My Life in the Bush of Ghosts

by Amos Tutuola
My Life in the Bush of Ghosts cover
Good Books rating 3.88
Fantasy
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Paperback • £9.99
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Technical
  • ID: 7822
  • Added: 2025-12-17
  • Updated: 2025-12-30
  • ISBN: 9780571311552
  • Publisher: Faber & Faber
  • Published: 2014-07-01
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 4

Amos Tutuola's second novel, 'My Life in the Bush of Ghosts,' published in 1954, is a captivating tale of a small boy who ventures into a fantastical African forest teeming with wild, grotesque, and terrifying beings. The boy is captured by ghosts, buried alive, and wrapped in spider webs, but over time, he marries and accepts his new existence./n/nThe story takes a turn with the appearance of the television-handed ghostess, who offers a potential escape route. Tutuola's work is praised for its creative artistry and spellbinding narrative, as noted by V. S. Pritchett in the New Statesman.

Reviews
The Storygraph · 2023-01-01
unsettling 4.00

The book is an eerie, surreal tale that feels like listening to a storyteller. It destabilizes all your senses as a reader.

The reviewer describes the book as a deeply unsettling and surreal experience. It's like being told a story by a master storyteller, where the boundaries of reality are constantly blurred. The eerie atmosphere and the grotesque characters make it a unique and memorable read. However, it's not for the faint-hearted, as it can be quite disturbing at times. The reviewer appreciates the book's ability to challenge the reader's perceptions and senses.

Quick quotes

    Tutuola is good at destabilizing all your senses as a reader.

    My Life in the Bush of Ghosts is an eerie, surreal tale that feels much like listening to a storyteller.

    It's not a book for the faint-hearted, but it's a memorable and unique read.

TIME · TIME · 2020-10-15
captivating 4.50

The book is a unique and captivating tale that is part of TIME's list of the best fantasy books of all time.

TIME highlights the book as a unique and captivating tale that has stood the test of time. It's a book that has been recognized as one of the best fantasy books of all time, and for good reason. The reviewer appreciates the book's ability to transport the reader to a world that is both familiar and alien at the same time. The reviewer also appreciates the book's ability to challenge the reader's perceptions and take them on a journey that they will never forget. The reviewer believes that the book is a testament to the power of storytelling and the ability of a good book to transport the reader to another world.

Quick quotes

    My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola is on TIME's list of the best fantasy books of all time.

    It's a unique and captivating tale that has stood the test of time.

    It's a book that has been recognized as one of the best fantasy books of all time, and for good reason.

Reactor Mag · 2019-03-14
brilliant 4.00

This book is an appreciation of Tutuola's work, highlighting its fantastical elements and unique storytelling. The reviewer finds it a compelling read that pushes the boundaries of traditional narrative.

The reviewer sees this book as a testament to Tutuola's ability to create a rich, fantastical world that feels both familiar and alien. They appreciate the book's exploration of time and reality, making it a thought-provoking and engaging read. The reviewer believes that Tutuola's writing is a unique blend of folklore and modern storytelling, which makes the book a standout in the fantasy genre.

Quick quotes

    This month's column is an appreciation of My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola.

    WHERE TIME IS A LIE.

    Tutuola's writing is a unique blend of folklore and modern storytelling, making the book a standout in the fantasy genre.

Books Yo · 2017-11-16
harrowing 3.00

The reviewer finds the book's ghosts to be unsettling and notes that the story is filled with eerie and grotesque elements. They appreciate the book's ability to create a sense of unease and tension.

The reviewer highlights the book's ability to create a sense of unease and tension through its portrayal of ghosts and other supernatural elements. They find the story to be filled with eerie and grotesque moments that make it a compelling and unsettling read. The reviewer appreciates Tutuola's ability to create a rich and immersive world that feels both familiar and alien, making the book a unique and thought-provoking experience.

Quick quotes

    Certainly, the ghosts aren't all that friendly.

    Many of them want to kill you.

    The book is filled with eerie and grotesque moments that make it a compelling and unsettling read.

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