Released on December 16, 2020 By Book Bunk

Episode 1

A Palace for The People

In this episode, we explore the history of McMillan Memorial Library, including some background on Lucy and Northrup McMillan, who it’s named after. Wanjiru and Wachuka walk us through the library as they share the story of Book Bunk’s inception of their dreams for this library.

  1. A collection of articles on Nairobi’s colonial history, the McMillan Memorial Library, Northrup McMillan and much more by one of our favourite chroniclers at Owaahh (Link thumbnails of articles here directing to their site) 
  2. A small collection of the lions of Nairobi: City Hall,  GPO Roundabout, McMillan Memorial Library entrance, Africanah Room, Main Floor 
  3. Biography of Sir William Northrup McMillan here
  4. Want to know how Juja town got its name? Click here to find out! 
  5. Read about when Theodore Roosevelt and his son, Kermit visited McMillan and stole lions while in the city. A riveting article by Owaahh here. 
  6. The McMillan Memorial Library Act, here
  7. The McMillan Castle in Ol Donyo Sabuk/Kilimambogo/Kyanzavi mountain. It is now a museum domiciled under the National Museums of Kenya and managed by the Muka Mukuu Cooperative. Here
  8. Mugambo – A film adapted from the play, Red Dust and partly filmed in Kenya. Trailer here.
  9. Kenya @ 50: Trends, Identities and the Politics of Belonging, by Joyce Nyairo. A book about the intersection of culture, identity and politics in Kenya in the past 50 years. Can be purchased from here
  10. Northrup McMillan’s burial site on the slopes of Ol Donyo Sabuk. Image here
  11. Palaces for The People, by Eric Klinenberg. The inspiration for our podcast’s name and a sociological treatise on how to build more equal and united society through social infrastructure. Can be purchased here
  12. Astoria Waldorf NYC advert from August 1906
  13. Northrup McMillan’s Chiromo House. Before he owned it, it belonged to Ewart Grogan, who sold it to him. Today it is one of the offices for the Institute of Anthropology, Gender and African Studies at the University of Nairobi (image)
  14. Khoja Mosque. Then and Now.
  15. ES Atieno: This episode is dedicated to ES Atieno Odhiambo (1945 – 25 February 2009), a Kenyan academic widely known for his contributions to the understanding of dangers inherent in politics of knowledge and sociology of power. Dr Odhiambo was professor of history at Rice University in the United States, where he led in the study of cultures. He was educated at Makerere University in Uganda and the University of Nairobi in Kenya.Odhiambo retired from Rice University due to illness and moved back with his wife to their home in Ndere, Siaya, before his 2009 death at the Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu. Bibliography 

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