African writers /

Handsome and well crafted, this work will make African literature, a genre not yet in the mainstream, accessible to the broad readership it deserves. Essays by international literary scholars discuss the life and work of 65 authors "who were born or spent a good deal of their lives in Africa." Some names will be familiar, while others, despite sizable bodies of writing, may seem obscure. The list includes four Nobel laureates--Wole Soyinka, Najib Mahfouz, Nadine Gordimer, and Albert Camus (the latter included because of his Algerian birthplace). The insightful introduction describes the criteria for selection of authors and discusses major issues in the study of African literature, including colonialism, identity, and choice of language. A list of authors by country and a detailed chronology of political as well as literary events help to put the work in perspective. Each entry includes a selected bibliography of literary titles by the author and critical studies of the author's work. The essays are an excellent introduction, sure to whet readers' appetites for the books themselves. African Writers should be on the shelves of all libraries with literature collections. G. Walsh; Boston University

Four winners of the Nobel Prize in literature are included among the 65 featured authors in this two-volume set on men and women who came from or spent a substantial part of their lives in Africa during the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Writing in English, French, Portuguese, and Arabic, as well as indigenous African languages, many of these authors are also recipients of other international and national literary awards. An international team of contributors, most of whom have academic affiliations, has put together a valuable body of information on writers whose diversity of ethnic backgrounds reflects not only the cultural variety of the peoples of the African continent but also influences from other geographic areas. Among the more widely known are Doris Lessing, who was born in Persia to British parents and moved to the former Southern Rhodesia at the age of seven; Albert Camus, born in Algeria to French parents; and J. M. Coetzee, who was born in South Africa to a family with Dutch antecedents. Other familiar names include Buchi Emecheta, Athol Fugard, Ben Okri, Nadine Gordimer, Najib Mahfuz, Olive Schreiner, and Woye Soyinka. The writings of the represented authors cover all aspects of the literary field, including traditional lore, science fiction, poetry, drama, and autobiography. The set highlights each writer's African experiences and the individual's search for self-identity and self-determination within these experiences. There emerges a fascinating window on the cross-currents and influences--colonial, social, economic, and religious-that shaped these writers and their work. Several special features contribute to the African context. Following the table of contents in volume 1 is a section called "Writers by Country," containing brief introductory paragraphs for each author, grouped according to the country with which they are chiefly associated. This is followed by a chronological record of African history from 1830 to 1996, showing major political and other important events. Each author's birth and, where applicable, death dates are included in the chronology, thus giving a valuable perspective on their writings. The major individual entries, which are arranged alphabetically by author and average about 13 pages in length, include biographical information, a descriptive and critical analysis of the author's works, and a selected but extensive bibliography. The bibliographies list primary and secondary works, with English translations of nonEnglish works when available. Secondary works include interviews and profiles, as well as biographical and critical studies. The second volume concludes with brief biographical notes about the contributors, and a comprehensive index. Researchers of African literature will find few similar collections. Most studies of African writing tend to focus on the types of literature, such as English-language fiction from West Africa, French-language poetry, and the writings of African women. African Writers provides rich commentary, with individual authorship as the primary focus. Though information on many of the authors can be found in other standard reference sources, this set provides a uniquely African perspective. There is ample available material, as stated in the introduction, for subsequent volumes. Highly recommended for academic and public libraries. (Reviewed July 1997)

Edited by an emeritus professor from Manchester University, this two-volume set follows the same format as other entries in the series (e.g., African American Writers, LJ 6/1/91). Sixty-five authors from throughout the African continent are included. The entries, which are written by an impressive array of contributors, generally provide a solid overview of the author's life and works and include a bibliography of primary and secondary sources. The results are accessible to college students but could also benefit more seasoned scholars. As in any such work, one can question the bases for the editor's choices. The major concern here is the inclusion of only nine women writers, with such notable omissions as Flora Nwapa, Grace Ogot, and Miriam Tlali. Still, this is a very worthwhile reference tool. By offering a wide spectrum of writers from across the continent, it serves as a useful complement to the three volumes of the Dictionary of Literary Biography series devoted to 20th-century Caribbean and black African writers (Gale, 1992-96).‘Louis J. Parascandola, Long Island Univ., Brooklyn Campus, N.Y. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.