Musungu Jim and the Great Chief Tuloko

by Patrick Neate

Zambawi, a banana republic in sub-Saharan Africa, is on the verge of revolution. President Adini, dictator and eunuch, clings to power whilst his soldiers switch sides so often they don't know which uniform to wear. All in all, Zambawi is not the ideal location for student teacher Jim Tulloh to indulge in a spot of character building. Yet with the help of Musa, the local witchdoctor, some flatulent weed and headmaster, PK, Jim's days look set to be mellow in the extreme; until that is Jim is kidnapped from his bush school by the rebel Black Boot Gang. But it is when the Gangers invoke the spirit of Zambawi's Great Chief Tuloko that Jim's fate takes a really unexpected turn.

Publisher: Penguin

Patrick Neate

Patrick Neate is the acclaimed author of novels like Jerusalem and Twelve Bar Blues, and the co-creator of superlative literary monthly shindig, Book Slam, which recently heralded such luminaries as David Simon (creator of The Wire), up and coming female rapper Speech Debelle and superior spoken word auteur Charlie Dark. His books are brilliant deconstructions of folk tales from around the world, of Britishness and of urban culture. Neate's sardonic and slick writing style has won him plaudits for all his published works. On the eve of the release of his new book Jerusalem, we thought he'd be the ideal candidate to talk about his writing process and about what he's been reading.

Patrick Neate