One Day I Will Write About This Place Summary
Binyavanga Wainaina

One Day I Will Write About This Place Overview

One Day I Will Write About This Place, a memoir by Binyavanga Wainaina, covers a period of 32 years in Wainaina’s life. During those years, Wainaina journeys from a child who first realizes he wants to write to an adult who is a successful writer. In addition to the story of his own life, Wainaina tells the story of the troubled politics in Africa and the struggles between different tribes. Wainaina describes the way the atmosphere in Africa affects himself, his family, and the country as a whole. It comes as a surprise to Wainaina when he writes a story about his family reunion. That story wins him a prize for literature. Themes in the novel include Wainaina’s love of words and writing, his fear of failure, and the way language defines differences in people.