Bingo's Run

James A. Levine

This novel follows the story of Bingo Mwolo, the greatest runner in all of Kibera, Nairobi, and probably the world. For Bingo, by greatest runner, he means that he is the best deliverer of drugs and cash for the drug lords of the Kibera slum in Nairobi. Bingo is small (referred to by his friends as meejit) for his age, which gives him the advantage of rarely being stopped by police, and able to slip in and out where others can't. His friend Slow George is a constant companion and helps ground him in reality. As the greatest runner, Bingo has his own commandments that, in his opinion, exceed the value of the commandments in the bible. His include things such as "rest when you can", "finish every run", "never steal a run", etc. By following his commandments, Bingo survives and thrives to the limit of his imagination. But then he gets involved in activities that take him beyond his imagination. Trusted and then protected by the big bosses, adopted, tricked, arrested, beat, and admired. Bingo's Run is an adventure story in the slums, and Levine illuminates Kenyan culture to great effect by using local mythology and dialect to further his story. It is a quick read, and a fun adventure.
Read