Books Aren’t Too Expensive, Our Priorities Are.

You’ve probably heard that old, troubling saying: “If you want to hide something from an African, put it in a book.” I’ve often wondered where that came from, and perhaps, part of the reason is this: books feel too expensive for our lifestyle. Some people argue that it’s about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs — that books are not a priority compared to basics like food, shelter, or water. But let’s examine that idea a little bit. Yes, food is a basic need, but does that include lunch at CJs? Because the cost of one meal there is about the same as the price of a memoir by someone you admire. Is it really about food or thirst or is it about our spending choices and the things we value? We will gladly spend money on luxuries. Clothes. New jeans. Nights out. We won’t think twice about spending 150,000 shillings on dinner for two. But when asked to spend the same amount on a book — a resource that could change your mindset, sharpen your skills, or even shift your life, we sigh, shiver, and say, “That’s too expensive.” Then we walk away from the book vendor and straight into a restaurant. Is it really about affordability? Or are we still learning how to value books?