African Novel in English (Studies in African Literature) - Softcover

Booker, M. Keith

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0852555520 ISBN 13: 9780852555521

Publisher: James Currey, 1998

Synopsis

The rise to global prominence of African literature, and particularly of the African novel, has been seen by many as a vital development in contemporary world culture. Keith Booker examines are: Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart; Buchi Emecheta's The Joys of Motherhood ; Ayi Kwei Armah's The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born; Ama Ata Aidoo's Our Sister Killjoy; Nadine Gordimer's Burger's Daughter; Alex la Guma's In the Fog of the Seasons' End; Ngugi wa Thiongo's Devil on the Cross and Tsitsi Dangarembga's Nervous Conditions.

Booker uses these works to illustrate the scope and variety of the African novel and the aesthetic, cultural and political concerns that have motivated African authors. The text concludes that Americans and Europeans have every reason to study the African novel, and in so doing they will become familiar with one of the most powerful cultural forces in the late-20th-century world.

North America: Heinemann

About this title

Review:

Even in its title, Booker's text makes no tall claims about bringing additional information to our scholarly understanding of African literature. His introduction will provide an intelligent undergraduate with a historical and political background of the African novels they are reading in class without having to do additional research elsewhere... Booker's style is direct and simple, and therefore quite appealing to teachers engaged in representing African literature to an audience of students. - Huma Ibrahim in AFRICAN STUDIES QUARTERLY
... a remarkably successful attempt at a very daunting project, that is to provide the uninitiated with a comprehensive survey of the African novel. Booker's text is clearly aimed at students or persons with little or no knowledge of creative writing produced in Africa. - Felicity Hand in WASAFIRI
... an excellent job of introducing an important and rapidly growing body of literature. It will be particularly useful for undergraduates, but postgraduates and lecturers getting to grips with the subject will also find it a valuable resource. - Patrick Williams in JOURNAL OF MODERN AFRICAN STUDIES

Synopsis:

The rise to global prominence of African literature, and particularly of the African novel, has been seen by many as a vital development in contemporary world culture. In this volume Keith Booker provides an introduction to eight African novels written in English. The novels he examines include: Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart"; Buchi Emecheta's "The Joys of Motherhood"; Ayi Kwei Armah's "The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born"; Arna Ata Aidoo's "Our Sister Killjoy"; Nadine Gardener's "Burger's Daughter"; Alex la Guma's "In the Fog of the Seasons' End"; Ngugi wa Thiongo's "Devil on the Cross; and Tsitsi Dangarembga's "Nervous Conditions". Booker uses these works to illustrate the scope and variety of the African novel and the general aesthetic, cultural and political concerns that have motivated African authors. The text concludes that Americans and Europeans have every reason to study the African novel, and in so doing they will become familiar with one of the most powerful cultural forces in the late-20th-century world.

About this edition

• Publisher: James Currey
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0852555520
• ISBN 13: 9780852555521
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240