Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Marjorie Phyllis King 21 October 1928 Southampton, England, UK |
| Died | 1 December 2015 (aged 87) Nairobi, Kenya |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Citizenship | Kenyan |
| Alma mater | Royal Holloway, University of London |
| Years active | 1983–2009 |
| Notable works | Murder in Majengo (1972) Coming to Birth (1986) The Present Moment (1987) |
| Notable awards | Sinclair Prize |
| Spouse |
Daniel Oludhe Macgoye
(m. 1960–1990) |
| Children | Four |
Marjorie Phyllis Oludhe Macgoye (21 October 1928 – 1 December 2015) was born in Southampton, England, but immigrated to Kenya soon after Kenya became independent.[1] She was a poet, novelist, and a missionary bookseller. She studied at the University of London for both her bachelor and master's degree. In 1954, she moved to Kenya to sell books and, while there, she met Daniel Oludhe Macgoye, a medical doctor, and they were married in 1960.[1] She became a Kenyan citizen in 1964.
After immigrating to Kenya, she began pursuing a career to become an author. At first, she published stories in magazines; as her success grew, she started writing works of longer length. In early 1970, her novels and poetry were being published. She won awards for many of her books, including for Growing Up at Lina School (1971) and Murder in Majengo (1972), but her most notable novel is Coming to Birth (1986). Her award-winning novels portray the life of a Kenyan woman during the time period 1956–1978.
- ^ a b Ilieva, Emilia (31 December 2015). "Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 October 2022.