Hubert Kolani is a trained lawyer and a young author from Togo. He wrote the French-language novel Le Sang du Pouvoir to look at political power in a fictional story. The book follows a strong woman nicknamed "The Iron Lady" and other people caught in political fights.
The novel shows dark politics, spiritual ties and painful choices, but also women's resilience and love. Kolani says fiction gives him freedom that journalism or essays do not. He wants readers to think, discuss and imagine a more humane political life.
Difficult words
- novel — a long written story with characters
- fiction — made up stories not factual reporting
- resilience — ability to recover from problems
- spiritual — connected with religion or inner life
- journalism — work of reporting news and stories
- essay — a short piece of writing about a topicessays
- nickname — to give someone a shorter or special namenicknamed
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you prefer reading fiction or journalism? Why?
- How can a novel help readers imagine a more humane political life?
- Would you read a book about political fights? Why or why not?
Related articles
Tomorrow Club: young writers share voices from Asia
PEN International’s Tomorrow Club connects young writers with mentors and publishes personal and political stories. The latest Asia edition brought together many young contributors and highlighted censorship, exile and calls for more support and mentorship.
Vietnam Rise supports grassroots activists inside Vietnam
Vietnam Rise, founded by members of the Vietnamese diaspora, supports grassroots activists in Vietnam with fellowships, grants and regional cooperation. The group faces state pressure and works to raise international awareness.
Iran's water emergency worsens amid heat and outages
A summer heatwave and widespread power outages have intensified Iran’s water emergency. Officials report sharply falling dam reserves, groundwater depletion and possible summer rationing as authorities warn of harder measures to save energy and water.