Author: Koushik Castle

Publisher: Author House

Published: 2010-12-14

Total Pages: 106

ISBN-13: 1452083673

Revolutionary Poetry Book "African Pride and the German Guide" Exposes Present Forms of Racial Discrimination A new poetry book entitled African Pride and the German Guide: Petty Octopus Got Crucified by Koushik Castle released, and will most certainly cause an uproar. Castle, who is a well-known Indian poet, wrote the book in a very realistic and strikingly contemporary voice - as it controversially exposes the exploitation of Africans as well as African Americans by policy makers of developed and undeveloped countries. Gandhi started his movement against color discrimination in South Africa more than 100 years ago and now Castle is again trying to draw the attention of people towards current and prevalent color discrimination in various nations. For instance, in the book, Castle statistically describes how consumerism supports modern day slavery in the forms of child labor and child militancy in Africa. Some of the poems are piercing pieces of social commentary, and others are very path breaking as they shockingly reveal that people are hiding the real factors when they blame the mismanagement of African countries for their problems. In one poem entitled 'Rwandan Coffee', Castle rhythmically reveals the little-known fact that it was American Coffee Middlemen who were responsible for hunger and militancy in Rwanda during the decade of the nineties. In poems like 'Gold Coins of Congo' and 'Diamond of Darkness', readers will have a first hand experience of how children are exploited in gold mines of Congo and diamond fields in Sierra Leone. In poems like 'Don't Color the Prison', 'West Coast Vs East Coast' and 'Hip Hop Shady', Castle portraits contemporary African American characters and describes their problems and apathy of government administration towards them and deflates collective euphoria of equality and change promised to them. All of the poems are so lyrical that it is expected that many of them will be adapted into hip hop and rock songs. Castle also poetically describes the fairness obsession in the world's largest democratic country, India - where many of the Indian people still consider being light-skinned to be better than dark skinned. By exploiting this obsession, global cream companies are generating wealth by selling whitening creams. A staunch supporter of women rights, Castle's book also features poems like 'Russian Beauty' - which is a heart touching description of how women are trafficked in today's modern world and are forced to sell their bodies. 'Souls of Girls' exposes the cruel mindsets of people who kill their daughters even before they are born by using techniques like ultrasound. 'Nazi Minds', 'Precious', and 'Hello Mr. Prince and 'Petty Octopus' are definitely going to spark controversy as the poet boldly gives the psychological insights of the people who still feel they are superior to others. Poems like 'Precious' and 'Hello Mr. Prince openly criticize those who make comments on the physical appearances of others and the way they dress. Any poetry book is incomplete without romance, so Castle has written eternal romantic poems like 'Romantic Isle' and 'Folded Pages' as well as poems like 'Teen Sins' and 'Apologies' - which are inspired by modern day youth lifestyle. He didn't forget to write futuristic poems like 'Digital Games', 'Beyond Fifth Dimension', 'Prisoner of Binary' - which really gives a look in to the world's future.