AFRICA 39 With a Preface by Wole Soyinka
About AFRICA 39 With a Preface by Wole Soyinka
Thirty-nine writers, representing sixteen countries from south of the Sahara, can only provide a snapshot of the potential offerings from a vast continent of storytellers, this anthology is a good place to start. There are love stories here; explorations in language that seek to bridge the gap between poetry and prose; political works of psychedelic daring; a look at the far future that comments on social repression today; re-imaginings of historical events; explorations in crime writing. There is no danger of ‘a single story’ here. Indeed, one would be hard pressed to find collective concerns, unifying themes or even to coin a definition that adequately describes the range, stylistic inclinations and subjects herein. At their best, the writers of Africa39 show themselves a generation whose imaginations are unbound – time, space and circumstance are adapted, adopted and shaped in stories that are as different from each other as their creators are unique.
With an introduction by Wole Soyinka, Africa39 is a must-read for anyone curious about Africa today and Africa tomorrow, as envisioned through the eyes of its brightest literary stars.
