Product Description

Autobiography of Richard Kioko Kiundi, AKA The Duke of Emali. It's a refreshing, funny, and thoughtful read; written in a folksy style and littered with anecdotes and often vignettes of wisdom and lessons of life. It is an autobiography of his life: life experiences, ups and downs of life, academic pursuits, perspectives in public service, business ventures, family, relationships, contributions in society, escapades, pecadillos, mea culpas and concluding in personal reflections and concretized positions on fundamental aspects of life. In another sense, it's a broad sweep of the lifetime of a typical Kenyan who rises from the obscurity and anonymity of rural life, obtains a first-rate education that becomes a ticket and master key that opens all doors to a better life and access to the "finer things in life". It's the process of acquiring a name, an identity, status and a locus: it's living life, in all its glory and attendant costs. But, there's more. Life is not just the sweets and candies. There's the pains, the struggles, the sufferings, the setbacks and losses. The other side of the coin (And why did the coin have to have two sides?). And Sir Richard has had more than his fair share of these too. I would add, more than his fair share. What is unique and awe-inspiring is his attitude towards suffering and pain. He has demonstrated and personified sheer grit and stoicism and has come out stronger and more refined each time. The book is also a generous serving of humor, wit and light moments. Like when a friend commented that his farm of seventy acres in Kambu was big enough to merit its own assistant chief. Or in the period when he'd become a frequent guest at the Mtito Andei catholic parish and was called upon to offer light duties (I guess as implicit payments for his "free" boarding), and he played the part of Father Ndunge during children blessing sessions. Yet, when you hanker down to scrutinize keenly, it's the characterization of resilience, of rising up each time you fall, of having a permently sunny and optimistic attitude to life, of never giving up no matter what. Doubly too, it's the acknowledgement that life is not a straight line.That sometime you mess up and pay for it. Pick the lesson from it and strive to do better next time. But what's more, have the emotional maturity and security to speak about it openly and laugh at yourself. In conclusion, Sir Richard is not a saint, he is just well, himself, the Duke of Emali. He is the embodiment of the process of turning coal into diamonds. I strongly recommend this book!

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