Born of the Sun

At the same time intimate and sweeping, Born of the Sun tells the story of a young man from a Namibian village whose life is forever changed by global forces swirling around him. Muronga, a new father, must first navigate the changes that foreign missionaries press on his community's traditional lives. Then, as the new colonial administration taxes the people beyond their abilities to pay, he leaves his family for South Africa where work in the bustling gold mines promises great income but exposes him to racism, abuse, and ultimately a vision for Africa's liberation. A fast-flowing novel with a compelling protagonist, Born of the Sun calls the colonial world to account and offers a hopeful new future.

Joseph Diescho is a Namibian writer and political analyst. Born in Andara, Kavango Region, Namibia, Diescho attended Fort Hare University in South Africa where he studied law and political science. A Fulbright scholar at Columbia University in New York City, he completed his PhD in political science in 1992. Originally published in 1988, this is his first novel.