Tsitsi Dangarembga Book summary

Tsitsi Dangarembga was born in 1959 in what was then known as Rhodesia (known today as Zimbabwe). Her parents took her to England as a young child as they attended school there. She became fluent in English during this time, but her native tongue, Shona, was nearly lost to her. Upon her return to home, she relearned SHona at a mission school. Later, she attended a convent school. Many of her actual lifetime events are clearly recognizable to readers of “Nervous Conditions,” whether reflected as the experiences of other characters in the book, or of the narrator.   

The book was written when she was in her mid 20’s, with publication four years after completion, in 1988. This was the first book in English to be published by a Black woman from Zimbabwe. It has received widespread critical acclaim.  

In addition to being a novelist, Dangarembga is also a playwright and filmmaker. Her work has earned numerous awards and prizes.  

She and her spouse have three children, and her work continues, as of this writing in 2022