Summary

In Chapter 33, Wainaina goes back in time to share a memory from 1983. He steals a copy of the book The Black Stallion from a friend. Even though he is supposed to be studying for the national primary exams he is busy reading, listening to music and masturbating.

The place where they lived had been built by white settlers. At that time, no black Africans were allowed. His father had bought the house in which they lived cheaply.

He describes how Congo music and bad Kenyan music distresses him, referring to the feeling he gets from them as “kimay” (248). Movies and images on television screens do not impact him in a big way but he can see the images written about in the pages of novels.

Wainaina also notes that at that time the people did not know that Moi had a room in his...