Customer Reviews

Gods and Soldiers: The Penguin Anthology of Contemporary African Writing

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a spectacular collection of prose, and is smartly arranged--it starts with someone we've all heard of, "Things Fall Apart" author Chinua Achebe, and then introduces us to lots of new voices, as well as reacquainting us with some familiar ones like Nadine Gordimer and J.M. Coetzee. Mia Coutu's essay on "Languages We Don't Know", which references Joyce's idea of chaosmology,is profound. This is a fabulous introduction to contemporary African writing.

The editor of this piece likely tried to strike a balance between introducing readers to new voices while also including well-known names -- older coots like Achebe, Coetzee and Gordimer. This is quite a smart decision from the marketing standpoint but readers suffer for it. The well-known writers (to the average Western audiencemember) seem flat and outdated here, even stagnant. In contrast, lesser lights like Alain Mabanckou, Jose Agualusa and Mia Couto knock our socks off -- even in translation! Nevertheless, get this book and read it so you can learn about the richly talented literatures of Africa awaiting you. The short tour of Northern, Eastern, Western, Francophone, Portuguese-speaking and Southern African regions will have you scouring the internet and bookstores for more.

GODS AND SOLDIERS: THE PENGUIN ANTHOLOGY OF CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN WRITING is a top pick for any library strong in African representation. It provides stories reflecting the modern continent's concerns and experiences - some thirty - and reflects different cultures and perspectives across the continent.