Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga

Written in 1988 by South African writer Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions is a coming of age story for the narrator, Tambudzai. The oldest daughter of a native Shona family living in the British colony of Rhodesia during the 1960s, Tambudzai has her heart set on getting an education as a means of developing her independence. To achieve her goals Tambudzai, or Tambu, goes through the trials and tribulations associated with the autocratic authority exercised by the men of her culture and the racism and patriarchy exhibited by the colonial power. Much of her growth and confidence is bols…