In Episode 15, we travel from the lush plantations of Equatorial Guinea to the fractured landscapes of apartheid-era South Africa to explore the legacies of colonialism and the complex question of belonging.

We begin with Palm Trees in the Snow by Luz Gabás — a sweeping historical novel that unearths Spain’s forgotten empire in Africa. Through the story of a family torn between two homelands, the book reveals how intimacy, exploitation, and silence are woven into colonial memory. The novel asks not only what was lost, but what was never truly acknowledged to begin with.

From there, we turn to The Colonizer and the Colonized by Albert Memmi, a searing work of decolonial theory that dismantles the psychological structures of imperial rule. Memmi lays bare how colonization distorts both the oppressor and the oppressed — shaping identities, justifying violence, and eroding agency long after the physical occupation ends.

Finally, we reflect on Born a Crime by Trevor Noah — a memoir as funny as it is profound. With sharp wit and deep heart, Noah brings us into his experience of growing up mixed-race in apartheid South Africa, where even his existence was considered illegal. His story highlights the absurdity of racial hierarchies and the quiet resilience it takes to survive them.

Together, these books invite us to examine how borders — national, cultural, racial — are drawn, enforced, and eventually internalized. And they remind us that the aftermath of colonialism isn’t confined to history. It continues to shape who gets to feel at home, who is asked to prove they belong, and what stories are allowed to be remembered.