Son of Woman

Son of Woman by Charles Mangua is a groundbreaking, highly influential work that chronicles the chaotic, unsentimental life of the male narrator, an orphan and "son of a prostitute" navigating the burgeoning slums of Nairobi. Told through a distinctly cynical and darkly humorous first-person voice, the novel follows his journey from street urchin to student, corrupt civil servant, and occasional convict. This prize-winning bestseller shattered conventional literary norms in Kenya, offering a raw and unflinching look at urban poverty, hypocrisy, and the fast-paced social changes of post-independence East Africa. The book's irreverent style marked the genesis of popular literature in the region.