All too often, Africa’s stories -- especially the stories of African women -- have been told by outsiders. But in Crossroads, a group of perceptive Ugandan women provide an unfiltered portrait of their own lives. In 15 deeply personal narratives that range from passionate to funny and from terrifying to tender, the women examine everything from religion to sports and from gender roles to the influence of western aid organizations. In telling their true life stories with bold honesty, the authors shed new light on Africa, the lives of African women, global feminism, culture change and modernization.
”The collection is no-holds-barred: these women critique traditional culture, Western influence, the bureaucratic bloatedness of NGOs, religion, and gender roles, all with clarity and nuance. The result is a well-rounded, compelling and edifying picture of the challenges that women face in modern Africa.”
— Michelle Anne Schlinger, Clarion Foreward Reviews
The stories were edited by Christopher Conte, a former Wall Street Journal editor and reporter who has traveled widely in Africa and lived for three-years in Uganda. Critics say the collection, a fascinating and elegant blend of traditional and thoroughly modern values, represents an important contribution to the literature on Africa and global feminism.
”A strong collection of memoiristic writing that illuminates African womanhood...” – Kirkus Review
”A riveting read” – Julia Royall, Fulbright scholar, and global health informatics expert
”A cultural keepsake” – Mazzi Wampamba, Ugandan author of "Like an Ocean: Poems in Prose"
”Perhaps the most insightful and enlightening non-fiction publication yet about the search for identity among women in Uganda” – Mark Schenkel, Het Financielle, The Netherlands