Review of Remembering the Future

[Prudence Katunasa]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Remembering the Future" by Christopher Conte (editor).]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Remembering the Future is a book consisting of a collection of essays written by various authors and edited by Christopher Conte. This book is the embodiment of Ugandan culture, from ancient days to modern times. We get to look at the rich heritage of Uganda through the personal stories of all those who contributed to the book. We look into the lives of Ugandans from all walks of life, including politicians, civilians, entertainers, church leaders, and traditional healers. Though it is filled with multiple stories, every story is tied together by one theme: learning from past traditions as we navigate through modern-day life and preserving culture despite the infiltration of Western culture.

I loved this book for many reasons. The title of the book caught my attention. It serves as a paradox and is thought-provoking. I love the fact that even though this focuses on Ugandan culture, it has an element that everyone can relate to and learn from. I loved the many different perspectives and the fact that everyone was able to freely express themselves without being offensive or crude. I love how the Ugandan dialect was incorporated into the book. I could see similarities between some of the Ugandan languages and my own. My favourite story was “Our Justice or Their Justice” by Aliker P’Ocitti, whose cousin had joined a rebel army that claimed the lives of thousands of Ugandans. I love the fact that Aliker didn’t villainize his cousin but shared memories that held sentimental value.

Throughout this book, the contributors got insight from the elderly. I, however, wish that more insight was sought out from the youth. I feel like that could have added more perspective to a much broader spectrum.

Overall, I love how multifaceted this book was in terms of experiences, cultures, languages, and life lessons. I found some chapters to be a bit boring and repetitive. I didn’t come across many errors, apart from the fact that the word spacing was inconsistent. Therefore, I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in gaining insight into Uganda as a whole, particularly on a more personal level. Traditionalists would love this book.

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Remembering the Future
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