King Peggy: An American Secretary, Her Royal Destiny, and the Inspiring Story of How She Changed an African Village

by Peggielene Bartels

Hardcover, 2012

Status

Available

Tags

Biography, Africa, Queen, inspirational

Genres

Publication

Doubleday (2012), Edition: First Edition, 352 pages

Description

Biography & Autobiography. History. Nonfiction. HTML:The charming real-life fairy tale of an American secretary who discovers she has been chosen king of an impoverished fishing village on the west coast of Africa. King Peggy has the sweetness and quirkiness of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series and the hopeful sense of possibility of Half the Sky.   King Peggy chronicles the astonishing journey of an American secretary who suddenly finds herself king to a town of 7,000 souls on Ghana's central coast, half a world away. Upon arriving for her crowning ceremony in beautiful Otuam, she discovers the dire reality: there's no running water, no doctor, and no high school, and many of the village elders are stealing the town's funds. To make matters worse, her uncle (the late king) sits in a morgue awaiting a proper funeral in the royal palace, which is in ruins. The longer she waits to bury him, the more she risks incurring the wrath of her ancestors. Peggy's first two years as king of Otuam unfold in a way that is stranger than fiction. In the end, a deeply traditional African town has been uplifted by the ambitions of its headstrong, decidedly modern female king. And in changing Otuam, Peggy is herself transformed, from an ordinary secretary to the heart and hope of her community.… (more)

Similar in this library

Rating

½ (64 ratings; 3.7)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Liz1564
The was an Early Review copy. Thank you.

This book makes a joyful noise! King Peggy is the story of an American secretary who finds herself chosen king of a village in Ghana. How she handles her responsibilities, institutes changes, and fights the pervasive corruption is truly inspiring.

Peggy
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 Bartels left Ghana as a young woman, first for London, and then for the US where she became a secretary in the Ghanaian embassy, Twenty-five years later, she is awakened in the middle of the night with the news that her uncle has died and she has been chosen as his heir. Her village had never had a female king and it was surprising that the ancestors would pick her over the many male candidates who lived in the area.

When Peggy arrives in Otuam she is shocked by how little the people have: no easy access to clean water; no high school or library; no way to get sick people to a hospital. The king's palace is in ruins and the roads leading to Otuam are barely passable, There is not a dime in the municipal treasury, even though taxes have been collected and government land sold, since her elders and advisers have been using the money to line their own pockets.

How she manages to assert her authority, even though she is a woman and a "foreigner," makes a remarkable adventure. Through sheer will power she begins the process of taking her little kingdom into the 21st century, while, at the same time, honoring the ancient traditions of her people. There is a great deal in the book about the customs, religion, and rituals in Otuam. Peggy was "enstooled," not crowned, because the stool held the essence of kingly power and actually had to have ritual sacrifices of alcohol offered to it. (Although Peggy's stool preferred Coca-Cola for a while!) The ancestors are a very real presence who speak to Peggy and her subjects in dreams and sometimes even in clear voices during the day. Friendly spirits live in the fresh water wells and in old refrigerators they keep running, Curses are very real.

The book ends on such an optimistic note that I hope there will be sequels so I can read of the further adventures of a king in Ghana who happens to be an outspoken American woman.
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LibraryThing member arielfl
Thank you to Library Thing and Doubleday for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.

I love the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series and if you are as big a fan of Precious Ramotwse as I am then you will adore this book as well. Although King Peggy is not a detective she embodies
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 the same thirst for justice and love of her African people that makes Madame Ramotwse so endearing.

The story begins in Washington DC when secretary Peggy receives a 4 a.m. phone call from Ghana, Africa informing her that she has just become King because the ancestors have picked her through a steaming bottle of Schnapps. After much soul searching Peggy decides to accept the position but finds out that she may have bitten off more than she can chew. For one thing the elders do not respect women and basically dismiss her orders. For another they are corrupt and are stealing all of the money that Peggy would use to improve the lives of her people. Peggy's trials as King are sometimes humorous and her solutions are bold and clever. Fortunately for Peggy she does find some people in Africa that she can trust and the transformation that she is able to make in the town is truly astounding. Check out Peggy's page on Facebook. I enjoyed seeing the pictures of the people in the book and the town. Long live the King!
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LibraryThing member BookAngel_a
Peggy Bartels was born in Ghana, but lived and worked in the USA for over 30 years. One day she received a phone call saying that her village king was dead, and she had been chosen to be the next king.
Peggy decided to accept the kingship. But the village had many serious problems, worst of all the
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 corruption of the village elders. This book tells the story of how King Peggy battled those problems and brought many blessings to her village.
I was pulled into the story - angered along with Peggy at the corruption and theft, and I rejoiced with Peggy when she won an important battle. It is inspiring to read about someone working so hard to make a change in people's lives.
Recommended for those who are interested in Africa or who like encouraging true life stories.

(I received this book through Amazon's Vine Program.)
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LibraryThing member 3bythesea
This is one of those stories that reminds us that true life is often more amazing than any novel or movie plot. It tells the story of a secretary originally from Ghana who is working and living in Washington DC. She is contacted by relatives who tell her that she has been elected king of the
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 village of Otuam in Ghana to replace her uncle who had recently passed away. The bulk of the book focuses her struggle to overcome the corruption in the village to bring water and education. Part of what I enjoyed was Peggy's inner dialogue about how to use her skills to over come the many barriers she encountered.
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LibraryThing member sarah-e
Peggy is a tough lady, transformed overnight from an embassy secretary in Washington to ruler of a neglected town in Ghana. For a good portion of the book Peggy seems insecure and hotheaded, but as she grows to embody her title she becomes a shrewd, capable leader. She summons incredible strength
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 to face the opposition she finds in Ghana. I would probably run and hide if people put me through the things she experiences - she is quite a lady, and the community embraces her as a good king. I wish this had been written from Peggy's perspective instead of using a third person POV. Some passages left me feeling like I was listening to someone talk about her behind her back, and some of the insecurity of her character might have been strengthened by that difference. I highly recommend this to any reader interested in Africa or memoirs in general.
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LibraryThing member GShuk
This audio takes you inside the head of an ordinary person who goes from being a secretary to a king. It is non-fiction but reads like a novel. Her brutal honesty is at the same level of someone on the TV show like Dr. Phil. (I always wonder why anyone would get so personal in public.) Her journey
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 had many challenges but her passion and commitment help overcome them. This is one of the many reasons you want her to succeed. This audio gives you an inside look at the culture, some issues facing villages in Africa as well as how someone’s beliefs in spirits affect their decisions. It was interesting hearing how and why she would work with corrupt elders. While I recommend this audio an abridged version would be better for she repeats herself a fair bit.
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LibraryThing member kqueue
King Peggy is a truly inspiring memoir of Peggy Bartels, a Washington DC secretary who is also known as King Nana Amuah-Afenyi VI, the king of Otuam, a fishing village in Ghana. Peggy was chosen to be king by the tribal elders in a ceremony where they consulted the ancestral spirits. It is unusual,
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 though not entirely unprecedented, for a woman to be chosen as a king in Ghana, and Peggy was a favorite of her deceased uncle the former king. Peggy's kingship, however, is not a fairy tale. Her palace is crumbling, her royal treasury is in the red, and her people lack access to decent schools, clean water and medical care. She must deal with her elders' deep-seated attitudes towards women, corruption and greed before she can begin helping her people. With strength, humor and forgiveness, she does overcome these obstacles and begins to turn her village around. Her story is told in the third-person by co-author Eleanor Herman, which, coupled with the colorful idioms and the folklore of Ghana, give this book a fable-like feel when reading it. You will come away from reading this book feeling buoyed by Peggy's optimism, cheering for her successes and wishing her all the best for the future. A truly feel-good read.
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LibraryThing member meldridge
This story was slow at the beginning and then picked up. It is a heart-warming and often humorous light read. While it shows some negatives that King Peggy had to deal with, as well as heart ache and frustration, ultimately she is able to begin accomplishing some of her goals for the improvement of
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 the town. It also gives a glimpse into family, culture, religion and life in what appears to be a typical impoverished African village. I would recommend it to those who like feel-good non-fiction stories.
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LibraryThing member Alliebadger
I really enjoyed this book. This could easily have been a "look how great I am" sort of story, but it in fact it wasn't at all. It's told from a third-person perspective, which makes it read much more like a story. It's written so well that it really does seem like a Mma Ramotswe story. I was
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 inspired by Peggy, her people, the Shiloh Baptist Church, and Ms. Herman. This is a fascinating glimpse into a traditional African culture and the people who make good things happen for others.
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LibraryThing member clamairy
Quite simply one of the sweetest and funniest Early Reviewers books I've ever received. (And I have received quite a few!) It does get off to a bit of a slow start, for which I deducted half a star. Once it gets going though, watch out. This is non-fiction, but reads like a novel in may places. No
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 one could possibly expect the twists and turns King Peggy faces, especially from her own council of elders. Hilarious, informative and, well, just plain ol' inspiring at the same time.

P.S. This is a must read for those who love The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.
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LibraryThing member MrsLee
This is a fascinating tale. The story of a woman born in Ghana, who became an American citizen, then was chosen to be King of her community in Ghana. It began a bit stilted, but the tone and pace improved as the story deepened. King Peggy is a secretary at the Ghanian embassy during her time in the
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 United States. When she arrives in her village, she discovers that there is a deep current of decay within her council. It is rare for a woman to be chosen as King, but she is convinced that in spite of evil intentions on the part of some members of her council, God and the ancestors chose her for this purpose. She sets forth in faith to be the best King she is capable of being, bringing to her people basic things like water, ambulance service and education. The task is daunting on her small salary, and she seems to be impeded on every side by graft, tradition and greed. At times, the depth of depravity in those who worked against her was jaw-dropping. However, not only is she setting out to bring good to her people, she is also on a journey of discovery. Discovery of what she is capable of, her limitations, the strength of her faith, and her capacity to forgive.
This story does a fine job of presenting the many sides of African natures and the differences between American culture and African culture. It points out that although there is monetary poverty in Africa, in many ways the people are richer in spirit than the Americans they admire. Their sense of family is strong and they take time to listen and enjoy life. It also points out the darker side of deception and bribery which runs deep in some rulers and corrupts. This is not confined to Africa!
I enjoyed this story, it was inspiring, instructive and a good adventure tale as well.
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LibraryThing member dele2451
An interesting and often amusing story of a humble secretary who found herself in the unlikely situation of being the 1st female king of a poor African fishing village located on the Ghana coast. I especially appreciate how the authors were able to accurately relate how even relatively small acts
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 of selfish greed and corruption can significantly impair the health and progress of an entire population. King Peggy's accomplishments in ending decades of systemic fraud and embezzlement is living proof that, while it is sometimes painful, one honest and determined person (even one without much accumulated monetary wealth) can make a difference in the lives of many in just a short time. There is not much to criticize in this book, although I found the frequent references to Peggy's absent ex-husband detracted a bit from the overall pace and impact of the story. Many thanks to Doubleday and Early Reviewers for making King Peggy available to LT readers. I'd recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those interested/involved in humanitarian endeavors and cultural studies.
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LibraryThing member ellenflorman
This is a remarkable book about a remarkable woman. It is the true story of Peggielene Bartels,a middle aged secretary at The Ghanian Embassy in Washington D.C. She is awoken at 4 A.M. one morning by a phone call informing her that she has just been chosen to be the new King of Otaum, a village of
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 7,000 in Ghana.
Her uncle had been their king and had recently passed away. The rest of the book looks at her amazing journey as she fights the deep rooted corruption of the male elders to bring basics such as water and education to her people. It is a story with many twists and turns and is full of intrigue. It is one of those true stories that is truly stranger than fiction.

It is a page turner and definite "must read." I highly recommend it!
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LibraryThing member itbgc
Although this book gets off to a slow start, the more I read, the more I enjoyed it. King Peggy did remind me of Alexander McCall Smith's fictional character, Precious Ramotswe, but this book was even better because it is about a real person who has to get to the bottom of mysteries involving the
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 town of Otuam in Ghana. You can't help but root for the truth to prevail and for Peggy to bring about wonderful changes in Otuam with the help of many caring people both in the USA and in Ghana.
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LibraryThing member Electablue
This story of how Peggy Bartels, a secretary at the Ghanian Embassy in Washington, D.C. became the king of village in Ghana made for a great read. I knew almost nothing about Ghana and learned a lot about its history and the book is made up of all kinds of characters. Anyone who enjoyed the Ladies
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 No. 1 Detective Agency should enjoy this true life tale.
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LibraryThing member nyiper
I can see how the co-author Eleanor Herman felt a relationship to Alexander McCall Smith when she became the scribe for this story. The pictures she helps develop about exactly what is happening are extremely descriptive. I think what upset me about the story was the dominance, eventually, of the
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 outside group---the American missionary effort---as they 'helped" with money and adoption and building things, including a church. And then to see that King Peggy "converted," in the Epilogue----bought and sold by the religion---very disappointing. Of course a lot of what she has done would have been impossible without this "help" but it came at a pretty big price in my view. The richness of her own culture will be overwhelmed over time by a different sort of power.
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LibraryThing member briandrewz
This was an enjoyable book about a secretary who became a king. Peggy's story is both humorous and poignant. There are parts of the story that made me laugh out loud, and there were parts that made me search within myself and be grateful for what I have. An excellent book.
LibraryThing member rosagallica
This book was a joy to read. As a fan of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, I enjoyed it a great deal, but this was a true story which made it a more interesting read. I highly recommend it.
LibraryThing member cbl_tn
How did a female American secretary from Silver Spring, Maryland, become the king of a Ghanian village? Peggielene Bartels tells her story, beginning with a call she received in 2008 informing her that her uncle the king had died and that the ancestors had chosen her as the next king. Over the next
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 several years, Peggy continued to work as a secretary at the Ghanian embassy in Washington, D.C. while making annual trips to Ghana to take care of her village's business.

Peggy quickly discovered that the king had many financial obligations and that the village treasury was empty. Peggy would have to find a way to pay for her enstoolment ceremony and for a funeral for her uncle, the “late king who was in the fridge” in Accra awaiting burial. The palace was practically uninhabitable and needed extensive repairs and renovations.

The challenges facing her weren't just financial. It gradually became clear to Peggy that she could not trust the village elders. The elders who weren't corrupt were weak. The elders expected business to continue as usual and resisted Peggy's attempts to exercise her authority as king. As soon as Peggy resolved one problem, another one arose. Peggy's confidence in her ability grew as she successfully dealt with challenge after challenge.

For me, the most interesting aspect of Peggy's story is her religious syncretism. She mixes a Christian faith with ancestor worship. She prays to God and she prays to her ancestors, pouring out libations and performing other rituals to keep the ancestors happy. This would be worthwhile reading for students of anthropology, religion, and missions.
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LibraryThing member sparemethecensor
The people behind this book made one of the strangest literary decisions I can remember. Despite the fact that this is an autobiography, it's told in third person, and in a really distant manner. I'm not sure why this decision was made, but it made it really difficult to get into the story, which
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 otherwise should have been very interesting: a woman who has lived in America for decades becomes the king of her tiny Ghanaian village. Unsurprisingly, that village is full of chauvinist pigs. Trouble and feminism ensue. If only the book had been written in first person, or in a personal third person way, that we could really get to know Peggy and the trials she went through.
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LibraryThing member mlake
I really wanted to love this but stalled. I will try again another time.
LibraryThing member danoomistmatiste
A well written account about a Ghanaian consulate secretary living win Washington D.C. who is invited to a small village in Ghana as it's next King. This should be prescribed as required reading in all B schools. The tact and skill that she employs to turn this impoverished village around, deal
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 with rampant corruption and a host of other personal and community issues, make it one compelling read.
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LibraryThing member juniperSun
This book came with an audiotape collection of other stories; I would not have selected it otherwise and thereby I would have missed a good tale. I assumed it was going to be about a white American enamoured of the chance to become royalty. The truth is far different. Peggy was born in Africa,
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 though she works at an embassy in the US. Becoming a 'king' in Africa is not glamorous. In fact, the king is responsible for the welfare of her people, and she was hard pressed to meet the expected obligations. Because she was locally born, she was part of the culture and very aware of the watchful eye of the ancestors who would be very displeased and make life difficult if she did not follow protocol.
Although it took several years, she was able to use her knowledge of the way the world works to bring in some NGOs who provided a well and a school for her community.
A great lesson in life for any reader, read with an expresssively accented voice.
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LibraryThing member raschneid
Took me long enough to finish, but I really enjoyed this memoir, an engrossing insider's look at Ghanaian culture. I learned so much about this part of West Africa, especially the experience of living in an animistic religious system.

The episodes and characters are slightly cartoonish and played up
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 for comic effect - although part of this is simply the wackiness of life in a small fishing village. For the most part Bartels and her coauthor humanize the setting and characters, and the result is a book that feels personal, not saccharine or exotic.

I would definitely recommend the audio version, as reader J. Karen Thomas does a fantabulous job with the voice-acting.

A fun, satisfying read that gives life to a (willfully) misunderstood region of the world.
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Awards

One Maryland One Book selection (2013)
Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 (Selection — 2013)

Language

English

Original language

English

Original publication date

2012

Physical description

9.5 inches

ISBN

0385534329 / 9780385534321

More

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