The Old Drift

Set in 1904 along the Zambezi River near Victoria Falls, Namwali Serpell's debut novel, The Old Drift, follows the interconnected lives of three Zambian families—black, white, and brown—over a century fueled by a series of events stemming from a feverish mistake by an Old Drifter named Percy M. Clark. The narrative weaves together elements of history, fairytale, romance, and science fiction, exploring themes of love, loss, and the passage of time through vibrant characters and their stories. Praised as a significant contribution to contemporary literature, this ambitious work invites readers to reflect on the complexities of identity and the intertwining fates of families within a nation's journey.