Such an interesting read, reflecting on an awful period in history.Īsha and Pran are newlyweds, living with his parents in Uganda things are, at best, unstable in a country led by a despot and when it is decreed that all Ugandan Asians must leave the country within the next ninety days they must make plans. From the green hilltops of Kampala, to the terraced houses of London, Neema Shah’s extraordinarily moving debut Kololo Hill explores what it means to leave your home behind, what it takes to start again, and the lengths some will go to protect their loved ones. Will they all make it to safety in Britain and will they be given refuge if they do?Īnd all the while, a terrible secret about the expulsion hangs over them, threatening to tear the family apart.

But violence is escalating in Kampala, and people are disappearing.

For his mother, Jaya, it means saying goodbye to the house that has been her home for decades. They must take only what they can carry, give up their money and never return.įor Asha and Pran, married a matter of months, it means abandoning the family business that Pran has worked so hard to save. See /privacy for privacy and opt-out information.When you’re left with nothing but your secrets, how do you start again?Ī devastating decree is issued: all Ugandan Asians must leave the country in ninety days. Please like, subscribe and share, it makes a real difference and we really appreciate it. You can follow us on you so much for listening. Kololo Hill is out now: How to Cope is hosted by writer Becky Howard and psychotherapist Lucy Clyde. We also chat to Neema about what she misses about normal life, how speaking different languages changes your personality, and her top tip for dealing with Covid stress.

She talks about coming to terms with a digital launch, and how she manages to get the most out of social media by not letting it dominate her time. Neema had to come to terms with releasing her heralded debut novel Kololo Hill during a pandemic, and moving all her celebrations onto social media.

Although often mistaken for an extrovert (like both of us at How To Cope), she found the enforced quiet gave her more energy, allowed her writing to thrive, and discovered it as a form of mindfulness. For author Neema Shah, going into lockdown gave her the chance to embrace living in an introvert’s world.

Kololo Hill by Neema Shah