Place of Cool Waters
Place of Cool Waters
When Jude Wilson decides to travel halfway across the world to visit the graves of his childhood Boy Scout heroes, he unwittingly signs up for a lot more than he imagined. Growing up in the placid little Pacific Northwest town of Clarksville could never adequately prepare him for what he encounters in the vibrant, mercurial streets of Nairobi, where context defines meaning and words alone are not always sufficient to communicate across a cultural gap. He meets Qadir Mohamed—the affable manager at the youth hostel where he is staying—and a valuable friendship develops between two people from disparate backgrounds with seemingly little in common.
In Kenya, the past is never far away, though it is sometimes remembered differently by insiders. As a result, the unexamined triumphal legends from Jude’s scouting days begin to unravel in the face of new discoveries. It is, however, a disastrous taxi ride and ensuing case of mistaken identity that emerge as the defining moments of this life-changing trip, leading him to stumble upon truths about himself that he was previously unaware of.
AVAILABLE IN
Literary Fiction
Print Length
262 pages
Language
English
Publication date
August 9, 2022
REVIEWS
Kirkus Reviews
“Githaiga has a keen eye for the ways in which an insidious brand of racism can exist beneath the surface of easily visible bigotry.”
Midwest Book Review
“Place of Cool Waters is highly recommended for libraries seeking a novel written by a native Kenyan who makes his story the crossroads between two very different cultures.”
Booklife Reviews
“Githaiga . . . explores the duality of identity and belonging in this heartwarming story.”
Foreword Clarion Reviews
“In the transcontinental journey . . . everything happens for a reason, and the unlikeliest occurrences are the most profound.”
Indiereader
“A well-written and compelling novella, Ndirangu Githaiga's Place of Cool Waters relies on first-hand knowledge of Nairobi, Kenya and features interesting characters, descriptive settings, a unique plot, and significant roadblocks for the protagonist.”