by David Diop
First published 1983
David navigates the complexities of growing up between cultures in 1980s France. The son of Senegalese immigrants, he struggles to find his place in a society that sees him as perpetually foreign. At school, his classmates question his French identity. At home, his parents expect him to honor traditions from a homeland he has never known. David writes in his notebooks, trying to make sense of contradictory expectations and his own desires. When a teacher encourages his literary ambitions, he must choose between safety and authenticity. His journey toward self-acceptance reveals the price of belonging and the courage required to claim one's own story. This coming-of-age tale explores how a young man learns to embrace the fullness of his heritage while forging his own path forward.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, family-life, 20th-century, coming-of-age, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: France, Senegal
Period: 1980s
412 pages · Broché · Presence Africaine