Pacifique Irankunda Speaks on ‘The Tears of a Man Flow Inward’

“When I felt tears streaming down, I wiped my eyes and repeated to myself what I heard the adults say, that the tears of a man flow inward.”

On Friday, July 21, at 6 p.m., The Church’s July writer-in-residence is author Pacifique Irankunda who will speak on his work, “The Tears of a Man Flow Inward: Growing Up in the Civil War in Burundi,” published by Random House in March 2022.

Written in lyrical prose, “The Tears of a Man Flow Inward,” draws on Irankunda’s childhood memories and those of his family during the 13-year civil war in his native country of Burundi. As a young boy, Irankunda hid in the tall grass from military units as his young eyes watched the grueling warfare destroy his home, upend his family, and devastate his country’s beautiful culture. Through Irankunda’s song-like writing, readers are given a rare look into what it means to come of age in dark times, and how light can be found even in the midst of violence. Following Irankunda’s reading/discussion will be a Q&A and book signing. On Saturday, July 22, Irankunda joins the roster of writers for “Word: On Transformation” at The Church.

Pacifique Irankunda was born in Burundi, a small country in East Africa. He came to America at age 19 as a scholarship student at Deerfield Academy in western Massachusetts. His first published work, “Playing at Violence,” appeared in The American Scholar and won a Pushcart Prize.

Tickets for his talk are $20 ($10 members) at thechurchsagharbor.org. The Church is at 48 Madison Street in Sag Harbor.