The Prodigal Scholar

Name: The Prodigal Scholar
Price: 59.93 AUD
Availability: OutOfStock
ISBN: 9789914760361

Samuel I Njau

$70.95 $59.93

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We will update you on expected arrival time to us. If this delay is too long, please let us know within 2 business days and we can give you options regarding cancelling or adjusting your order. More details on cancelling your order can be found in our Terms of Trade.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Nsemia Inc.
05 March 2026

Gender studies, gender groups

The Prodigal Scholar is the story of Murutwo, a young woman from rural Kenya who defies traditional family expectations of early marriage to pursue a university education. It is not an easy journey. At university, she is confronted with harsh realities, exacerbated by poverty, intense peer pressure, and hard-to-swallow moral choices, some involving abuse of authority. Each decision, with its consequences, is a cycle of failure, experience and a chance for deep introspection. Ultimately, her resilience pays off through self-awareness, growth, a deeper sense of purpose, and redemption, as she realises that true education extends beyond the classroom.

The novel is a tale of the power of education, especially for women and girls, in the face of family traditions, ambition, pervasive corruption and the place of self-discovery. More than a journey to academic attainment, this is a story of courage, integrity and hope. It affirms that lessons from one's failures can be transformative experiences while inspiring others to dream of a better future.

By: Samuel I Njau
Imprint: Nsemia Inc.
Dimensions: Height: 203mm, Width: 127mm, Spine: 15mm
Weight: 259g
ISBN: 9789914760361
ISBN 10: 9914760368
Pages: 258
Publication Date: 05 March 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Samuel Irungu Njau, born in 1971 in Kenya, is a writer of novels and nonfiction who tells stories set across the world. An accomplished storyteller, he makes believable characters and stories.He started writing in earnest after earning a degree in language and literature from Baraton University in Kenya. His first novels include White but Black and Sadako Sasaki: Heroine's Trek, and Wamuyu Heroine's Journey. His other works, which have received worthwhile attention, include Democracy and Two Unifications, Stop Surviving and Start Living and Secrets from 100 Billionaires. They found homes at universities and caught the attention of important figures in literature.Samuel's stories do more than entertain. They deal with real issues like identity, getting back on your feet after hard times, and questioning what's right and wrong in society. He lets his characters face good times and bad, and we feel for them as we read.When he is not writing, Samuel spends time guiding young writers in his community and helping manage Summit International Institute, the university he started in 2015. He often shares his experience at writing events around the world. His books have sparked important conversations about societal problems, encouraging people to read and write more.

Reviews for The Prodigal Scholar

This is a deeply engaging and emotionally charged novel that draws the reader into the realities of ambition, struggle and resilience. The author uses vivid language and relatable real-life experiences to explore important social and personal challenges faced by young people today. - Harriet Wairimu, Editor.