Africa Writes Back: The African Writers Series & the Launch of African Literature: The African Writers Series and the Launch of African Literature - Hardcover

Currey, James

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9780821418420: Africa Writes Back: The African Writers Series & the Launch of African Literature: The African Writers Series and the Launch of African Literature

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0821418424 ISBN 13: 9780821418420

Publisher: Ohio University Press, 2008

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June 17, 2008, is the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Chinua Achebe\u2019s Things Fall Apart by Heinemann. This publication provided the impetus for the foundation of the African Writers Series in 1962 with Chinua Achebe as the editorial adviser. Africa Writes Back: The African Writer\u2019s Series & the Launch of African Literature captures the energy of literary publishing in a new and undefined field. Portraits of the leading characters and the many consultants and readers providing reports and advice to new and established writers make Africa Writes Back a stand-out book. James Currey\u2019s voice and insights are an added bonus.

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Review:

"[The book] is full of the drama of that enterprise, the drama of dealing with the mother house, the drama of dealing with the often intractable political constraints dominating the intellectual space across Africa, and not least of all dealing with the writers themselves--with their ambitions, their temperaments, their financial needs and, at times, their perception of a colonial relationship between themselves and a European publishing house."--Clive Wake, Emeritus Professor of Modern Languages, University of Kent at Canterbury

"A fascinating read and an irreplaceable reference...."--Research in African Literatures

"An essential history of African publishing and literature in the early post-colonial period, Africa Writes Back is filled with fascinating titbits and useful information. While certainly of interest to anyone involved in publishing, it should be of particular interest to readers (and scholars) of African literature, providing an extensive literary history and a great deal of context. Very nicely done." --The Complete Review

"Highly recommended."--CHOICE

About the Author:

James Currey was the editorial director at Heinemann Educational Books in charge of the African Writers Series from 1967 to 1984. He is the recipient of the African Literary Association's 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award.

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