Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse now on Audible’s “Afrolit Now” series.
Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse’s Consolata is the latest offering at Audible’s “Afrolit Now” starting on December 30, 2021. Get it by clicking here.
Afrolit Now is a new series I am curating of short stories from six African writers in conjunction with Audible. Inspired by Afrolit Sans Frontières, the virtual literary festival I founded the Afrolit Now series brings to life short stories from the best in contemporary African fiction. Showcasing a wide range of countries, genres, and subjects—be it joy, heartbreak, love, or laughter—these pieces prove that a truly great story has no frontiers. The first in the series was posted in October, Troy Onyango’s The Water Peoplefollowed in November by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim’s A Love Like This.
The story for December is Consolata by Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse. Here is the summary of the story;
A moving story of an old woman reckoning with memories – both cherished and heartbreaking – of her past, from French Rwandan author Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse, winner of the 2020 Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie.
In childhood, Consolata was permanently separated from her family by French colonizers in her Rwandan village. Now, nearing the end of her life in an assisted-living facility, she starts losing her French language skills and can only remember her mother tongue, to the confusion of care workers. Oscillating between moments in assisted living and vivid childhood memories with family in Rwanda, Consolota is a poignant story of heritage, memory, and bonds that can never be broken.
You can stream the story by clicking here. The more downloads we have of it, the more I am likely to be able to do a second season and bring in more short stories from different African writers so please download and convince at least two other people to do the same.
Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse, Audible, Afrolit Now,