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The Life and Times of Ota Benga

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What to expect

In 1904, Ota Benga, a young Congolese 'pygmy' - a person of petite stature - arrived from central Africa and was featured in an anthropology exhibit at the St. Louis World's Fair. Two years later, the New York Zoological Gardens displayed him in its Monkey House, caging the slight 103-pound, 4-foot 11-inch tall man with an orangutan. The attraction became an international sensation, drawing thousands of New Yorkers and commanding headlines from across the world.

Through The Life and Times of Ota Benga, we follow our protagonist from the very beginning of his story in the DRC to his captivity, the international controversy it inspired, and his efforts to adjust to American life.

Written in Bola's beautiful, thoughtful prose, this is a novel of both unimaginable pain and hope.
Author JJ Bola
Duration 10 hours
Release Date
ISBN 9781408773642
Format Audiobook
Publisher John Murray Press
Genre Biographical fiction, FXT, Historical fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Displacement, exile, migration, Narrative theme: Identity / belonging, Narrative theme: journeys and voyages, Narrative theme: Social issues
Availability AU, GB, IE

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