As I write I remember the nights of fighting in my father’s house; my mother’s struggle with the soil so that we might eat, have decent clothes and get some schooling; my elder brother … running to the cover and security of the forest under a hail of bullets from Colonial policemen; his messages from the forest urging me to continue with my education at any cost … uncles and other villagers murdered because they had taken the oath; the beautiful courage of ordinary men and women in Kenya who stood up to the might of British imperialism and indiscriminate terrorism.”
-- The Author  (Second Preface)

Importance: This quote identifies and deepens a strong sense of connection between the author's personal history, the socio-cultural history he shares with other black Kenyans who lived under the influence of British colonialist rule, his writing in general, and the themes of the collection.

[Mukami’s] one object was to...
-- Narration  (Part I, “Mugumo”)