Seesaw

Amit Chaudhuri's 'Seesaw' is a funny, intelligent, and engaging novel about Frank Jasper, a recovering writer who is plucked from obscurity in Port Jumbo in Nigeria to attend the prestigious William Blake Program for Emerging Writers in Boston. However, it becomes clear that he and the other Fellows are expected to meet certain obligations as representatives of their cultures. Eventually expelled from the fellowship, Frank sets off on a trip to visit his father's college friend in Nebraska, where he learns surprising truths about his father and how to parlay his experiences into a lucrative new career as a commentator on American life.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 04 August 2022
Publisher: Swift Press

Amit Chaudhuri’s novel is a hilarious, astute, purposefully resistant, and emotionally moving piece of writing. Frank Jasper, a recovering writer with his first novel riddled with typos and selling only fifty copies, is plucked from obscurity in Port Jumbo, Nigeria, by Mrs. Kirkpatrick, a white woman and wife of an American professor, to attend the prestigious William Blake Program for Emerging Writers in Boston. Once there, it becomes painfully clear that he and the other Fellows are expected to meet certain obligations as representatives of their cultures. His colleagues, veterans of residencies in Europe and America, know how to play up to the stereotypes expected of them, but Frank isn't interested in being the African Writer at William Blake – any way, there is another Fellow, Barongo Akello Kabumba, who happily fills that role. Eventually expelled from the fellowship for 'non-performance and 'non-participation, Frank Jasper sets off on a trip to visit his father's college friend in Nebraska – where he learns not only surprising truths about his father, but also how to parlay his experiences into a lucrative new career once he returns to Nigeria: as a commentator on American life.

Seesaw is an energetic comedy of cultural dislocation – and in its humor, intelligence, and piety-pricking, it is a refreshing and hugely enjoyable act of literary rebellion. The novel is a hilarious exploration of the clash between different cultures and the challenges of navigating a foreign world. Frank Jasper, the protagonist, is a charming and relatable character who is forced to confront his own biases and assumptions as he interacts with the Fellows and the staff at the William Blake Program. Chaudhuri's writing is witty and sharp, and he has a keen eye for detail and a talent for creating memorable characters. The novel also explores the complexities of identity and the search for belonging, particularly for immigrants and people who are marginalized by society. Seesaw is a powerful and thought-provoking book that will appeal to readers of all ages and backgrounds. Its humor, intelligence, and emotional depth make it a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good laugh and a meaningful story.

Weight: 234g
Dimension: 129 x 198 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800750180