Call and Response: Stories -- Gothataone Moeng, Hardcover

Richly drawn stories about the lives of ordinary families in contemporary Botswana as they navigate relationships, tradition and caretaking in a rapidly changing world.

A young widow adheres to the expectations of wearing mourning clothes for nearly a year, though she's unsure what the traditions mean or whether she is ready to meet the world without their protection. An older sister returns home from a confusing time in America, only to explain at every turn why she's left the land of opportunity. A younger sister hides her sexual exploits from her family, while her older brother openly flaunts his infidelity.

The stories collected in Call and Response are strongly anchored in place - in the village of Serowe, where the author is from, and in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana - charting the emotional journeys of women seeking love and opportunity beyond the barriers of custom and circumstance.

Gothataone Moeng is part of a new generation of writers coming out of Africa whose voices are ready to explode onto the literary scene. In the tradition of writers like Chimamanda Adiche and Jhumpa Lahiri, she offers us insight into communities, experiences and landscapes through stories that are cinematic in their sweep, with unforgettable female protagonists.


Author: Gothataone Moeng
Publisher: Viking
Published: 02/07/2023
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.06lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.32w x 1.02d
ISBN: 9780593490983

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal Prepub Alert 08/01/2022 pg. 2
Publishers Weekly 10/17/2022
Library Journal 12/01/2022 pg. 100
Kirkus Reviews 12/01/2022
Booklist 12/01/2022 pg. 104