Mensah's London Blues and Other Stories

Set between the United Kingdom and Africa, Mensah's London Blues chronicles the lives of characters from different parts of largely post-colonial Africa, as they deal with challenges of the diaspora and the shortcomings of independence. But it sets itself apart by offering more than the socio-political commentary or tackling the "Is the grass greener?" diasporan agenda. The world it is set in is merely a backdrop to the complexity and eccentricity of the characters that Austin Kaluba brings to life with his raw literary prowess. At the heart of the collection, Kaluba exposes the inherent will of his protagonists to survive, despite the odds that threaten to erase whatever morsel of humanity they possess. The vulnerability of protagonists caught between two radically different worlds irreconcilable in culture and social norms as they attempt, unsuccessfully, to fit in, forces them to confront their individual identities.