Maxwell Mkoki was born in Zimbabwe and moved to New Zealand in 2005 as an indentured worker. He is currently a full-time student at Auckland University studying Global Studies, a transdisciplinary study focusing on solving our globalized world issues. Behind You, Dad is a relationship book about a father and son who discuss life's challenges in new environments. Maxwell talks to NZ Booklovers.
Tell us a little about Behind You, Dad.
Behind You, Dad is a conversation between an Immigrant father and his son in a New Land, New Zealand, away from their country of birth, Zimbabwe. The Dad does most of the talking while the son probes him for answers to his many questions regarding life challenges. They discuss a wide range of issues while the father imparts the wisdom he has acquired from his lived experience.
The book has many themes, but relationship-building between parents and their children is the bedrock of the book; it is based on conversations I had with my son. I had harboured thoughts of writing a book since I arrived in New Zealand in 2005, but I wasn't sure how and when to do it until one day, it dawned on me that our conversations could be a good setting for a book. I started writing on March 1, 2021 and finished the first manuscript in September 2022.
What inspired you to write this book?
In my African culture, we lost a lot of valuable knowledge because our ancestors did not pursue writing down their history but emphasized oral tradition, where history is passed down through conversations from one generation to the next. Its known memory retention can be challenging, and stories can be told to suit the storyteller's narrative. History is important for maintaining and improving humanity`s way of life, and that’s the context that drove me to write a book so that future generations may refer to my book to learn how people lived in the first quarter of the 21st century, not just in New Zealand but across the globe while highlighting some push and pull factors that were at play for people to migrate and simultaneously helping the contemporary reader to have an immigrant`s perspective of the world.
What research was involved?
I took second jobs to understand different work settings. I asked random questions to coworkers, so I might call it anecdotal evidence, as there was no need to develop survey questions or Likert scales. I used my diary to note what stood out in my work environment. I also had discussions with people of different backgrounds, locals, and immigrants, giving me varied perspectives that shaped some chapters. I read and listened to numerous books, from Marcus Aurelius' Meditation to Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules for Life to Echart Tolle to Epictetus` Enchiridion, to name a few. A lot of reading and audiobooks helped shape the structure of the book.
What was your routine or process when writing this book?
I worked from 7 am to 3 pm. During the day, I would listen to audiobooks, and on my tea or lunch breaks, I would write notes down or review what I had written. I avoided working late or staying back, so when I got home, it was to eat, shower, sit, and write 500 to 1000 words every night. My weekends were spent relaxing and spending time with my son. I wrote the book during the COVID-19 period, so some days, I would work from home; this also allowed me to do my reading research, but I reserved the writing for nighttime most of the time. In some chapters, I would think about what to write during the day, but in some chapters, I would sit and start writing what came into my mind, which I found easier to do than planning; it is definitely what we are taught not to do in English writing classes. I found planning what to write more challenging than just sitting and allowing the material to pour onto the keyboard and rearrange the writing later.
If a soundtrack were made to accompany this book, name a song or two you would include.
Here I Go Again by Whitesnake or Ndazvipa Mufaro by Oni. Both songs talk about making your mind to do something. We have the ultimate decision on what we want to do. I found myself singing Here I Go Again way back in 1995 in Beira, Mozambique, when I moved there prospecting for work, then to South Africa in 2003, walking into a new workplace. I also found myself singing the song when I first arrived in New Zealand in 2005, walking to the Waipuna Hotel, where I stayed for a week.
Ndazvipa Mufaro is a song by Brother Oni in South Africa that talks about giving yourself joy by accomplishing what you set out to achieve in life.
Who would you like to see playing the lead characters if your book was made into a movie?
I would probably like to see Kevin Hart play me, but my son said Idris Elba matches my character. My son playing himself, with a mix of Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Kiwi, and Zimbabwean actors.
What did you enjoy the most about writing Behind You, Dad?
I could see my progress every night, with the word count increasing at the end of each night and the story shaping up. The reading research was quite fulfilling; I discovered new information and insight. I read some books repeatedly and listened to some audiobooks multiple times. I think I experienced personal growth in exploring my thoughts, emotions, and experiences. I also enjoyed telling my friends and family that I was writing a book, and the support I got was remarkable, which gave me the drive to continue writing.
What did you do to celebrate finishing this book?
I returned to Zimbabwe and spent 40 days with my Dad in the rural areas of Shurugwi. I enjoyed nature walks and stories from Dad about his Dad, who passed away more than thirty years ago. It was a reversal of my life in New Zealand, as this time, I was listening to my dad, who did most of the talking, while I asked him to fill in gaps in our family history and clarify where the story was not straightforward or where I did not quite understand his messages.
What is the favourite book you have read so far this year and why?
In April, Tony Moores of Poppies Bookshop likened Behind You, Dad to a book called Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. I had never heard of the book, but Carolyn, my friend who was present, gave me a copy, and it's my favourite book I have read so far this year. The similarities between Behind You, Dad, and Tuesdays with Morrie are that Morrie is a professor conversing with his former student. Behind You, Dad is a father-son conversation with the same themes. It was humbling for my book to be compared to Tuesdays with Morrie, which sold more than five million copies, but the themes are pretty similar, and I love it, though it is sad as Morrie dies at the end.
What’s next on the agenda for you?
I am studying for a bachelor's degree in Global Studies at the University of Auckland. I am majoring in International Relations and Business, and Immigration and Migration are part of the degree areas I am passionate about. This three-year program will take me overseas next year, so I will gather data for my next book while away. I will start writing it as soon as I complete my studies in 2026.
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