The Bridgetower Sonata
The Bridgetower Sonata (Sonata Mulattica) is a historical fiction novel written by Grand Prix Littéraire de l'Afrique Noire recipient Emmanuel Dongala about the child prodigy violinist George Polgreen Bridgetower. It was originally published in French under the title La Sonate à Bridgetower by Editions Actes Sud in 2017. It was translated into English by Marjolijn De Jager in April 2021, published by Schaffner Press. The novel details the early musical career of Bridgetower during the late 18th and early 19th centuries and considers the issue of his mixed race in a European culture that was largely discriminatory towards people of color. Author Central-African and Congolese author Emmanuel Dongala was born in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, in 1941. The civil war of 1997-1998 forced Dongala and his family to abandon their possessions and seek asylum in the United States. Initially, he wanted to return to his country and colleagues to improve the University of Brazzaville, however, Dongala ultimately decided to stay in the United States to pursue his career as a chemistry professor and as an author at Bard College in Massachusetts. In his literary works, Dongala often addresses French colonization and the resulting complex economic, social, and political problems shared