Description
Sudan from which South Sudan split in 2011 has been known for its years of political and social upheaval since the end of the British colonial rule. The two countries are intimately linked to one another by their history that anyone writing about what has become known as the Sudans cannot hope to provide a meaningful context without reference to that shared past. This is what the author has done in this volume of his memoir. Some of the writings appearing in this book examine other social and cultural aspects of the South Sudan either at times of conflict or during interludes of tranquillity. Some of the stories are funny, for instance, “If rudeness were a commodity, we would be its biggest exporters in the world”; while his handling of “Sudan Time Syndrome”, he is as excoriating as he is unforgiving in his denunciation of the laxity with punctuality some people show when expected to attend public functions.
Atem Yaak Atem has covered – and commented on- the affairs of his country, Sudan and later, South Sudan, for four decades, in his role as a senior journalist. Some of those writings appear in this collection; they capture the essence of his non-chronological, four- volume memoir, of which Jungle Chronicle (which he considers a “starter” is the first instalment.
ATEM YAAK ATEM, 2003
Sudan from which South Sudan split in 2011 has been known for its years of political and social upheaval since the end of the British colonial rule. The two countries are intimately linked to one another by their history that anyone writing about what has become known as the Sudans cannot hope to provide a meaningful context without reference to that shared past. This is what the author has done in this volume of his memoir. Some of the writings appearing in this book examine other social and cultural aspects of the South Sudan either at times of conflict or during interludes of tranquillity. Some of the stories are funny, for instance, “If rudeness were a commodity, we would be its biggest exporters in the world”; while his handling of “Sudan Time Syndrome”, he is as excoriating as he is unforgiving in his denunciation of the laxity with punctuality some people show when expected to attend public functions.
Atem Yaak Atem has covered – and commented on- the affairs of his country, Sudan and later, South Sudan, for four decades, in his role as a senior journalist. Some of those writings appear in this collection; they capture the essence of his non-chronological, four- volume memoir, of which Jungle Chronicle (which he considers a “starter” is the first instalment
S Maher –
For anyone interested in the social and political history of South Sudan (and when it was Sudan) – Jungle Chronicles is essential reading. Atem opens a door into a region of the world mostly unknown or perhaps misunderstood by those beyond its borders. His masterful use of language reflects his career as a journalist and the book is a collection of material from that time which is divided into two sections: Society and Culture and War and Peace. He covers an impressive range of subjects, writing humble, first person accounts that are accessible and often with a thread of dry humour running through them. Atem’s ability to weave multiple story lines together is impressive. The account of an Ebola outbreak in Juba in 1976 starts as a straightforward account of a health crisis, but morphs into a story of character and dignity. His modest account of speech writing for the late John Garang, leader of the rebel army the SPLA, is both insightful and a witty account the operations of the upper echelons of the SPLA.
There is much here for the casual reader to enjoy, but for those with a specific interest in the politics and cultures of this country, during times of peace and conflict, Jungle Chronicles and other writings is essential reading.