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The King of Kahel
Tierno Monénembo’s The King of Kahel was originally published in France in 2008 and was the winner of the French literary prize, the prix Renaudot , which is awarded to the author of an outstanding original novel. Loosely based on the life of Olivier de Sanderval, a man who journeyed to Guinea to build an empire by conquering the hostile region of Fouta Djallon, the book exposes how Sanderval braves all dangers to build a railway that will bring modern civilization to Africa.
304 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2008
About the author
Tierno Monénembo
24 books6 followersThierno Saïdou Diallo, usually known as Tierno Monénembo (born 1947), is a Francophone Guinean novelist. Born in Guinea, he later lived in Senegal, Algeria, Morocco, and finally France since 1973. He has written eight books in all and was awarded the 2008 prix Renaudot for The King of Kahel (le Roi de Kahel).
His most noted book is said to be Pelourinho, which was set in Brazil. For the English-speaking world his significance was more for being one of the African authors invited to Rwanda after the 1994 Tutsi-Hutu massacre to "write genocide into memory." From this came the novel The Oldest Orphan; the 2004 translation by the University of Nebraska may be his most successful book in the English language. In November 2010 the English translation of le Roi de Kahel (The King of Kahel) was published by AmazonCrossing, Amazon.com's translated fiction publishing arm, it was the new publishing companies first translated and published book.
His most noted book is said to be Pelourinho, which was set in Brazil. For the English-speaking world his significance was more for being one of the African authors invited to Rwanda after the 1994 Tutsi-Hutu massacre to "write genocide into memory." From this came the novel The Oldest Orphan; the 2004 translation by the University of Nebraska may be his most successful book in the English language. In November 2010 the English translation of le Roi de Kahel (The King of Kahel) was published by AmazonCrossing, Amazon.com's translated fiction publishing arm, it was the new publishing companies first translated and published book.
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August 18, 2021
I enjoyed this fascinating, fictionalized account of the life of Aime Olivier Sanderval, a French industrialist who, after making his fortune manufacturing velocipedes, left his wife and children in Lyon to explore West Africa in the late 19th century. He became obsessed with obtaining trade concessions and permissions to build a railroad in Fouta Djallon, in what is now Guinea, as well as to establish a personal kingdom based in the province of Kahel.
His trade-based approach to bringing the region under French influence put him into conflict with the official policy of colonization that ultimately prevailed in Paris, he was an enemy of British military efforts to annex the territory, and his relationships with the native Fula tribal leaders ebbed and flowed with their, and his, schemes and intrigues. Interestingly, Monénembo, a native of Guinea who has lived in France since 1973, treats Sanderval sympathetically and his descriptions of the terrain, flora and fauna, and Fula culture can be quite beautiful.
Recommended.
His trade-based approach to bringing the region under French influence put him into conflict with the official policy of colonization that ultimately prevailed in Paris, he was an enemy of British military efforts to annex the territory, and his relationships with the native Fula tribal leaders ebbed and flowed with their, and his, schemes and intrigues. Interestingly, Monénembo, a native of Guinea who has lived in France since 1973, treats Sanderval sympathetically and his descriptions of the terrain, flora and fauna, and Fula culture can be quite beautiful.
Recommended.
July 30, 2016
Biographie romancée d'un aventurier ayant réellement existé, Olivier de Sanderval, qui fut maire en France puis roi en pays Peul.
Un personnage pittoresque comme l'atteste son parcours et auquel l'auteur, Tierno Monenembo donne une personnalité absolument excentrique, mais qui incarne également la vision des colonisateurs français "progressistes" du XIXe siècle comme Jules Ferry.
Ses aventures au Fouta Djalon nous donnent un aperçu du fonctionnement de la société peule à cette époque, tandis que ses démêlées avec l'administration française dressent un tableau assez juste du fonctionnement de la Troisième République.
Petit bémol : si l'histoire est prenante, le style ne m'a pas séduite plus que ça.
Bref, contente d'avoir élargi mes horizons en lecture francophone au delà de la France. J'ajouterai sans doute Peuls du même auteur à ma liste de livres à lire.
Un personnage pittoresque comme l'atteste son parcours et auquel l'auteur, Tierno Monenembo donne une personnalité absolument excentrique, mais qui incarne également la vision des colonisateurs français "progressistes" du XIXe siècle comme Jules Ferry.
Ses aventures au Fouta Djalon nous donnent un aperçu du fonctionnement de la société peule à cette époque, tandis que ses démêlées avec l'administration française dressent un tableau assez juste du fonctionnement de la Troisième République.
Petit bémol : si l'histoire est prenante, le style ne m'a pas séduite plus que ça.
Bref, contente d'avoir élargi mes horizons en lecture francophone au delà de la France. J'ajouterai sans doute Peuls du même auteur à ma liste de livres à lire.
February 23, 2011
The King of Kahel is my book from Guinea for the Read The World challenge. It is the first book printed by AmazonCrossing, Amazon’s own publishing imprint specialising in translated literature. They say ‘AmazonCrossing uses customer feedback and other data from Amazon sites to identify exceptional works that deserve a wider, global audience.’ So this book was presumably picked up because it was a big hit in French.
It’s rather unusual among all the post-colonial literature I’ve read for the Read The World challenge, because the hero is a European colonialist. Specifically, it’s about Olivier de Sanderval, a real person, a man from a wealthy family of provincial French industrialists who did some exploring in what is now Guinea and wanted to set himself up as an African king.
And he’s not just the hero in the narrow sense of being the central character; it is very much his story and he is presented as a sympathetic character.
It’s always interesting to have your expectations confounded, if only because it reveals what those expectations are. Because there’s nothing terribly radical about this novel. If it had been written by a white French novelist I wouldn’t have thought anything of it; Monénembo has lived in France for nearly 40 years; and yet I was in fact surprised.
That aside, this is an enjoyable if unexceptional literary novel. It is light and cheery in tone; the back cover claims that ‘Monénembo has created nothing short of a jovial Heart of Darkness‘, which is about as baffling a description as I’ve ever encountered. The book reads to me like a playful re-imagining of history, so I assumed it was only based lightly on the historical Sanderval. Apparently, though, Monénembo did a lot of research and had access to the Sanderval family archives, so there may be more history in it than I realised… perhaps if I’d realised that I would have enjoyed it more. Or maybe I’d rather have read a straight biography.
As an example the book being unexpectedly accurate, Google found me this: a real coin produced by the real Olivier de Sanderval to serve as currency for his kingdom of Kahel. The Arabic script reads ‘Sanderval’. Which is sort of amazing, actually.
It’s rather unusual among all the post-colonial literature I’ve read for the Read The World challenge, because the hero is a European colonialist. Specifically, it’s about Olivier de Sanderval, a real person, a man from a wealthy family of provincial French industrialists who did some exploring in what is now Guinea and wanted to set himself up as an African king.
And he’s not just the hero in the narrow sense of being the central character; it is very much his story and he is presented as a sympathetic character.
It’s always interesting to have your expectations confounded, if only because it reveals what those expectations are. Because there’s nothing terribly radical about this novel. If it had been written by a white French novelist I wouldn’t have thought anything of it; Monénembo has lived in France for nearly 40 years; and yet I was in fact surprised.
That aside, this is an enjoyable if unexceptional literary novel. It is light and cheery in tone; the back cover claims that ‘Monénembo has created nothing short of a jovial Heart of Darkness‘, which is about as baffling a description as I’ve ever encountered. The book reads to me like a playful re-imagining of history, so I assumed it was only based lightly on the historical Sanderval. Apparently, though, Monénembo did a lot of research and had access to the Sanderval family archives, so there may be more history in it than I realised… perhaps if I’d realised that I would have enjoyed it more. Or maybe I’d rather have read a straight biography.
As an example the book being unexpectedly accurate, Google found me this: a real coin produced by the real Olivier de Sanderval to serve as currency for his kingdom of Kahel. The Arabic script reads ‘Sanderval’. Which is sort of amazing, actually.
June 29, 2022
"إذا كان هناك دون كيخوته فإن اوليفيه دو ساندرفال مستكشف آتي بعد زمانه."
-اوليفيه دو ساندرفال الفرنسي الذي كان يحلم بأن يعيد أمجاد المستكشفين الفرنسيين في أفريقيا السمراء.
-عاش طفولته وشبابه يدرس أفريقيا ويضع خططه لتأسيس مملكة له في أفريقيا تكون رائدة للعلم وتقود أفريقيا للرقي والتحضر.
-بعد تدقيق اختار فوتا جالون، بلد معروف بكبرياءه وتضاريسه المتنوعة، حتي تكون منارته.
"المغرمون بدارون ومتحمسوا المغامرات، كلا الفريقين كانوا يؤمنون باشعاع العلم.. كانوا الأبناء التوءم لعصر مضطرب جذاب خلاق، عصر لم يكن لديه الوقت.. خاصة الوقت الذي يرتاب فيه في نفسه."
-عام 1879 يجهز عدته في يوم ما ويتجه إلي فوتا جالون وهناك يمر بكل مغامرات الاستكشافيين ويواجه مخاطر المرض والحيوانات وشراسة السكان الأصليين وخداعهم.
"كان هذا طعم العرق والملح والزنجبيل والكولا مزيج من العنف والفرحة. أكثر من هذا أفريقيا إفراط في ال��عد، وفي الرياح، انفجار سرمدي، لقد رأي إحساسا من اللذة والموت، دوار سُكر أبدي."
-يحكي لنا عن اغماءاته المتكررة عن غابات أفريقيا الغنية بالاف الطيور والحيوانات عن مناخها الشاذ مثلها ومثل أهلها الذين يحتاجون كتالوج مختلف عما اعتاده وعن صراعات الأمراء علي السلطة والعرش.
"لدي البيل نجلس دائما بانحراف، نحارب بانحراف.... أن نبدو صرحاء هو انعدام الدهاء، أن نلتقي وجها لوجه لدليل فظاظة لا تغتفر، لدي أهل الساحل تُعبر الاستقامة عن أفضل قيمة للإنسان، في فوتا النفاق دليل علي النبا واللباقة'
-أراد أن يفتح فوتا جالون صناعياً وبالخديعة إلا ان فرنسا ارادت ضمها بالقوة وجعلها مستعرة أخري.
-يقنع اوليفيه المامي(حاكم فوتا جالون) بأن يعطيه هضبة كاهل والتصريحات التجارية ويوافق ويقيم اول مملكة له علي أرض بيلية إلا أن سانت لويس لم تكن لتدع الأمر يمر هكذا.
أخيرا التقييم لعدم إعجابي بطريقة السرد إلا أنها كفكرة تستحق أكثر.
(فوتا جالون هي منطقة مرتفعات في وسط غينيا، في غرب أفريقيا.)
-اوليفيه دو ساندرفال الفرنسي الذي كان يحلم بأن يعيد أمجاد المستكشفين الفرنسيين في أفريقيا السمراء.
-عاش طفولته وشبابه يدرس أفريقيا ويضع خططه لتأسيس مملكة له في أفريقيا تكون رائدة للعلم وتقود أفريقيا للرقي والتحضر.
-بعد تدقيق اختار فوتا جالون، بلد معروف بكبرياءه وتضاريسه المتنوعة، حتي تكون منارته.
"المغرمون بدارون ومتحمسوا المغامرات، كلا الفريقين كانوا يؤمنون باشعاع العلم.. كانوا الأبناء التوءم لعصر مضطرب جذاب خلاق، عصر لم يكن لديه الوقت.. خاصة الوقت الذي يرتاب فيه في نفسه."
-عام 1879 يجهز عدته في يوم ما ويتجه إلي فوتا جالون وهناك يمر بكل مغامرات الاستكشافيين ويواجه مخاطر المرض والحيوانات وشراسة السكان الأصليين وخداعهم.
"كان هذا طعم العرق والملح والزنجبيل والكولا مزيج من العنف والفرحة. أكثر من هذا أفريقيا إفراط في ال��عد، وفي الرياح، انفجار سرمدي، لقد رأي إحساسا من اللذة والموت، دوار سُكر أبدي."
-يحكي لنا عن اغماءاته المتكررة عن غابات أفريقيا الغنية بالاف الطيور والحيوانات عن مناخها الشاذ مثلها ومثل أهلها الذين يحتاجون كتالوج مختلف عما اعتاده وعن صراعات الأمراء علي السلطة والعرش.
"لدي البيل نجلس دائما بانحراف، نحارب بانحراف.... أن نبدو صرحاء هو انعدام الدهاء، أن نلتقي وجها لوجه لدليل فظاظة لا تغتفر، لدي أهل الساحل تُعبر الاستقامة عن أفضل قيمة للإنسان، في فوتا النفاق دليل علي النبا واللباقة'
-أراد أن يفتح فوتا جالون صناعياً وبالخديعة إلا ان فرنسا ارادت ضمها بالقوة وجعلها مستعرة أخري.
-يقنع اوليفيه المامي(حاكم فوتا جالون) بأن يعطيه هضبة كاهل والتصريحات التجارية ويوافق ويقيم اول مملكة له علي أرض بيلية إلا أن سانت لويس لم تكن لتدع الأمر يمر هكذا.
أخيرا التقييم لعدم إعجابي بطريقة السرد إلا أنها كفكرة تستحق أكثر.
(فوتا جالون هي منطقة مرتفعات في وسط غينيا، في غرب أفريقيا.)
March 25, 2016
الرواية عبارة عن عبث في الترجمة عبث في كل شيء !!
ربما هي درس لى لحسن اختيار المترجم أولا قبل اختيار الرواية ,ومازلنا نتعلم .
قراتها كاملتاً من اجل ما دفع فيها ليس الا كتمرين على القراءة ,او في محاولة لفهم شيء !
ربما هي درس لى لحسن اختيار المترجم أولا قبل اختيار الرواية ,ومازلنا نتعلم .
قراتها كاملتاً من اجل ما دفع فيها ليس الا كتمرين على القراءة ,او في محاولة لفهم شيء !
July 4, 2012
I received Le Mot Juste: A Dictionary of Classical and Foreign Words and Phrases for my tenth birthday, and though I am unable to locate it in the stacks at the moment, (though I suspect that it is somewhere in the second or third row of books on the shelf in the foyer) i distinctly remember an entry for a word in Javanese (or Zulu?) that translates roughly into English as "the act of stealing everything a man owns by borrowing each of his possessions one by one and not returning them". This word, if I were willing, in this sweltering heat, to move away from my spot in front of the fan to get up and look for the aforementioned book, would make a fitting description in this review for precisely what happened to the kingdom of Fouta Djallon and her princes and almami-spiritual ledger and ruler of the entire kingdom- but also what ultimately happens to Aime Olivier Viscount de Sanderval in his doomed pursuit of the Kingdom of Kahel.
The real de Sanderval was:" the spitting image of the 19th century. . .Beginning with his education and temperament, everything had prepared him to live for the passions of his time - ideas, science, and the great expeditions. He had been molded with the mind of a pioneer in the century of pioneers." His expeditions into the interior of africa produced the maps necessary for the french to begin staking their claim there. Tierno Monenembo has written a romance of this brave and idiosyncratic man, whose religious, scientific and cultural theories made him both an object of interest and scorn in French society. In The King of Kahel, Aime dreams of a kingdom of his own in Africa, and in his 42 year, heads to Africa to conquer one. The year is 1880, and he is headed to western Africa to build a railroad. De sandervals approach to colonization is one of friendship, and while the French government ignores his exploits, he is steadily building up the political loyalties and friendships that he needs to install himself as king of the provence of Kahel and get the treaties that he needs to build a railroad from the coast to the jungle. He sweet talks the Fula ledge dears, making them his friends and partners in crime. His dream of Afircan riches get closer and closer, as he manipulates the warring princes Into giving him land and title.
Once he finds success, the french government begins to show Interest in his conquests, and just as Sanderval has carved out a little kingdom - a trading post here, a railway concession there, so the French begin to take sandervals land- here a military garrison, there a colonial governors mansion. eventually, his dreams.
TKOK is a starts off as a wonderful romantic adventure and was an enjoyable read, though not a replacement or a peer of Things Fall Apart.
An aside, TKOK was the first complete novel that I read entirely in e-book form, and I must say, the experience is vastly different from reading a book printed on paper. The highlighting and search functions made the 'wait-who was that guy again?' question answerable in a seconds, and the recall of interesting quotes immediate. Something is lost, however, when a character is tracking hares through 'the rocky Mediterranean inlets' of Cassis, and with a quick highlight and a a featherlgiht touch of a screen, there are images of the rocky Mediterranean inlets near Cassis. They are beautiful, but that immediacy and unalterable fact of their appearance robs the reader of an opportunity to imagine what they might look like. I thought to turn it off, but once I started accessing the Wikipedia entries at my fingertips I couldn't stop. What is a kepi? Who was Samori Toure? The answers were right there. I barely needed to think. I got bored. I haven't given up on the dead trees yet.
Want to read
December 19, 2015ترجمة سيئة المترجم يخيل الي انه لم يسبق له الكتابة باللغة العربية انتج نص لا يمكن فهمه او الاستمتاع به كفاية تعذيب سلسلة الجوائز تشبه شراء البطيخ بختك يابو بخيت قبل ان تشتري كتاب من السلسلة تأكد من اسم المترجم
May 6, 2019
The Devil and a Kingdom: Friendships of Oil and Water
Four Princes, Three Armies, Two Plans, and One Lone Wolf… The King of Kahel is a complex piece of historical fiction that will transport you to the mysterious region of Fouta Djallon in the heart of West Africa, as it was before colonialization.
Fouta was a federation. Ultimate power resided in Timbo, but Fogoumba, the (mystical) religious capital, crowned the almami, voted on legislation, and declared war. Labé was a major tribal power within this federation, and was governed by an aging King. Timbo was a second tribe holding great power in Fouta. The Almamis of Timbo and Labé had agreed to alternate terms as leadership over all of the Fouta. Needless to say, this federation resulted in quite a bit of artful political wrangling and subtlety. But, just at the point where it tottered on the brink of a power struggle between the sons and nephews of the reigning kings, France launched a bid for hegemony, with England not far at their heels.
Meanwhile, the main character, Olivier de Sanderval was entranced with the idea of Africa and all her mystique. He dreamed of owning a kingdom in the beautiful region of Fouta Djallon, which is a major part of the inland area of present day Guinea. So he sets off on a mission of his own to make himself King, while giving France access to the interior of Africa. That’s his plan at least. France has something else in mind. And, the Fula people are not only wary of all, but they use their own tactics of espionage and treachery to make the whole gambit quite painful for everyone involved.
Sanderval is presented as a man with major delusions of grandeur, but also as a bold and courageous adventurer. Both are probably accurate depictions. But, the author has a rocky start with the story due to the conflict between these two sides of Sanderval’s story and the use of irony. At first, the reader will find Sanderval intensely dislikable. But soon, the underdog effect draws sympathy for this ironical character. The author makes the mistake of giving the Frenchman an African mindset at times, especially near the beginning. Because of this, you are reminded often that this is Sanderval as he was viewed from the African perspective.
The story takes place during a time of Empire and Colonization. In a stroke of humor, the author has Sanderval dress up in a Mephistopheles costume to convince the Africans of his rank, simply because the costume is silk and finer clothing than what the explorer was wearing. Mephistopheles is a demon featured in German folklore. So, here you have the image of the white man appearing as he really is… a devil trying to carve a kingdom. Compounding that irony is the fact that the French have frequently been called devils by the English. It all seems to fit together with a sense of artful genius by the author, once you get past that smarmy beginning
Along the way, Tierno Monenembo adeptly weaves not only famous historical figures such as Ferdinand Marie, the developer of the Suez Canal into the story, but he creates interesting fictional characters, such as the ham hoarder and thief who was selling ham in a Muslim country. You see glimpses of the lives of women at that time. The flora and fauna are described throughout, as well as the many details of the geography. You finish the book with the feeling that you’ve discovered a new world. But, you also get an unsavory glimpse of European society in an age when people from exotic locales were put on display as freaks and lower evolved creatures.
I read this in the Kindle format for my stop in Guinea on my Journey Around the World for 2019. My next stop is Sierra Leone, where I’ve already been sneaking across the border for bits of Michaela DePrince’s beautiful story, in between the intrigue here in Guinea. Is that cheating? It could not be avoided, so no time for apologies since I cannot wait to get on with the story.
Four Princes, Three Armies, Two Plans, and One Lone Wolf… The King of Kahel is a complex piece of historical fiction that will transport you to the mysterious region of Fouta Djallon in the heart of West Africa, as it was before colonialization.
Fouta was a federation. Ultimate power resided in Timbo, but Fogoumba, the (mystical) religious capital, crowned the almami, voted on legislation, and declared war. Labé was a major tribal power within this federation, and was governed by an aging King. Timbo was a second tribe holding great power in Fouta. The Almamis of Timbo and Labé had agreed to alternate terms as leadership over all of the Fouta. Needless to say, this federation resulted in quite a bit of artful political wrangling and subtlety. But, just at the point where it tottered on the brink of a power struggle between the sons and nephews of the reigning kings, France launched a bid for hegemony, with England not far at their heels.
“The friendship France is extending to us is the friendship of oil and water: one on top, the other on bottom…”
Meanwhile, the main character, Olivier de Sanderval was entranced with the idea of Africa and all her mystique. He dreamed of owning a kingdom in the beautiful region of Fouta Djallon, which is a major part of the inland area of present day Guinea. So he sets off on a mission of his own to make himself King, while giving France access to the interior of Africa. That’s his plan at least. France has something else in mind. And, the Fula people are not only wary of all, but they use their own tactics of espionage and treachery to make the whole gambit quite painful for everyone involved.
"You are nothing more than a citizen on a lark. As for your treaties…”
Sanderval is presented as a man with major delusions of grandeur, but also as a bold and courageous adventurer. Both are probably accurate depictions. But, the author has a rocky start with the story due to the conflict between these two sides of Sanderval’s story and the use of irony. At first, the reader will find Sanderval intensely dislikable. But soon, the underdog effect draws sympathy for this ironical character. The author makes the mistake of giving the Frenchman an African mindset at times, especially near the beginning. Because of this, you are reminded often that this is Sanderval as he was viewed from the African perspective.
“Life is better when angels remain angels and monsters, abominable monsters.”
"In all, he (an old French misanthrope living near the Conakry, Guinea coast) owned five rifles, each of which bore a woman’s name: Carmen for the Negroes, Esmeralda for the Germans, Agrippine for the English, and Marie-Antoinette for the wild animals…(the fifth he named) Dominique on rainy days and Monique the rest of the year.”
The story takes place during a time of Empire and Colonization. In a stroke of humor, the author has Sanderval dress up in a Mephistopheles costume to convince the Africans of his rank, simply because the costume is silk and finer clothing than what the explorer was wearing. Mephistopheles is a demon featured in German folklore. So, here you have the image of the white man appearing as he really is… a devil trying to carve a kingdom. Compounding that irony is the fact that the French have frequently been called devils by the English. It all seems to fit together with a sense of artful genius by the author, once you get past that smarmy beginning
[Between the Fula & French] "...the fruit of friendship would always hide a pit—the toxic pit of betrayal."
Along the way, Tierno Monenembo adeptly weaves not only famous historical figures such as Ferdinand Marie, the developer of the Suez Canal into the story, but he creates interesting fictional characters, such as the ham hoarder and thief who was selling ham in a Muslim country. You see glimpses of the lives of women at that time. The flora and fauna are described throughout, as well as the many details of the geography. You finish the book with the feeling that you’ve discovered a new world. But, you also get an unsavory glimpse of European society in an age when people from exotic locales were put on display as freaks and lower evolved creatures.
"Fouta became the playing field for a curious game: the movements of three enemy armies, each one ready to make a deal with the devil to crush the other two."
I read this in the Kindle format for my stop in Guinea on my Journey Around the World for 2019. My next stop is Sierra Leone, where I’ve already been sneaking across the border for bits of Michaela DePrince’s beautiful story, in between the intrigue here in Guinea. Is that cheating? It could not be avoided, so no time for apologies since I cannot wait to get on with the story.
November 15, 2010
I'm always on the lookout for new fiction from Africa, so when I saw this translation of a Guinean book was available I snapped it up. Aside from my interest in world literature, my grandparents lived in Conakry from 1960-62, so the country holds a particular interest for me. The novel as a form does not have a long history in Africa, and as a result, much of the African fiction available in the West focuses on the struggle for independence and the legacy of colonialism. This book goes further back in history to deliver a fictionalized version of the exploits of 19th-century French adventurer Olivier de Sanderval, whose personal ambitions were at least partly to blame for France's colonization of what is modern-day Guinea.
Sanderval was a prodigiously talented and wealthy man of his time, whose childhood romance with tales of exploration were the catalyst for his adult ambitions to carve a slice out of the African pie for himself (and to a lesser extent, France). He was also a prolific writer who extensively documented his travels, and the author of this novel also had access to private family archives in gathering material for the book. Unfortunately this seems like a case where having too much "true" information at one's hands actually inhibits the fiction. Far too much of the book reads like a thinly fictionalized rendering of a travelogue, in which various trials and tribulations are chronicled in a manner which becomes slightly tedious.
The book does a decent job of illustrating the complexities of Europe's colonization of sub-Saharan Africa. Rather than simply decrying European colonialism, the story illustrates the internal strife among various local potentates, as well as the policy disagreements within the French establishment. In Sanderval's attempts to lock in trading rights, right of way for a railroad, and a land-grant for his own personal fiefdom, he encounters all manner of cunning and shifty characters, both French and Fula. However, it never really manages to engage as storytelling. So, even though the author handles the colonial material with a more judicious touch than most, I kept wishing I was reading a good biographical profile of Sanderval instead. Worth a look if you've an interest in African fiction or European colonialism, but probably not a book that will interest the general reader.
Sanderval was a prodigiously talented and wealthy man of his time, whose childhood romance with tales of exploration were the catalyst for his adult ambitions to carve a slice out of the African pie for himself (and to a lesser extent, France). He was also a prolific writer who extensively documented his travels, and the author of this novel also had access to private family archives in gathering material for the book. Unfortunately this seems like a case where having too much "true" information at one's hands actually inhibits the fiction. Far too much of the book reads like a thinly fictionalized rendering of a travelogue, in which various trials and tribulations are chronicled in a manner which becomes slightly tedious.
The book does a decent job of illustrating the complexities of Europe's colonization of sub-Saharan Africa. Rather than simply decrying European colonialism, the story illustrates the internal strife among various local potentates, as well as the policy disagreements within the French establishment. In Sanderval's attempts to lock in trading rights, right of way for a railroad, and a land-grant for his own personal fiefdom, he encounters all manner of cunning and shifty characters, both French and Fula. However, it never really manages to engage as storytelling. So, even though the author handles the colonial material with a more judicious touch than most, I kept wishing I was reading a good biographical profile of Sanderval instead. Worth a look if you've an interest in African fiction or European colonialism, but probably not a book that will interest the general reader.
October 3, 2015
Aime Sanderval (Olivier de Sanderval) dreamed of going to Africa to find land that had never been seen by a white man before, so that he could set about improving the Negroes, and creating a new Versailles for France. He was determined to be a King. He believed that he could win over the Kingdom Fouta Djallon (Central Guinea) by enlightenment, not by fighting, and he was convinced if he could become one of the Fulas, they would make him a King.
Monenembo has written this wonderful historical fiction, based on the Sanderval's trips to Fouta Djallon. It is rather satirical in nature, and I found the attitudes to be humorous.
Monenembo has written this wonderful historical fiction, based on the Sanderval's trips to Fouta Djallon. It is rather satirical in nature, and I found the attitudes to be humorous.
October 5, 2010
Une biographie romancée d’un aventurier qui rêvait de se tailler un royaume en Afrique ! Il y a des qualités, surtout dans la description du peuple Peul, un peuple assez étrange ne rechignant pas à couper des têtes et en même temps amateur de paperasserie. Mais le gros problème est que la moitié des points sont des points d’exclamations ! Si ! Pourquoi ? Je sais pas ! Mais c’est fatigant ! Non ?
May 20, 2021
الترجمة بها اخطاء كثيره تخرج القارئ احيانا من فهم طبيهة الروايه
تحتاج ةلي اعدة ترجمة ...
تحتاج ةلي اعدة ترجمة ...
December 5, 2017
Fearless Frenchman Founds Forest Fief
We have a number of colonial tales of white men who strove to carve out kingdoms among peoples in odd corners of the world that had not yet been much influenced by the West. Kipling's "The Man Who Would Be King" does come to mind, but more impressive is the true story of the white rajahs of Sarawak, a British family dynasty that ruled a large patch on Borneo's north coast for over a century. When these tales are told, it is always from the European point of view. The whites act, the `natives' are acted upon. THE KING OF KAHEL provides an interesting glimpse from the other side. Monénembo, a Guinean long in exile in France, tells a story of the scion of an important Lyon family made rich by capitalist exploits in France, who is lured to Africa by romantic dreams and tries persistently to carve out a kingdom in the then-remote Fouta Djallon region, now part of Guinea. He longs to `civilize' the place, a theme touched upon in ironic fashion by the author, who valiantly endeavors to write as a colonial-minded Frenchman would think. Far from being some kind of Indiana Jones, Aimé Olivier de Sanderval barely squeaks through. The Africans continually outwit him, punish him, betray him, and try to bump him off for good. Only by becoming more African is he able to survive. He can't trust the emissaries of France (who refuse to recognize that he has any rights in Fouta Djallon) and he is caught in the endless intrigues of the Fula almami and ruling circles also. The reluctance of Fula rulers to get involved with whites is paralleled by the disinterest and reluctance of French officialdom to back de Sanderval's schemes. In the end, as we know from history, no Frenchman was able to become a king on his own in Africa. France finally pushed `the king of Kahel' aside and took over. As to the fate of the `would be king', you'll have to read the book.
At first, the unusual style of dialogue put me off. I ascribed it to bad translation. But as I read, I got used to it, and felt that probably the translator had preserved what was unique in this most interesting book. Based on a true story---most of the characters really existed---the dialogues and details have been created by the author who describes the land in a most colorful and appealing way. I wondered if there were really eucalyptus forests in Guinea in the 19th century and stumbled over a few other such questions, but overall I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it highly to anyone interested in adventure, in colonial era Africa, or historical fiction.
We have a number of colonial tales of white men who strove to carve out kingdoms among peoples in odd corners of the world that had not yet been much influenced by the West. Kipling's "The Man Who Would Be King" does come to mind, but more impressive is the true story of the white rajahs of Sarawak, a British family dynasty that ruled a large patch on Borneo's north coast for over a century. When these tales are told, it is always from the European point of view. The whites act, the `natives' are acted upon. THE KING OF KAHEL provides an interesting glimpse from the other side. Monénembo, a Guinean long in exile in France, tells a story of the scion of an important Lyon family made rich by capitalist exploits in France, who is lured to Africa by romantic dreams and tries persistently to carve out a kingdom in the then-remote Fouta Djallon region, now part of Guinea. He longs to `civilize' the place, a theme touched upon in ironic fashion by the author, who valiantly endeavors to write as a colonial-minded Frenchman would think. Far from being some kind of Indiana Jones, Aimé Olivier de Sanderval barely squeaks through. The Africans continually outwit him, punish him, betray him, and try to bump him off for good. Only by becoming more African is he able to survive. He can't trust the emissaries of France (who refuse to recognize that he has any rights in Fouta Djallon) and he is caught in the endless intrigues of the Fula almami and ruling circles also. The reluctance of Fula rulers to get involved with whites is paralleled by the disinterest and reluctance of French officialdom to back de Sanderval's schemes. In the end, as we know from history, no Frenchman was able to become a king on his own in Africa. France finally pushed `the king of Kahel' aside and took over. As to the fate of the `would be king', you'll have to read the book.
At first, the unusual style of dialogue put me off. I ascribed it to bad translation. But as I read, I got used to it, and felt that probably the translator had preserved what was unique in this most interesting book. Based on a true story---most of the characters really existed---the dialogues and details have been created by the author who describes the land in a most colorful and appealing way. I wondered if there were really eucalyptus forests in Guinea in the 19th century and stumbled over a few other such questions, but overall I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it highly to anyone interested in adventure, in colonial era Africa, or historical fiction.
Read
January 6, 2022Roman historique sur la personne d'Aimé Olivier, vicomte de Sanderval, qui rêvait de devenir roi quelque part en Afrique et qui, en quelque sorte malgré lui, a été un des instruments de la conquête du Fouta-Dajalon par la France. En bref, c'est l'histoire de l'assujettissement de la Guinée à l'autorité de la France.
J'ai mis du temps à bien entrer dans l'histoire. Le personnage principal n'est pas particulièrement sympathique. Même s'il est visionnaire pour son époque, il demeure un homme blanc arrogant, raciste et égocentrique qui veut faire sa gloire sur le dos des Africains. Vers les deux tiers du livre, environ, j'ai commencé à trouver l'histoire beaucoup plus intéressante, d'une part parce que les personnages secondaires ont commencé à avoir de la personnalité (plutôt que d'être de simples outils ou obstacles), et d'autre part parce qu'il n'était plus seulement question du sort de Sanderval, mais de celui du Fouta-Djalon au complet.
J'ai mis du temps à bien entrer dans l'histoire. Le personnage principal n'est pas particulièrement sympathique. Même s'il est visionnaire pour son époque, il demeure un homme blanc arrogant, raciste et égocentrique qui veut faire sa gloire sur le dos des Africains. Vers les deux tiers du livre, environ, j'ai commencé à trouver l'histoire beaucoup plus intéressante, d'une part parce que les personnages secondaires ont commencé à avoir de la personnalité (plutôt que d'être de simples outils ou obstacles), et d'autre part parce qu'il n'était plus seulement question du sort de Sanderval, mais de celui du Fouta-Djalon au complet.
November 2, 2019
I understand its purpose, but that doesn’t make it easier to stomach this “king’s” arrogance.
Clearly the author holds disdain for his subject, and unflinchingly follows him through his life ( in what I think is the most basic of narratives...perhaps also a reflection of this disdain?) made up of high-falutin aspirations which he claims is for the “evolution” of his African subjects, but which are at their root narcissistic delusions of grandeur. The hypocrisy of which is revealed by the author in lines such as “It was all he could do to stop himself from wiping his boots on the miserable individual’s face, the very image of everything he hated in a colonist- an ignorant, petty, and greedy sewer rat who had come to the colonies only to sniff around the spices and the indigo.” What, sir, would you call yourself? Grasping to possess what was never yours (or anyone’s) to possess?
Clearly the author holds disdain for his subject, and unflinchingly follows him through his life ( in what I think is the most basic of narratives...perhaps also a reflection of this disdain?) made up of high-falutin aspirations which he claims is for the “evolution” of his African subjects, but which are at their root narcissistic delusions of grandeur. The hypocrisy of which is revealed by the author in lines such as “It was all he could do to stop himself from wiping his boots on the miserable individual’s face, the very image of everything he hated in a colonist- an ignorant, petty, and greedy sewer rat who had come to the colonies only to sniff around the spices and the indigo.” What, sir, would you call yourself? Grasping to possess what was never yours (or anyone’s) to possess?
April 24, 2019
A boy’s own adventure type tale that is based on the life of real 19th century explorer and dreamer Olivier de Sanderval. Having been obsessed with Africa since his childhood this scholar, inventor, explorer and heir to a fortune, decides that there is a kingdom waiting for him to take it in the highlands of what is now modern day Guinea.
The story traces his travails at home and abroad as he sets about attaining his dream.
The story is told with a light touch, it seems almost sympathetic to the “great white explorer “ and certainly not judgemental which I found intriguing. There is certainly a sly enjoyment to be had in watching him navigate the ins and outs of Fouta society as well as the trials and tribulations of various exotic diseases.
Enjoyable read.
The story traces his travails at home and abroad as he sets about attaining his dream.
The story is told with a light touch, it seems almost sympathetic to the “great white explorer “ and certainly not judgemental which I found intriguing. There is certainly a sly enjoyment to be had in watching him navigate the ins and outs of Fouta society as well as the trials and tribulations of various exotic diseases.
Enjoyable read.
December 11, 2019
This is the story of Frenchman Olivier de Sanderval. He made his way to Guinea, Africa, in the late 1800s to conquer the empire of Fouta Djallon. The book takes us through his want to make a kingdom for himself in Guinea, and build a railroad in this part of the world. Loosley based on his real life, this book gives us a picture of what de Sanderval went through to accomplish his goals in this part of the world.
This book was fair. It was hard to follow at times, but for the most part, a good story. It had some comic parts and left me wandering if this is how the author viewed de Sanderval's move to Africa and his want to be king, or this is how this man actually was. The story is wild - back and forth between France and Guinea during de Sanderval's late adult life.
This book was fair. It was hard to follow at times, but for the most part, a good story. It had some comic parts and left me wandering if this is how the author viewed de Sanderval's move to Africa and his want to be king, or this is how this man actually was. The story is wild - back and forth between France and Guinea during de Sanderval's late adult life.
July 5, 2018
Historisk roman om den nu glemte, franske 1800-tals eventyrer Aimé Olivier de Sanderval, som satte sig for at blive konge af Fouta Djallon i det nuværende Guinea i Vestafrika – og for en kort bemærkning virkelig lykkedes med sit forehavende, ihvertfald delvist. En fascinerende fortælling, som den guineanske forfatter Tierno Monénembo imidlertid desværre kun delvist formår at omsætte til en lige så fascinerende roman.
Læs hele boganmeldelsen på K’s bognoter: http://bognoter.dk/2018/07/05/tierno-...
Læs hele boganmeldelsen på K’s bognoter: http://bognoter.dk/2018/07/05/tierno-...
February 3, 2022
Ca commence extrêmement bien, avec une écriture qui invite à l’émerveillement. Mais la suite perd un peu en saveur. On a parfois du mal à comprendre les sentiments des personnages, et l’action avance avec un rythme étonnant. Reste un triste propos sur la colonisation, triste aussi bien sur l’attitude de la France que sur l’auto-destruction du pouvoir peul. Le peuple peul et son territoire restent en revanche fascinants et quasi-poétiques
May 5, 2019
Crazy read for my AtW challenge (Guinea). I couldn't keep track of all the Fula royalty, but it didn't matter because they were all conniving against each other. Meanwhile, Sanderval cycles through getting sick, being imprisoned, and conniving with or against the Fulas. In other words, not much character development, but the book is a fairly quick read.
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February 2, 2020Happy New Year!
The first entry for this year of The Africa Book Challenge, Tierno Monénembo's The King of Kahel for Guinea is now available.
Click on the URL on the profile page to learn more about how this African author reimagined the biography of a French explorer of the territory that would be modern-day Guinea.
The first entry for this year of The Africa Book Challenge, Tierno Monénembo's The King of Kahel for Guinea is now available.
Click on the URL on the profile page to learn more about how this African author reimagined the biography of a French explorer of the territory that would be modern-day Guinea.
November 26, 2021
How could you avoid dreaming of claiming a little piece of a land where laurels stand fifty feet tall? Which of life’s vanities offer a better semblance of reality than to conquer a kingdom and organize a state?...
This book feels like it was written for a certain audience in mind (read white people)
This book feels like it was written for a certain audience in mind (read white people)
May 26, 2020
I read this book as part of my quest to read a book written by an author from each country in the world. The author of this book is from Guinea, Africa.
I did not enjoy this book and I pushed myself to finish it - I found it very tedious to read and very repetitive. It is a story based on the writings of an early French explorer, Olivier de Sanderval.
Olivier was a Frenchman who was inspired by reading books of early African explorers. He leaves his wife and child in Paris and travels to Western Africa. He dreams of becoming friends with the African Fulas tribe and bringing a railroad to their land in Fouta Dajallon - this land eventually becomes Guinea. He wishes to also become 'King' of his own land there. The book describes his multiple visits to Africa, his experiences fighting disease, and his encounters with many African tribes.
Part of my dislike of this book is that I just don't understand the drive to explore Africa and endure its hardships. It just seems like torture to constantly push through the hot jungle, getting rare diseases and risking your life.
I did not enjoy this book and I pushed myself to finish it - I found it very tedious to read and very repetitive. It is a story based on the writings of an early French explorer, Olivier de Sanderval.
Olivier was a Frenchman who was inspired by reading books of early African explorers. He leaves his wife and child in Paris and travels to Western Africa. He dreams of becoming friends with the African Fulas tribe and bringing a railroad to their land in Fouta Dajallon - this land eventually becomes Guinea. He wishes to also become 'King' of his own land there. The book describes his multiple visits to Africa, his experiences fighting disease, and his encounters with many African tribes.
Part of my dislike of this book is that I just don't understand the drive to explore Africa and endure its hardships. It just seems like torture to constantly push through the hot jungle, getting rare diseases and risking your life.
June 19, 2021
Interesante historia basada en hechos históricos sobre la conquista del Fouta Djalo. Plantea dos forma de conquista, dos modelos contrapuestos pero sin cuestionar, en principio, demasiado la conquista.
October 8, 2017
Read for my Postcolonialism class.
2.5, I didn't hate this book, I just don't think it was for me.
2.5, I didn't hate this book, I just don't think it was for me.
April 27, 2020
Dịch dở
July 16, 2021
Funny, instructive about the french colonial period in west Africa.
April 29, 2022
الرواية حلوة.. بس الترجمة من أسوأ الحاجات اللي مرت عليا
August 6, 2022
A bizarre story of a French Don Quixote character who thought he could conquer and then become the a Fula in F0uta Djallon. Stranger story given that it is written by Monenembo, a Fula from Guinea.
July 15, 2020
رواية تاريخية تحكي تاريخ مستعمر فرنسي اراد ان يمتلك مملكة له في الغرب الافريقي الرواية جميلة ولكن اللغة صعبة لان زمن احداث الرواية كان بدائي وصعب التخيل.
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