This much awaited second novel from one of the most acclaimed Zimbabwean writers of her generation is already fulfilling the promise of her first novel "Nervous Conditions", par excellence. "Bira" traces Tambu's continuing quest to redefine the personal, political and historical forces that threaten to destroy the fabric of her community - and reveals how its aftermath still be-devils Africans today. Dangarembga's authorial voice delves into the education system, the liberation struggle and attitudes of contemporary Zimbabweans in an incisive and insightful examination of a system calculated to poison and destroy the African sense of self. A distinguishing feature of "Bira" is its radical position in underscoring the complexities and contradictions inherent in colonialism and globalisation. The novel chronicles the plight of the main protagonist Tambu in trying to find her identity and meaning of her existence.
