Decolonizing Language and Other Revolutionary Ideas

Ngugi wa Thiong'o

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Hardback

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English

Allen Lane
18 November 2025

Literature, Poetry & Criticism; Literary studies: post-colonial literature; National liberation & independence, post-colonialism; History of ideas; Social discrimination; Ethnic minorities & multicultural studies

A new collection of literary criticism and brilliant insights from one of the giants of contemporary thinking

Who owns language? In Decolonizing Language and Other Revolutionary Ideas, Ngugi wa Thiong'o presents a series of essays that build on his vast wealth of work on language and its constructive role in national culture, history, and identity. Intricate, nuanced and accessible, it reaffirms the revolutionary power of African languages to fight back against both the psychic and material impacts of colonialism, past and present.

With immense relevance to our present moment, Decolonizing Language and Other Revolutionary Ideas is a brilliant distillation of the enduring themes of Ngugi's work and a vital addition to the library of one of the world's greatest and most provocative writers.

By: Ngugi wa Thiong'o
Imprint: Allen Lane
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 224mm, Width: 142mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 333g
ISBN: 9780241780978
ISBN 10: 0241780977
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 18 November 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Ngugi wa Thiong'o (1938-2025) was born in Limuru, Kenya, and went on to become one of the leading writers and scholars of our times. He authored numerous works of fiction, memoir and essay, including A Grain of Wheat, Devil on the Cross and Decolonizing the Mind. Ngugi was the Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine; he held fourteen honorary doctorates, among other awards, and was nominated for the Man Booker International Prize.

Reviews for Decolonizing Language and Other Revolutionary Ideas

One of the greatest writers of our time -- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie A giant of African writing * Guardian * One of Africa's greatest writers * New York Times * A visionary writer * Daily Telegraph * Ngugi wa Thiong’o is a revolutionary * Paris Review * One of Kenya's greatest storytellers * Financial Times * Ngugi is the most celebrated of African novelists. What he offers is nothing less than a new direction for African writing * British Book News * Generations of readers learned about the urgency of decolonizing language and culture from Ngugi wa Thiong'o. It is a great gift to have his incisive thinking on the subject gathered together in this book -- Elleke Boehmer