Achieving Superpersonhood: Three East African Lives (change in title)

Author’s review

As usual, Vonda did an excellent job. I particularly appreciated her review of the manuscript.

A short introduction

Three young, black East Africans, Kamiri, Dorothy and Hassan, of dissimilar backgrounds struggle with hard times and become friends in their intersecting searches for a demanding yet satisfying personal identity – what Nietzsche called ‘super personhood'.

Kamiri, a dirt-poor, but likeable and intelligent migrant, who was raised in the tribal faith, is drawn to the city where he joins his brother in the drugs trade. Disgusted, he finds work in an abattoir, but his comradeship with Hassan leads him into professional football. Kamiri's jealous brother, Warari, turned terrorist, shoots him in the knee, ending his athletic career, and he returns to the solace of the wilderness as a park ranger. Accidently, he kills an ivory poacher and faces prosecution until Hassan's older, half-brother hires him to work as a ranger in an up-market safari park. Can Kamiri become the park's general manager, and can he marry Dorothy?

Dorothy, a college graduate from a professional, middle class, Christian family is an impatient idealist who is unsure whether her future lies on politics or medicine. As an intern working for an MP, she becomes involved in a sting on corrupt exploitation of a diamond mine. Realising that the low ethical standards of politics are an obstacle for her, she opts for medicine, only to be raped by a senior doctor. Her faith in medicine is also shaken, but she mounts a civil suit and media campaign in retaliation for her humiliation. Can she find success and happiness as a doctor, and whom will she marry: Kamiri or Hassan?

Hassan, of doubtful parentage, is the youngest child in a rich and powerful Muslim family. Lonely, insecure and drifting at university, he joins Dorothy in a political protest which goes wrong for him: he receives a two-year suspended jail sentence. While helping Dorothy in the mining sting, he trespasses on a claim, and fearful of being sent to prison, he immerses himself in suspect Islamic studies and is misled into a terrorist organisation. Appalled by the terrorist's values and deeds, he escapes to Kamiri who provides him with a safe haven while he considers his options. Hassan's father is able to place him in the Army's officer candidate school. Will Hassan make a good Army officer, and will he marry Dorothy?

Two voices are heard throughout: the One, likely the voice of God, and the Other, probably Satan's voice, as they offer conflicting guidance on achieving alternative identities.

The setting is current in the startling diversity: cultural, economic, social and political that is East Africa.

Author: William

William was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and attended William Penn Charter School and Phillips Exeter Academy. He graduated from Yale University with a degree in Physics, having minored in English and Creative Writing. He served four years in the U. S. Navy, the last two as Chief Engineer of a destroyer.

Upon completion of his military service, William joined the Power Systems business of Westinghouse Electric Corporation where he progressed through a series of roles culminating in Vice President and General Manager, Synthetic Fuels Division. He then moved to Carrier (air conditioning) Corporation where he was responsible for Carrier�s Europe, Africa and Middle East operations. From Carrier, William transitioned into management consulting, and he had his own successful practice. Currently retired, in addition to his writing, he is a pro bono resource to London charities.

He has written seven published novels: one romance, three thrillers and three spiritual/religious. The latter genre is now his genre of choice. William devotes essentially all of his time (apart from pro bono consulting for London charities) to literary fiction. He particularly enjoys writing about characters in an ethical/moral dilemma.

His blog http://williampeaceblog.com/ has been running for over four years. He has travelled extensively.

William is married to Anna Venturi, an Italian who has had a successful career as an executive chef. They live in London, and have a summer villa on the north coast of Sicily. William has three children, two step-daughters, seven grandchildren and five step-grandchildren.