King Peggy

An American Secretary, Her Royal Destiny, and the Inspiring Story of How She Changed an African Village

By: Eleanor Herman, Peggielene Bartels

Narrated by: J. Karen Thomas

Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

The charming real-life fairy tale of an American secretary who discovers she has been chosen king of an impoverished fishing village on the west coast of Africa. King Peggy has the sweetness and quirkiness of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series and the hopeful sense of possibility of Half the Sky.

King Peggy chronicles the astonishing journey of an American secretary who suddenly finds herself king to a town of 7,000 souls on Ghana's central coast, half a world away. Upon arriving for her crowning ceremony in beautiful Otuam, she discovers the dire reality: there's no running water, no doctor, and no high school, and many of the village elders are stealing the town's funds. To make matters worse, her uncle (the late king) sits in a morgue awaiting a proper funeral in the royal palace, which is in ruins. The longer she waits to bury him, the more she risks incurring the wrath of her ancestors. Peggy's first two years as king of Otuam unfold in a way that is stranger than fiction. In the end, a deeply traditional African town has been uplifted by the ambitions of its headstrong, decidedly modern female king. And in changing Otuam, Peggy is herself transformed, from an ordinary secretary to the heart and hope of her community.

©2012 Peggielene Bartels, Eleanor Herman (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“This is an astonishing and wonderful book about a real life Mma Ramotswe. It is an utter joy." (Alexander McCall Smith, author of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency)

If You Want a Heart Touching Listen....

What made the experience of listening to King Peggy the most enjoyable?

This one is a enjoyable, simply because the story is heartwarming and was something I could not put down my ipod or my other audible device until the very last word of the story. I was so heart-touching that I want to meet King Peggy and tell her that she is a wonderful king and learn her secrets to how she apply her life learning skills to her kingship. I would love to bring her to my county here in Maryland have her share her story with the children so that they know that when the dark moments come that they still be all that they can be.
I hope that she reads my comments and reaches out.

What about J. Karen Thomas’s performance did you like?

She brought a voice to the Book that was more than likely that of the true King Peggy's voice I really thought it was her until the end of the book during the credits.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There was laughter and tears all the way through the book

Very Inspiring

What an amazing woman this King Peggy is. She works as a secretary to the Ghanian Embassy in Washington D. C, but also runs a town in Ghana where they call her "king." She commutes between Washington and Ghana at least once a year, and her town has had some improvements made under her watch that are quite astounding, including the bringing of clean water to the town, and better education for the young people. I applaud her efforts on behalf of her people. She is truly inspiring.

The narrator, J. Karen Thomas, is likewise amazing.

The Great king Peggy

What made the experience of listening to King Peggy the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed this book as well as the reader...

Who was your favorite character and why?

king Peggy
I admire her willingness to take on each challenge.

What about J. Karen Thomas’s performance did you like?

Her ability to bring the characters to life

Long live King Peggy!

The book starts a little slowly, both the story and the narration. But it picks up soon enough and just gets better and better. By the end I was cheering for King Peggy and lamenting that we didn't have someone like her running the US government.

Enjoyable

A true story about a woman who becomes a king in Africa. Really enjoyable! I highly recommend it to you.

Quite entertaining and informative

Higher than my expectations! Love the stories about women ruling man! If you love Ghana you will love this book! :-)

Love King Peggy!

I live right outside Washington, DC and invited King Peggy, via Facebook, to my bookclub meeting last weekend since we would be discussing her book, SHE CAME, ALONG WITH HER COAUTHOR and she is as witty and amusing as in the book! She told us more stories about her people....their innocence reminds me of those described in "The Number One Ladies Detective" novels.

The narrator did a great job with all the voices too!

Entertaining look into a different world

This audio takes you inside the head of an ordinary person who goes from being a secretary to a king. It is non-fiction but reads like a novel. Her brutal honesty is at the same level of someone on the TV show like Dr. Phil. (I always wonder why anyone would get so personal in public.) Her journey had many challenges but her passion and commitment help overcome them. This is one of the many reasons you want her to succeed. This audio gives you an inside look at the culture, some issues facing villages in Africa as well as how someone’s beliefs in spirits affect their decisions. It was interesting hearing how and why she would work with corrupt elders. While I recommend this audio an abridged version would be better for she repeats herself a fair bit.

Continents Merge Royally

What made the experience of listening to King Peggy the most enjoyable?

The unlikely happenstance that this real-life experience occurred. As an Audible book it was even more engaging because of the wonderful accents. Felt like I was there in the village.

What other book might you compare King Peggy to and why?

"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Shaffer and Barrows. Both are fascinating books, and must reads as Audible books. The narrators make one want to travel to the story locations.

Which scene was your favorite?

When she led her council meetings. And getting for former king buried.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, if only I had that kind of time.

Any additional comments?

A delightful story that captured my interest even with the original synopsis.

Excellent Story, Well Written and Well Narrated

Would you listen to King Peggy again? Why?
Yes, I will listen to this story again because it is full of cultural aspects of Ghana, ie, pouring drinks for their dead ancestors, their rituals, and how they value family even in the light of disappointments.

What was one of the most memorable moments of King Peggy?
When the King had to accept that her ideals about her elders were wrong.

Which scene was your favorite?
I enjoyed the entire story... but when the King had to explain to the counsel of kings how she had buried the wrong king.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
The tag line would include a line indicating that against all odd the Lady King made major improvements to her village within a short period of time.