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A close-up picture of hand watering the sapling of the plant. [File Courtesy]
It is often said that the grass in the neighbour’s yard always looks greener. Over time, the phrase has worn thin, being used to justify envy, complacency, or quiet resignation. However, in Green for Life: From Brokenness to Boldness – A Movement Born of Purpose, Dr Isaac Kalua Green reclaims the metaphor and gives it fresh, transformative meaning.
For him, “green” is not about comparison; it is about growth, renewal, and responsibility. His memoir is not merely a personal narrative but a stirring manifesto on resilience, passion, and purposeful living. Positioned firmly within the genre of life writing, Green for Life offers the reader a rich blend of confession, cultural history, and entrepreneurial inspiration. Life writing, from St Augustine’s Confessions to contemporary memoirs, has always served as a repository of human experience.
Dr Green’s contribution stands out because it is at once deeply personal and broadly universal. By choosing to tell his story with honesty and vulnerability, he reminds readers that narrating one’s life is itself an act of courage and sometimes, an act of service.
The memoir begins with a prologue on the significance of names. Shakespeare once mused, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” For Dr Green, however, the name has become more than a label—it is a calling. As an environmentalist, entrepreneur, and activist, “Green” resonates with his mission to protect nature and inspire sustainable living. Call him “Dr Green,” “Eco-warrior,” or simply “concerned citizen,” his work speaks louder than any title.
Born in Kitui and raised in Nairobi following his father’s transfer as a prison officer, Green recounts his childhood with vivid, often nostalgic detail. He writes of tending animals, cooking chapatis, sneaking out with his father’s car, and navigating the mischiefs of adolescence. What makes these recollections compelling is his disarming honesty. He openly admits to truancy, drug use, and youthful rebellion during his high school years. These confessions, however, never feel self-indulgent. Instead, each episode is framed as a lesson, allowing the reader to witness both the mistakes of youth and the gradual formation of character.
While African autobiography is often criticised for its subjectivity, Green for Life passes the credibility test with ease. Dr Green commits himself to autobiographical, historical, and what might be termed as “fictional” truth, which is the shaping of lived experience into meaningful narrative. He courageously opens the “bedroom window” of his life, inviting readers to learn from both his triumphs and his failures.
Historical and cultural references such as the art of Ukambani woodcarving, Kenya’s memorable cricket victory over the West Indies in 1995, the Atlanta Olympics of 1996, Kenyan Premier League championships, the Kenyan general elections, and World Cross Country Championships anchor his persona.
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A close-up picture of hand watering the sapling of the plant.
[File Courtesy]
It is often said that the grass in the neighbour’s yard always looks greener. Over time, the phrase has worn thin, being used to justify envy, complacency, or quiet resignation. However, in Green for Life: From Brokenness to Boldness – A Movement Born of Purpose, Dr Isaac Kalua Green reclaims the metaphor and gives it fresh, transformative meaning.
For him, “green” is not about comparison; it is about growth, renewal, and responsibility. His memoir is not merely a personal narrative but a stirring manifesto on resilience, passion, and purposeful living. Positioned firmly within the genre of life writing, Green for Life offers the reader a rich blend of confession, cultural history, and entrepreneurial inspiration. Life writing, from St Augustine’s Confessions to contemporary memoirs, has always served as a repository of human experience.
Dr Green’s contribution stands out because it is at once deeply personal and broadly universal. By choosing to tell his story with honesty and vulnerability, he reminds readers that narrating one’s life is itself an act of courage and sometimes, an act of service.
The memoir begins with a prologue on the significance of names. Shakespeare once mused, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” For Dr Green, however, the name has become more than a label—it is a calling. As an environmentalist, entrepreneur, and activist, “Green” resonates with his mission to protect nature and inspire sustainable living. Call him “Dr Green,” “Eco-warrior,” or simply “concerned citizen,” his work speaks louder than any title.
Born in Kitui and raised in Nairobi following his father’s transfer as a prison officer, Green recounts his childhood with vivid, often nostalgic detail. He writes of tending animals, cooking chapatis, sneaking out with his father’s car, and navigating the mischiefs of adolescence. What makes these recollections compelling is his disarming honesty. He openly admits to truancy, drug use, and youthful rebellion during his high school years. These confessions, however, never feel self-indulgent. Instead, each episode is framed as a lesson, allowing the reader to witness both the mistakes of youth and the gradual formation of character.
While African autobiography is often criticised for its subjectivity, Green for Life passes the credibility test with ease. Dr Green commits himself to autobiographical, historical, and what might be termed as “fictional” truth, which is the shaping of lived experience into meaningful narrative. He courageously opens the “bedroom window” of his life, inviting readers to learn from both his triumphs and his failures.
Historical and cultural references such as the art of Ukambani woodcarving, Kenya’s memorable cricket victory over the West Indies in 1995, the Atlanta Olympics of 1996, Kenyan Premier League championships, the Kenyan general elections, and World Cross Country Championships anchor his persona.
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By Dr Joseph Wangila Makhakha