It was one of those early mid-life crises, really. I started asking myself, 'What is it that I want from my life?' This question kept haunting me: 'Do I want to be a lawyer who always wanted to be a writer, or do I actually want to be a writer? Petina Gappah crisisearlyhaunt share on social
Publishing can be a cliquish and incestuous business; it is not uncommon for writers from the same agencies and publishers to review each other. Petina Gappah agencybusinesscliquish Change image and share on social
I wonder why people commit crimes that are premeditated - to gain love, because of hatred, or for financial reasons. Petina Gappah commitcrimefinancial Change image and share on social
I was eight when independence happened. I remember my mum and dad getting dressed up to go to the independence concert to go listen to Bob Marley. Independence was such a wonderful time; we had so many expectations of the kind of country we would become. The vision of the government then was a wonderful vision. Petina Gappah bobconcertcountry share on social
The first thing I remember when I moved to a school in the suburbs was, 'My gosh, all these books!' The classroom and school had a library; I'd never seen so many books in my life! It was something we didn't have in the township. Petina Gappah bookclassroomgosh share on social
On April 18, 1980, the last outpost of empire in Africa died. From Rhodesia's ashes rose a country that would take its place among the free nations as Zimbabwe, the last among equals. And men and women leapt to embrace this dream called Zimbabwe. Petina Gappah africaaprilashe share on social
My grandfather was a polygamous man, and he had two wives, and between him and his two wives, we are about 200 or so in our family. Petina Gappah familygrandfatherman Change image and share on social
I speak English. I dream in it. I cannot separate my English from my Shona; I see the world with those two languages. Petina Gappah dreamenglishlanguage Change image and share on social
I actually don't sleep much; I only need about four hours a night. Petina Gappah hournightsleep Change image and share on social
I don't want to write because I have to; I want to write because I want to. Sometimes, when writers write because they have to, the results are disastrous. Petina Gappah disastrousresultwrite Change image and share on social