The Old Drift - Namwali Serpell

Category: Historical Fiction, Novel, Sci-Fi
Language: English
Keywords: Afrofuturist Colonialism family saga Magical Realism Technology Zambia

Written by Namwali Serpell
Read by Adjoa Andoh, Richard E. Grant, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 80 Kbps
Unabridged

The year 1904. On the banks of the Zambezi River, a few miles from the majestic Victoria Falls, there is a colonial settlement called The Old Drift. In a smoky room at the hotel across the river, an Old Drifter named Percy M. Clark, foggy with fever, makes a mistake that entangles the fates of an Italian hotelier and an African busboy. This sets off a cycle of unwitting retribution between three Zambian families (Black, White, Brown) as they collide and converge over the course of the century, into the present and beyond. As the generations pass, their lives - their triumphs, errors, losses and hopes - emerge through a panorama of history, fairy tale, romance, and science fiction.

From a woman covered with hair and another plagued with endless tears, to forbidden love affairs and fiery political ones, to homegrown technological marvels like Afronauts, microdrones, and viral vaccines, this gripping, unforgettable novel is a testament to our yearning to create and cross borders, and a meditation on the slow, grand passage of time.

Audio Release Date:
April 2 2019

24 hrs and 55 mins