City Reads Books and Stationery
How Beautiful We Were
How Beautiful We Were
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So begins Imbolo Mbue’s powerful second novel, How Beautiful We Were. Set in the fictional African village of Kosawa, it tells the story of a people living in fear amidst environmental degradation wrought by an American oil company.
Pipeline spills have rendered farmlands infertile. Children are dying from drinking toxic water. Promises of clean-up and financial reparations to the villagers are made—and ignored. The country’s government, led by a brazen dictator, exists to serve its own interest. Left with few choices, the people of Kosawa decide to fight back. Their struggle would last for decades and come at a steep price.
Told through the perspective of a generation of children and the family of a girl named Thula who grows up to become a revolutionary, How Beautiful We Were is a masterful exploration of what happens when the reckless drive for profit, coupled with the ghost of colonialism, comes up against one community’s determination to hold onto its ancestral land and a young woman’s willingness to sacrifice everything for the sake of her people’s freedom.
"The unforgettable story of a community on the wrong end of Western greed, How Beautiful We Were will enthrall you, appall you, and show you what is possible when a few people stand up and say this is not right. A masterful novel by a spellbinding writer engaged with the most urgent questions of our day.”—David Ebershoff, bestselling author of The Danish Girl
Orders can be picked up from our store in Adenta. Click on this link for google map directions
Shipping Info
Shipping Info
Delivery fees can be paid on delivery. The cost of delivery ranges from GHS 25 to GHS 60, based on your location.
All orders received on business days are processed within 24 hours. Orders received on weekends and holidays are processed within 24-72 hours.
Deliveries in Accra, its environs, Kasoa and Tema, Ghana
Deliveries in and around Accra as well as Kasoa and Tema, would be made within 24 hours after receiving your order confirmation email.
Deliveries outside Accra (Inter-regional Deliveries)
Inter-regional deliveries to areas outside Accra, are made via Speedaf or by bus (VIP, STC) within 48 - 72 hours business days (excluding weekends and holidays) after receiving your order confirmation email. Please reach out to us on +233205302691 whenever you make an order going outside Accra.
Pick ups
Orders can be picked up from our store in Adenta. Click on this link for google map directions
International Shipping
Currently, we do not offer international shipping. We are still working on an affordable means of shipping internationally. Do send an email to orders@cityreadsbookstore.com before making and order if you are located anywhere outside Ghana.
Return & Exchange
Return & Exchange
Books purchased can be returned within a week. This means from the day you received your purchase, you have up to 7 days to request a return, refund or exchange.
To be eligible, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unused, and in its original packaging. You’ll also need to submit the receipt or proof of purchase.
If your return is accepted, we’ll arrange for a delivery company to pickup. Items sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted.
We make sure our books and all other items are in pristine condition before delivery. In the event where your order arrives damaged in any way (dog ears, broken spine etc), please email us as soon as possible at orders@cityreadsbookstore.com with your order number and a photo of the item’s condition.
If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at orders@cityreadsbookstore.com.
Damages and issues
Please inspect your order upon reception and contact us immediately if the item is defective, damaged or if you receive the wrong item, so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right.
Exceptions / non-returnable items
Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns on sale items or gift cards.
Exchanges
The fastest way to ensure you get what you want is to return the item you have, and once the return is accepted, make a separate purchase for the new item.
Refunds
We will notify you once we’ve received and inspected your return, and let you know if the refund was approved or not. If approved, you’ll be automatically refunded on your original payment method within 10 business days. Please remember it can take some time for your bank or credit card company to process and post the refund too.
If more than 10 business days have passed since we approved your return, please contact us at orders@cityreadsbookstore.com.
WANT TO ORDER BOOKS FOR YOUR LIBRARY OR BOOKSHOP AT WHOLESALE PRICES?
Send an email to Priscilla at orders@cityreadsbookstore.com to arrange wholesale orders.