The Second Coming of Mavala Shikongo Book

Set in Namibia just after independence in the early 1990s, Peter Orners first novel is a chronicle of the long days, short loves, and cold nights at Goas, an all-boys Catholic primary school so deep in the veld that even the baboons feel sorry for us. Though physically isolated in semi-desert beneath a relentless sun, the people of Goas create an alternate, more fertile universe through the stories they tell each other. The books central character is Mavala Shikongo, a combat veteran who fought in Namibias long war for independence against South Africa. She has recently returned to the schoolwith a child, but no husband. Mavala is modern, restless, and driven, in sharp contrast to conservative Goas. All the male teachers (including a bumbling but observant volunteer from Cincinnati) try not to fall in love with her. Everyone failsimmediately and miserably. This extraordinary first novel explores the history of a place through the stories of its people. But above all its about the fleetingness of love and the endurance of fellowship.Read More