Written as a letter from a Zimbabwean mother to her daughter, a student at Harvard, J. Nozipo Maraire evokes the moving story of a mother reaching out to her daughter to share the lessons life has taught her and bring the two closer than ever before. Interweaving history and memories, disappointments and dreams, Zenzele tells the tales of Zimbabwe's struggle for independence and the men and women who shaped it: Zenzele's father, an outspoken activist lawyer; her aunt, a schoolteacher by day and secret guerrilla fighter by night; and her cousin, a maid and a spy.

J. Nozipo Maraire was born in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1966 during the transition of the country from colonial Rhodesia under Britain to the independent country of Zimbabwe. Maraire’s grandparents, parents, and other close family members were directly involved in the war for independence from both the British and the white elite. Maraire left Zimbabwe during the war. She lived and went to school in Canada, the United States, and Jamaica. These experiences influenced her view of the world:  “I saw the world as vast and magical with so many different cultures and people,” she says. “It opened me up and made me very adaptable to change. It also meant that I was not afraid to be in strange places, to experience, and to learn” (Maraire). Maraire returned to Zimbabwe before the war ended, during the height of racism and fear. Despite their small numbers, the white inhabitants of Zimbabwe governed the country’s black majority. Living during this time period became extremely difficult for the blacks because they had to gain their freedom from Britain as well as from the white inhabitants of Zimbabwe. Maraire recalls, “I went to an all white school. It was horrid, the air seethed with anger and hate.” Maraire stayed in Zimbabwe until she was 18 when she moved to Boston to study at Harvard University. While growing up, she had dreamed about studying medicine in America. However, her plan was to return to Zimbabwe as a doctor who could help improve Africa’s healthcare and economy. Maraire’s dream came true when she went to Columbia Medical School after receiving an undergraduate degree from Harvard. After attending Columbia Medical School, Maraire completed neurosurgery training at the Yale School of Medicine.  As a physician, she has worked with global health entities, including the World Health Organization. She divides her time between Zimbabwe and the United States.