Walking on Cowrie Shells: Stories

"Cameroonian American Nana Nkweti is a linguistic pole vaulter. Her debut book of short stories walks an impressive tightrope between laugh-out-loud comedy and breathtaking profundity. Nkweti hovers at the edge of pop culture, writing about its highs and lows, as well as its pervasive impact on contemporary life. Rich portrayals of Cameroonian elders, particularly women with the gift of the gab, thread through this wonderful collection. Nkweti immerses readers in the smells and tastes of Cameroonian cuisine and the sound of local patois, women clucking their tongues and trying – often fruitlessly – to enforce moral codes on the girls in their care."