Opinions of Sunday, 31 March 2013

Columnist: Okine, Sammy Heywood

A Book Review: Drumming And Dancing To Doom

by Paul De Kanff

Publishers website:http://sbpra.com/Paul De kanff

"Its a great experience worth sharing to mankind" This is an exclusive African romantic and cultural adventure by two creative people, Teete and Julius whose lives influenced others, shaping them for the better.

The plot was ideally creative and the settings were superbly unique. The language was universal and simple for everyone and it can serve more as a literature textbook for African universities and journalism or communications institutions, than as a mere story book.

The adventurers from Ghana travelled from Kumasi to Coutonou, Benin to witness vodooism. The book projects the rich African culture and later travels to the United Kingdom, England adds the international flavour which offered the author enthusiasm to write and publish the book. Paul De Kanff makes the story look real and any reader would want to read on to the last chapter.

Drumming and dancing to doom could pass as another good African movie if it is put on tape as a movie or played in a theatre, but for some good reason, it could pass as an information material for tertiary institutions to inform and educate as well as transform the youth to become responsible. The sequence of the prose was well set and it is not strange that parts of the Chapter 10 is being used on YOUTUBE (on the internet) for theater by BBC. It is a story that demonstrates true friendship, loyalty, love, enmity, hatred, tribalism, anger and greed.

In fact it is about life and worth reading.

It views about how opinions can be divided on love, sex and marriage. It is intriguing adventurous.

The Book reveals that drumming and dancing can lead to success, stardom, stability not necessary doom... and why a Ga man never gives up. You can only find out if you get a copy of the book to read. The writer, an African from Ghana was highly motivated by culture and he did an excellent work that portrays the African culture. One lesson one can learn is to never give up and never to be discouraged in life, but press on till you succeed or win. This is a book that one comes across names like, Mamprobi, Palladuim, Arts Center, Dogo Beach, Korle Gonno, Chorkor, Kaneshie, James Town, Labadi Beach, Old Winneba Road, Usher Fort, Accra, Awunaga, Kumasi, Kejetia, Odum, Dzantra, Dzodzome, Ekpe-le kpedzi, Vodukope, Adidome, Kpedzi, Abomeye, Coutonou, Benin, Togo, Legon, Korle Bu, Anlos, Ewes, Gas, Fantis, Ashantis and Ghana. The writer used the opportunity to explore into different African national cultures, Ghana, Togo and Benin.

Certainly any reader will feel Ghana or Africa in the book and it is worth reading to know about some characters of Africa. There are some scenes of romance in the book and that makes the romantic readers to read on or even read it over and over again. The writer has written a fascinating book looking into the intrigues of African life and interaction between the male and female sexes. He tries to keep readers into suspense and thrills with romantic ventures. Paul De Kanff's book is well packaged and handy to read. The cover is attractive and inviting displaying a drummer's shadow over male and female dancers. A real African life story.

Review by Sammy Heywood Okine

E mail: heywoodokine@yahoo.com