page a2 10 22.qxp - Clayton Pioneer

October 22, 2010 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer .com Page 15
Book Review
‘Baking Cakes’ a backdrop for worldly lessons
SUNNY SOLOMON
FOR THE BOOKS
I could tell Kigali was a place
in Africa from the cover of
“Baking Cakes in Kigali,” but
until I turned the book over and
read the blurbs, I had no idea
about the story.
When I read that the protagonist,
Angel Tungaraza, a
Tanzanian woman living with
her family in Rwanda, was a
kindhearted soul who befriended
many people in the process
of running her home business
of baking cakes, I was intrigued.
But don’t let the blurbs
about Angel Tungaraza fool
you. Author Gaile Parkin, a
white South African who spent
two years in Rwanda after the
genocide, may have created a
character who is kindhearted,
but sweet Angel is also savvy,
inherently wise, gutsy and a collector
of stories the reader will
not soon forget.
Kigali is Rwanda’s capital
city and was the heart of the
1994 genocide. Parkin has not
softened Kigali’s history. She
has written the story of one
woman who becomes a wellspring
of stories depicting the
human condition.
Angel, a Catholic, lives with
her Muslim husband, a consultant
to a local university, and her
grandchildren (her own children
are dead) in a compound housing
foreigners helping rebuild
Rwanda. She is an entrepreneur
who bakes cakes for almost anyone
celebrating almost any
occasion.
Parkin wastes no time (page
one) in showcasing Angel’s business
acumen when describing
her awaiting an important customer:
She “had dressed smartly
for the occasion, in a state of
great anticipation of the benefits
that it might bring.” Make
no mistake, “benefits” is another
word for money.
Each customer must come
to the Tungaraza apartment so
that Angel can determine exactly
what kind of cake she will
bake. This requires her customers
to reveal a great deal
about themselves and the event
to be celebrated.
There is enough humor in
the novel to ease any reader
through its most difficult tales.
A hidden reference to HIV as
“the problem” is raised by one
customer and Angel must think
of a tactful way to respond. In
so doing, her “eyebrows rushed
Keep safety at the top of
your holiday shopping list
As we enter the busy season
of shopping and parties,
we may need to be reminded
about “safety first.”
First, here are a few tips
when going shopping – not
just for holiday gifts but even
grocery shopping.
Women should place handbags
in the trunk of the car
before leaving home. Take into
the store only the credit
card(s) you need or the appropriate
cash. Do not broadcast
to people hanging around
parking lots that you have your
purse in the trunk.
Be careful of those behind
you at the checkout counter,
because people with cell
phones could take a picture of
your credit card and make a
fraudulent card.
After shopping, place all
articles in your trunk; do not
leave them inside of your car.
Holiday gifts, groceries, etc.
should be placed in the trunk
and out of sight.
Next, it’s time to think
about rotation of emergency
supplies. The Community
Emergency Response Team
suggests rotating water stored
for emergencies every six
months. Do it at the same time
you replace smoke alarm batteries.
Most folks will do this
at the switch from standard
time to daylight saving time
and vice versa.
Some people who use prescription
drugs place a small
emergency supply in the car’s
glove compartment. Heat can
change the chemical content
of some drugs, so be careful
about storing and rotating the
drugs. Also, dispose of
expired drugs properly.
Pharmacies do not have “takeback”
programs. However, we
have a program in Clayton to
dispose of unwanted drugs,
including vitamins and liquids
(cough syrup, etc). Place the
items in a plastic bag and
deposit them in the container
on the second floor of City
Hall. There is also a container
for sharp objects, such as used
needles.
Following are the monthly
recommendations for emergency
preparedness:
Financial, from page 10
and wise family friends to
explore your options and decide
what may be the best route,
given the circumstances. Enlist
the insights of your financial
advisor and tax preparer to
determine how expenses will be
managed and potentially shared
by you and the parent involved.
Keep a positive attitude and
take advantage of the opportunity
to help make things easier
for your parent at this stage of
life. By giving the situation
proper care and thought, you
can find a solution that works.
to consult with each other
across the bridge of her nose.”
What is most striking in
Parkin’s writing is the respect
and warmth she shows for her
characters. Most of the world
knows Rwanda by its violence,
and Parkin does not skirt this
issue. Her characters deal with
murder, prostitution,
HIV/AIDS, the effects of
colonialism, female genital
mutilation, lack of sanitation,
education of women and infidelity.
They also deal with a
fierce love of family, a keen and
forgiving understanding of
their neighbors, and a determined
insistence to find ways
around the obstacles that
would prevent them from moving
past the horrors they’ve
survived.
Rwanda’s population is
attempting peace through
Unity and Reconciliation, a
program similar to South
Africa’s Truth and
Reconciliation. Parkin weaves a
tale in which even Angel must
come to accept her own family
truths before she can reach a
state of forgiveness and reconciliation.
She gains this understanding
after she tells her own
story to a young, and wise,
prostitute she befriends.
Parkin has an ear and eye
for capturing the essence of
her characters, both in their
strengths and weaknesses. You
will laugh out loud, probably
cry and often recognize yourself.
The reader will not forget
the women who populate this
novel. They are strong, loving,
resilient and pragmatic. They
come from many parts of
Africa and the world. Should
anybody wonder if feminism is
HERB YONGE
SAFETY ZONE
1. Obtain a container and
make it your Family Emergency
Container (FEC). Place it in area
that is easily assessable, near the
primary exit of the home.
2. Place a minimum of a
three-day supply of food and
water for each family member in
the FEC. Consider food that
does not require water, such as
peanut butter, crackers, canned
tuna or meat.
3. Place a pair of shoes and
flashlight under each family
member’s bed.
4. Develop an emergency
escape plan and practice at least
once a month.
Herb Yonge is a volunteer with
the Clayton Police Dept. & a member
of the city of Clayton Citizen
Corp Council, CERT Team. He
can be reached at 673-7355 or by
email at hlyonge@att.net.
Mureleen Benton is a Certified
Financial Planner. Call her with
questions at 685-4523
This information is provided for informational
purposes only. The information is intended
to be generic in nature and should not be
applied or relied upon in any particular situation
without the advice of your tax, legal and/or your
financial advisor. The views expressed may not
be suitable for every situation.
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.,
Member NASD and SIPC, part of
Ameriprise Financial, Inc.
alive and well, read this book. It
is time to take a much closer
look at the continent and people
of Africa.
Sunny Solomon is the “Book
Lady” for the Clayton Community
Library Book Club. She holds an
MA in English and Creative Writing
from San Francisco State University.
Her poetry and prose has been published
in literary journals and
magazines. You can each her at
memorie3@yahoo.com.
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