Comments on: White Man’s Grave

By: Richard Dooling

Richard Dooling — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:47:15 +0000

Thanks, Joanie. If memory serves, when I was researching the novel, I came across a travelogue called The White Man’s Grave or perhaps Travels In The White Man’s Grave. I was smitten, especially about how it got its name, which of course I recount in the novel. Glad that you enjoyed it. I too traveled through Mali and Niger but did not make it to Senegal. My bad!

By: joanie barbier

joanie barbier — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:07:49 +0000

just finished “Whte Man’s Grave”……As an Afrophile for the past 30 yrs. I read all I can about Africa, W. Africa interests me the most as I trekked solo (44yr. old woman) in Senegal and Mali…. I can’t relate to the witchcraft stories as I found none of that in Bamako but did hang with the PCVs in Dakar and Mopti etc…. I have a book by Mary Kingsley “Travels in W. Africa” a huge memoir of her travels in the later 1800s.. In her introduction, she refers to W. Africa as “White man’s grave”.
Did you title your book after this reference or is this a common phrase known by all PCV or espats? I never came across it before.

By: Janice Trubitt

Janice Trubitt — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:10:48 +0000

Hi Richard!
We’ve had our Book Club meeting, but I am still interested in finding out about the Leopard and Baboon Societies depicted in the dances that I saw. Janice Trubitt

By: Richard Dooling

Richard Dooling — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 22:53:04 +0000

Dear Janice:

I’ll find out. I know just the person.

Thanks,

By: Janice Trubitt

Janice Trubitt — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:12:43 +0000

Hi Richard!
Just returned from a mission trip to paint a secondaray school in Kabala, Sierra Leone. Picked your book for our book club monthly meeting because the scenes of Freetown, use of Krio language, descriptions of food, customs and beliefs, and life style were so accurately portrayed. One day the village of Kabala presented a Culture Day of song and dance. Women painted themselves with spots representing the leopard and another lady had on a brown outfit representing the baboon. Can’t find any information about this. Could you explain the story for me? Janice

By: Sam S.

Sam S. — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:12:17 +0000

I have read it twice and recommended it my friends and family. It has been loved by all. I agree the film needs to be made. I hope you find the writer who can breathe life back into the project. In the meanwhile you could suggest to whomeve has the rights that the book be re-released on a more current audio format. The cassettes are going for outrageous money right now. White Man’s Grave should be on iTunes. Better yet it should be available for free download on some p2p network. Better that than the decaying analog tape that no one can buy.

By: Hindowa

Hindowa — Wed, 28 May 2008 20:49:44 +0000

Ah, the scrivener Dooling and his adoring minions! Sorry to have taken so long to check in as I was occupied saving some sliver of this world. Hard work that. Truth be told I’ve expended more energy saving myself while trying to spare the world any further harm.

So, Mr. Ed… palm wine, eh? Well, the Brits seemed most concerned with distilled spirits which was fine by most rural Sierra Leoneans (and almost every citizen save the Krios claims roots to some village in the provinces) who tapped palm wine directly from the tree. No processing necessary (although palm wine can be distilled to make a powerful spirit called ‘omole’). The pure palm wine, unadulterated by water and sugar by unscrupulous sellers, is still proffered with the hallowed claim ‘from god to man’. By the way, when negotiating for a draught of ‘fresh’ one can query the seller on the beverage’s purity by citing the old reggae standard, ‘many rivers to cross’. If he smiles, the jig is up. Should he vigorously deny check out the status of the ‘tumbu’ larvae floating on the surface. Live and active, the better the chances of pure ‘kadams’. If the the larvae are missing or doing the deadman’s float it is likely that the wine has been tainted. You may still opt to imbibe but at least you’re informed of the gastrointestinal risks introduced with the water and gain some leverage in the negotiations.

Many are the vessels (plastic mug, tin can, calabash, cow horn, bamboo cup, and so on) that carry nature’s nectar to parched throats. Just be sure that when the container is empty you turn it on its side. Otherwise, another sot seeking refreshment will have her hopes needlessly dashed thinking that some wine still remains in the upright vessel. Palm wine credo – “a dead man should not be standing” (Krio: ‘daiman no foh timup’).

Lahai Hindowa

By: Richard Dooling

Richard Dooling — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:27:06 +0000

Thanks, Ariah. I saw one in the New York Times recently about a deaf Peace Corps Volunteer that looked interesting. Here is the article: Cochlear Implant Supports an Author's Active Life, and here a link to The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa. I'll post again after I read it. RD

By: Ariah Fine

Ariah Fine — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:44:05 +0000

Mr. Dooling,

I just read your book and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was quoted and recommended in another book I had read at someone’s recommendation: Serving with Eyes Wide Open.

Anyways, just wanted to stop in and say thanks.

By: Helden

Helden — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 01:01:05 +0000

Mr. Dooling,

A couple of years ago I listened to White Man’s Grave on tape while going about other business. The scene where the insurance man goes to confession is one of the funniest I’ve ever read…and I’m sure my fellow shoppers at the supermarket were wondering what prompted my raucous laughter. You have combined a black satire, realism and a tasty modern supernaturalism to make “my kind of book.” I recommend it to everyone!

~ Helden Kline