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There are currently 24 member reviews
for King Peggy
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Laura L. (St. Paul, MN)
King Peggy
I am really enjoying King Peggy and have decided to read the book aloud to my 9th grade World History class. The culture, customs and history of Ghana are fascinating and the author does a good job of following Peggy's journey from secretary to King. I laughed out loud a few times, rolled my eyes a bit but all in all this book is enjoyable and I am glad I got the chance to read it. I already recommended King Peggy to a friend of mine traveling to Ghana in the Spring. P.S. My students are learning a lot from it.
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Susan P. (Boston, MA)
A Woman Makes a Strong King
KING PEGGY is a warm, delightful book. As has been pointed out, it will appeal to the fans of the No 1 Ladies Detective series. It's enjoyable to learn about modern life in Ghana and Africa, and about the foibles and strengths of various people, some of whom can be called "characters." While a little overly descriptive, that was in fact a calming attribute and was never boring. It is a compelling read, as you want to find out how and when Peggy will solve her may problems.
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Suzanne R. (Nashville, TN)
King Peggy -- Heartbreak and Triumph
King Peggy is an entertaining and uplifting tale of a humble embassy secretary who becomes king of an African community. Throughout the story of her first 2 years as king, she faces adversity on every hand, from poverty, theft and deceit to triumph in her efforts to create a better life for the people of her kingdom. Through it all, King Peggy's main concern is to improve the lives of the children she rules. King Peggy is part biography and part commentary on life in Ghana's rural communities. It reads like a novel with humor and heartbreak interspersed through the story. I will definitely recommend this book to many of my library patrons.
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Paula K. (Cave Creek, AZ)
King Peggy - An Inspiration
King Peggy is not a book I normally would have chosen since I tend more toward fiction. But I am so glad I chose it from the books available for review, drawn toward the comparison of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. For sure King Peggy shares the African locale, featuring a cast of whimsical characters living in often harsh conditions. And like No. 1 Ladies', King Peggy shares a compelling, forceful protagonist with one major exception -- Peggielene Bartels, aka King Peggy, is very real. Born in Ghana, Peggy was educated in England and makes her way to the United States, where she has worked as a secretary in the Ghana embassy for many years. Her suburban one-bedroom condominium is modest by some US standards, but to her family and friends from Ghana, she is living in the lap of luxury, having achieved a level of success that some entire villages will never reach. Yet Peggy's life is not terribly satisfying or exciting. She moves through each day putting one foot in front of the other, yearning for her absent husband who rejoined his family in Africa after several failed attempts at starting a family.
But a late-night call changes all that when she is informed of her election as King of Otuam. And so begins an adventure made both amazing and fantastical as Peggy's "Yankee" can-do approach blends seamlessly with the mystical teachings of her African heritage to catapult Peggy into a role that changes her life and that of the 7,000 souls in her Otuam home forever. I was enthralled, amazed, delighted, overwhelmed and inspired by King Peggy.
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Carole A. (Denver, CO)
One person can make a difference!
It is always uplifting to see that one average although not really can make a difference! While I felt the writing could have been tightened up this was a good read. What a wonderful example of how easily the socio-economic status of a community can be changed. King Peggy is certainly a book that should appeal to book club discussions. My book club would enlarge the discussion bringing more information about the area and how one person goes about making a difference. For these same reasons this would be a great young adult book as a basis for a research project or paper. While similar to Three Cups of Tea in idea and similar outcome this was not as dynamic. King Peggy was a worthwhile read will certainly be passed along to my reading companions.
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Shelby L. (Hamden, CT)
The Power of One
An amazing story of one woman's ability to turn around the fate of her birth village in Ghana. Peggy Bartels, a secretary in the Ghanian Embassy in Washington is called to become King of the village she left 30 years before. She accepts the job not knowing how run down and rife with thievery the place has become. It's a fascinating read of what one person with determination can do. It would make a great book club discussion.
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Jane H. (Indianola, IA)
King Peggy
King Peggy - what a fabulous woman! Peggielene Bartels, an American citizen, with roots in Ghana, has been called to be the King of Otuam, a town of 7000. When she arrives for her crowning she finds that the town has no water, the palace is a wreck, the council has absconded with all the money, and that her predecessor has yet to be buried, and she has to pay for everything.
What Peggy does for her people in the two years covered by the book is outstanding. You will find humor, sadness, dedication, determination and confusion in this book. It is a fascinating read.
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