Cultural Nostalgias

Historiography and Narrative Account of the Life and Odysseys of an Immigrant

This is a narrative account of the lived experiences of an immigrant. In many ways, this book discusses a range of issues that transcend different sociocultural, philosophical, and political terrains. Paved with comical and simple narrative, the author located poignant and challenging issues within personal experiences of orphanhood, racism, race and sex, acculturation, deculturation, immigration, and his nostalgic feelings. Reflectively, he recalled how his early years in Africa were filled with happy memories of his parents and siblings and his lifelong regret over his failure to adequately care for his father. From a child who hated education to someone with five degrees, he has had to face many challenges, including his unstoppable desire to acquire academic qualifications, which oftentimes offered him no significant professional and material gains in return. The author is living a life in the UK that millions of people would envy, and yet he is troubled by cultural nostalgias. For a man who did everything to leave Africa, he could neither come to terms with why he could not just move back to Africa, where his heart is, nor is he able to make up his mind about where he would like to be buried.