Ebook Download Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller
If you want truly obtain guide Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller to refer now, you should follow this page consistently. Why? Remember that you require the Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller resource that will give you ideal expectation, don't you? By visiting this site, you have actually started to make new deal to constantly be current. It is the first thing you could begin to get all profit from being in a website with this Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller and also various other compilations.
Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller
Ebook Download Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller
Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller. A task may obligate you to always enrich the knowledge and also experience. When you have no adequate time to boost it directly, you can get the experience and expertise from checking out the book. As everyone recognizes, book Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller is incredibly popular as the home window to open the world. It means that reviewing publication Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller will give you a new method to locate everything that you need. As the book that we will certainly supply here, Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller
This is why we advise you to consistently see this page when you need such book Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller, every book. By online, you could not getting guide establishment in your city. By this on-line collection, you could find the book that you really wish to read after for very long time. This Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller, as one of the suggested readings, oftens remain in soft file, as all of book collections here. So, you may additionally not get ready for couple of days later to get and also read guide Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller.
The soft documents indicates that you have to visit the link for downloading and afterwards conserve Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller You have actually possessed the book to read, you have postured this Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller It is uncomplicated as going to the book stores, is it? After getting this quick description, with any luck you can download and install one and begin to review Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller This book is really easy to review every single time you have the spare time.
It's no any kind of mistakes when others with their phone on their hand, and also you're also. The distinction could last on the material to open Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller When others open the phone for talking and also speaking all points, you could often open and also read the soft documents of the Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller Obviously, it's unless your phone is readily available. You could likewise make or wait in your laptop computer or computer that eases you to review Jaguar: A Story Of Africans In America, By Paul Stoller.
Issa Boureima is a young, hip African street vendor who sells knock-off designer bags and hats in an open-air market on 125th street in Harlem. His goal is to become a "Jaguar"—a West African term for a keen entrepreneur able to spot trends and turn a profit in any marketplace. This dynamic world, largely invisible to mainstream culture, is the backdrop of this timely novel.
Faced with economic hardship in Africa, Issa has left his home in Niger and his new wife, Khadija, to seek his fortune in America. Devout Muslims, the couple has entered into a "modern" marriage: Khadija is permitted to run her own business, and Issa has agreed not to take additional wives. Issa quickly adapts to his new surroundings, however, and soon attracts several girlfriends. Aided by a network of immigrants, he easily slips through gaps in the "system" and extends his stay in America indefinitely. Following a circuit of African-American cultural festivals across America, he marvels at African-Americans' attitudes toward Africa, and wonders if he'll ever return to Niger. Meanwhile, Khadija also struggles to make it—to become a "Jaguar"—as she combats loneliness, hostile in-laws, and a traditional, male-dominated society. The eventual success of her dry goods shop and her growing affection for a helpful Arab merchant make her wonder if she'll ever join Issa in America.
Drawing on his own decades of experience among Africans both in Niger and in New York, Paul Stoller offers enormous insight into the complexities of contemporary Africa. Alive with detail, Jaguar is a story of triumph and disappointment, of dislocation and longing, and of life lived in a world that no longer recognizes boundaries.
- Sales Rank: #1424720 in Books
- Published on: 1999-12-15
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.50" h x .70" w x 5.50" l, .60 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 213 pages
From Publishers Weekly
Drawing from decades of African experiences, Stoller, an anthropologist, delivers a complex novel that follows a pair of Nigerian newlyweds in the vicissitudes of life in Africa and in America. Issa Boureima leaves his new wife, Khadija, to travel to America in hopes of becoming a "jaguar,"AWest African slang for a savvy entrepreneur who can ride trends to turn a profit. Hawking Malcolm X caps and kente cloth bags, Issa moves between African-American street fairs and expos in Harlem and New Jersey. Along with culture shock, a newfound community of African expat "jaguars" and a fascination with multicultural Americans, Issa has a recurring problem. He and his wife, both Muslims, are committed to their "modern" marriage, that is, a union that allows Khadija to work in the marketplace in Africa and forbids Issa from taking on any more wives. While Khadija struggles and thrives with her dry goods shop, Issa acquires a stable of American lovers, feeling guilty and dishonest. Since Issa sends sizable sums of money back to his family, Khadija faces the growing resentment of his family over her business and independence. Stoller adds subtle power and depth to the story as he shows her increasing loneliness and despair when she learns that her husband plans to apply for political asylum in America. Her life changes when she meets a kind and sensitive Arab shopkeeper called Yusef. Stoller's uncomplicated prose scores by choosing poignancy and realism over sentimentality and melodrama. The book's resolution does not follow the predictable route, satisfying in its wise revelations about the difficulties of the expatriate life and the human need for love. (Dec.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
An unusual premisethe life of a West African immigrant in Harlemis the best thing about this unfortunately slack first novel by Stoller, an American professor of anthropology whos written scholarly studies of Niger and its environs (In Sorcerys Shadow: A Memoir of Apprenticeship Among the Songhay of Niger, 1987, etc.). Issa Boureima, an enterprising Nigerien, has left his young wife Khadija at home with his own sprawling familygreedy layabouts inordinately proud that theyre direct descendants of Songhay kings. While Issa prospers as a jaguar (a West African term for an independent entrepreneur who moves into new territory and rapidly establishes himself), sending money and well- meant promises back to Niger, we observe (in juxtaposed parallel chapters) Khadijas growth from deferential helpmeet to strong, confident woman who breaks free from her in-laws haughty importunings (Before, a woman might sacrifice herself for her husbands family. But no longer) and likewise succeeds as a merchant. Thats about all that happens, in a story overloaded with simplistic contrasts between (brash) American and (politely passive) African manners and morals. Stoller concentrates on both Issas and Khadijas relations with sympathetic countrymen (and does, incidentally, offer an intriguing fragmentary portrayal of African street merchants in urban America), and varies his novels essentially repetitive actions only with such undeveloped (if promising) scenes as Khadijas unhappy confrontation with Issas posturing mother Hampsa (a character who wed like to have known better), Issas problems with INS regulations, and his trip to the Midwest (part of the American bush) for Chicagos Black Expo sales convention. Along the way, Stoller frequently interrupts the storys progress to lever in background exposition, not always keeping verb tenses quite exact enough to avoid creating some reader confusion. Which is too bad, because Issa and Khadija are, in their differing ways, potentially engaging characters, and their tale ought to have gripped the reader much more than it does. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Paul Stoller is a professor of anthropology at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of many books, including ethnographies, biographies, and memoirs. In 1994 he was awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship. In 2002, the American Anthropological Association named him the recipient of the Robert B. Textor Award for Excellence in Anthropology. He lectures frequently both in the United States and Europe and has appeared on various NPR programs as well as on the National Geographic Television Network.
Most helpful customer reviews
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America
By Mazin Alsulaili
Paul Stoller, author of Jaguar, is professor of anthropology at West Chester University. Stoller produced a novel about a newlywed African couple and their struggles, both economic and relationship wise, that takes advantage of his long anthropological study of African culture. The book is at times engaging, though it seems to follow a linear pattern that is sometimes self repeating. Jaguar also seemed sporadically infected with grammar mistakes, duplicate words and other writing mistakes.
Issa and Khadija are newlywed Africans, Issa a Songhay of noble birth, Khadija a commoner from a merchant family. Issa moves away to become a merchant and he finds Khadija in his travels and marries her, both to the great distaste of his snobbish family. Their marriage and life seem perfect while they are living in Abidjan. Issa makes an ample living and Khadija sells food at a stall outside their compound, but the fates conspire to change the economic conditions in Abidjan and this forces Issa to send Khadija away to his family while he travels to America for fortune and wealth. Economic hardships forced the couple to live great distances from each other, but the distance starts to take its toll on their marriage. Both start to wonder whether things will work out.
The book is split into sections, each containing a number of chapters. Each section details the actions and experiences of Issa or Khadija. The sections alternate in an attempt to seamlessly integrate the two separate lives, but sometimes the effect achieved was less seamless and clunkier than the author intended. The genre Jaguar falls under is called ethnographic fiction, which is defined as an ethnographic description written as a story, Jaguar certainly fits this description however the quality of ethnographic description comes as only shards of insightful looks into African culture.
Stoller uses unsophisticated prose and describes events simply, and in doing so keeps a sense of the urgency for the way both characters feels as they flesh out their lives and decide what decisions they will make. Some might feel Stoller's novel to be one dimensional, because at any time one feels like one could easily predict the direction of the book and the outcome.
The audience for this book is that of all the English speaking world, but more specifically for people wishing to learn more about African culture, or the struggles that transnational Africans face in America. Overall Jaguar was an enjoyable book that I had a hard time putting down. Though the story was very linear, it was enjoyable. The small pile of grammar mistakes did take a toll, often interrupting a compelling piece of writing, but in the end the book overcame its shortcomings. This book is recommend to anyone looking for a quick read that wants to learn more about African culture and how it interacts with American brashness.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Imperfect, but Good
By Stephanie Mckean
The writing style of Jaguar is very natural and reads easily. Stoller successfully incorporates the jargon of transnational vendors attempting to find a common language and common customs within their community, as well as that of Jaguars seeking to become a New York City "homeboy." Stoller uses frequent repetition from chapter to chapter; this in and of itself could serve to reinforce themes and keep the reader focused by reminding them of the bigger picture that the story represent. However, many times the repeated sentiments became redundant. It was important to the story to have Khadija continue to assert her love for Issa, because that is something that may have changed. It seems, however, as though every time that Khadija ponders Yusef she must point out that he is an Arab, exclaim upon how nicely he treats women, and state that she thinks he might like her. All of this is quite unnecessary, since the writing in between each of these thoughts clearly shows his customs are different, he respects Khadija, and that both of their actions indicate attraction.
This book also has an unimaginable number of editing errors. Excluding the "homeboy" jargon, which is of course intended to be in the colloquial, there are places throughout the book, mostly in the narration which is not intended to be colloquial, where articles or conjunctions are completely left out. It is easy to fill in the blank in these sentences, but the initial notice of these errors seriously detracts from the story. Less noticeable errors are also present, such as "an" instead of "and." Quite a few of these typos pop up, but are much less distracting.
Despite some cosmetic problems, this book is thoroughly successful in portraying the lives of West African vendors in New York City, as well as other metropolitan areas; the demonstration of the experiences of those back in West Africa is similarly successful. The main characters offer common experiences of the group, while supporting characters give the potential variations in experience. This work also reveals volumes-worth of information about the cultural, religious, and ethnic contexts of these lives. It manages to compound a type of experience into a medium-length novel that would take many more pages to pick apart and portray accurately in a non-fiction, purely scholarly piece. A good read even for highschoolers, this book is a must for any liberal arts student.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Jaguar
By IWS Lankford
Jaguar tells the story of Issa and Khadija, a young Nigerien Muslim couple. Upon Issa's move to New York City in pursuit of wealth as the first son and breadwinner of his extended family in Niger, the two are separated as Khadija remains in Niger with her husband's kin. As such, the book alternates sections between Khadija's life in Niger and Issa's in Harlem, focusing on the respective challenges they face. Issa's struggle stems from his life as a jaguar, while Khadija struggles to become a jaguar. Both Issa and Khadija prove to be authentic modern jaguars. Stoller explains the origins of the term,
"In search of adventure and fortune, Jaguars were sleek young men who in the 1950s appeared in the market towns of Ghana's colonial Gold Coast.... Capitalizing on their adaptability and their market smarts, the Jaguars rapidly integrated themselves into the local economic scene, making themselves aware of fashion trends. In this way, they quickly transformed their knowledge into profits (14).
It is the entrepreneurial and independent modus operandi that both Issa and Khadija so inherently possessed as market traders that qualifies them as modern Jaguars. Issa's struggle as a jaguar in America stems from a host of contradictions between his two lives. As a husband in a "modern marriage," he had agreed to remain faithful to his wife, yet years of separation left his sexual appetite unquenched. As a Muslim allowed four wives, Issa is torn between tradition and modernity, genuine love for Khadija and desire. Financial obligations as first son of the family and expected remittances result in an indefinite return date based upon his earnings. Amidst such difficulties Issa along is determined to succeed through patience, faith and the Jaguar mentality. His ultimate attraction to the freedom and excitement of life as a Jaguar, and obligations to his family required sacrifices that remained a constant source of struggle for Issa.
Khadija's struggle to identify as such a Jaguar highlights the inequalities she faced based on class and gender. Her humble business aspirations and desire for family were constantly hindered by outdated traditions. As a peasant married to a noble Khadija never gained the acceptance of her in-laws. She also faced difficulties as a businesswoman in a largely patriarchal society. But more often than not her resourcefulness, good business sense and kindness resulted in her success, providing an exquisite example of how such qualities can defeat an unjust status quo. Stoller is effective in allowing the audience to identify with such a powerful woman. Her ultimate self-identification as a Jaguar is a powerful statement for feminism in the face of patriarchal domination. Khadija is the undisputed protagonist of Jaguar, an entrepreneur and an empowering figure for women everywhere.
The Jaguar story is particularly important as globalization tightens its grip on the world. As the interaction of cultures, traditions and people previously unknown to one increases and intensifies, individual citizens and government policies on both sides of the cultural divide must seek and promote understanding and tolerance. It will be particularly important in places like America where economic incentives attract Jaguars from every corner of the globe. As such, Jaguar is strongly recommended by this review.
See all 10 customer reviews...
Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller PDF
Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller EPub
Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller Doc
Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller iBooks
Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller rtf
Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller Mobipocket
Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller Kindle
* Ebook Download Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller Doc
* Ebook Download Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller Doc
* Ebook Download Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller Doc
* Ebook Download Jaguar: A Story of Africans in America, by Paul Stoller Doc
