The Greats

Fiction. Translated by Jessica Moore. Winner of the 2015 Prix de la Porte Dor e. Winner of the 2014 the Prix Georges-Brassens. Guinea-Bissau, 2012. Sylvain Prudhomme revisits the famous 70's music group Super Mama Djombo, as seen through the eyes of Couto, the laconic guitarist. After learning of the death of the singer, Dulce--once the love of his life--Couto wanders through the capital city, from bar to bar, from friend to friend. Thirty years file past in his thoughts: memories of the woman he loved, of the guerilla fighting against the Portuguese colonizers, and of the golden days of a legendary band that played all over the world--a sound that was new, fresh, and driven by the pride of an entire country. The tension mounts page after page as the group prepares a final concert in Dulce's honour, even as a coup d' tat is prepared by her husband, Guinea-Bissau's Army Chief of Staff. In language that is strong, poetic, and understated, Prudhomme tells the story of a population who knew hope and independence but now live under the oppressive rule of an army dictatorship. THE GREATS is a novel of mourning, love, and the thirst for justice."The chronicle of a success story, a story of love and friendship set against the backdrop of a coup d' tat, LES GRANDS is also a beautifully written book. Vibrant and smooth, each line pulls us into an avalanche of sensations.... A sumptuous stroll through an Africa on the verge of a rebirth."--Les Inrockuptibles"A magnificent ode to music, love, and friendship...This book will change you."--Lire"It's a coup. A wild success."--l'Express"Jessica Moore's splendid translation captures the rhythm of Prudhomme's heart-felt homage to Guinea-Bissau, the vivid detail of his night stroll through the country's shifting music scene, its ruthless, recurring, political upheavals and its ongoing fight for independence."--Martha Baillie