Upright Revolution

Or Why Humans Walk Upright

wa Thiong'o Ngugi

Science has given us several explanations for how humans evolved from walking on four limbs to two feet. None, however, is as riveting as what master storyteller Ngugi wa Thiong'o offers in "The Upright Revolution". Blending myth and folklore with an acute insight into the human psyche and politics, Wa Thiong'o conjures up a fantastic fable about how and why humans began to walk upright. It is a story that will appeal to children and adults alike, containing a clear and important message: "Life is connected".

Originally written in Gikuyu, this short story has been translated into sixty-three languages – forty-seven of them African – making it the most translated story in the history of African literature. This new collector's edition of "The Upright Revolution" is richly illustrated in full color with Sunandini Banerjee's marvellous digital collages, which open up new vistas of imagination and add unique dimensions to the story.

About the Author

Ngugi wa Thiong'o is distinguished professor in the School of Humanities and director of the International Center for Writing and Translation at the University of California, Irvine. He is the author of many fiction and nonfiction books, including, "The River Between" and "Petals of Blood".

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