Interview with Chemutai Glasheen - I Am the Mau & other stories

Chemutai Glasheen is a teacher and an academic at Curtin University in Perth, and has a PhD in creative writing. She was brought up in Kenya and now lives in Australia.

Now a book of her short stories, under the enticing title I Am the Mau & Other Stories, has just been published by Fremantle Press.

In a review of the book, Book + Publishing concisely, but accurately, says: ‘Chemutai Glasheen delivers a powerful and vibrant collection of short stories in I Am the Mau & Other Stories. Inspired by her upbringing in Africa, each brilliant tale is infused with vivid imagery of the continent and its people … A great read for young adults to enjoy, learn from, and remember long after closing the final page.’

We couldn’t put the book down. We think ‘young adults’ is too narrow a reading category for this book, unless ‘young adults’ includes not only young adults but also their parents and grandparents and extended family, as well as all of their friends and acquaintances!

As you’ll soon realise when you start reading the stories, Glasheen’s work is influenced by her interest and experience in human rights and education, especially in East Africa.

Her previous work has been published in ACE: Arresting Contemporary stories by Emerging Writers and in the Museum of Freedom and Tolerance website.

With the release of I Am the Mau & Other Stories, Glasheen’s work is now assured of reaching a wider audience. Readers in Kenya and Australia, but far beyond will love her stories, the tensions she creates, and the freshness of her writing. A thoroughly enjoyable and, for an Australian reader not overly familiar with Kenya or East Africa, educative read.

Chemutai Glasheen kindly agreed to meet with our Editor, Michael Barker, to make this podcast in which she discusses her career to date, writing fiction for young adults, what you will find in I Am the Mau, and much more besides!

While you’re here –