina Gappah (P)2016 W.F. Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"Mistress of crushing irony and acerbic humour...this is a fiercely indignant and justly cynical work." ( Sunday Times on An Elegy for Easterly)

"Gappah's lightness of touch and excellent sense of humour moderate some of the gravest moments." ( Daily Telegraph on An Elegy for Easterly)

Brilliant read that cannot be put down

I like the interesting tale, that is never predictable and surprise you at intervals. So many twists and turns and you feel so involved in the character.

I would recommend this title to people who are interested in hearing about people who live in Africa and how it is to live there and be an outsider. It’s a great read that you can perhaps reread because there is extra details that can be gained later

The narration is incredible it’s almost like you are taken to Africa and you can hear the sights and sounds

Excellent narration

I’m so glad I listened to the audio version, reading it wouldn’t have been nearly the same! Chips Chung really brought the characters alive. Great intriguing story

Fantastic read and superb narration

The book of memory transports you to a gripping world. Absolutely brilliant and worth it especially if you have ties to Zimbabwe. The narration brings the context alive. I laughed so much listening to the songs and character voices.

A book which will appeal to the heart and soul of anybody born in Rhodesia

I was born in Bulawayo.

I first heard about this book on BBC world book. I decided to search for it on audible and was surprised to find it.

After beginning the book, I found it so appealing and interesting that I could not put it down. It is seriously a book worth listening to for anybody who has any ties to Rhodesia now Zimbabwe.

I especially enjoyed the narrator who captured the the pure essence of this book and the place for which it was written.

Excellent! it was riveting, poignant, sad, lovely.

An excellent story! I travelled through every bit of that journey with Memory and shed a few tears with her, too. She should most definitely teach when she gets out of prison! lovely girl. well done, Petina!👏👏👏

Excellent story

Enjoyed the humaneness of the characters
Loving kind but imperfect people that survived despite the odds; loved the humor

A Really Big Task

Petinah Gappah takes on a humongous task in The Book of Memory in telling a story where assumptions, mistaken interpretation of events, cultural prejudices, forgetting what is right in the midst of challenges and tragic events leads to devastating consequences. Memory, the protagonist, is both a person and that intangible thing also called the "memory".

Sometimes memory hides what is true, and without the true understanding of events creates other memories that are real and seem true memories, but without a complete understanding of events are baseless.

Petinah Gappah weaves together a story based on memories, witness to events, interwoven with cultural prejudices and events that make a mockery of what is good and pure depending on how circumstances are impressed on the mind.

The Book of Memory is a lesson to Memory and their memories.