Gods and Soldiers: The Penguin Anthology of Contemporary African Writing
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Book Overview
A one-of-a-kind collection showcasing the energy of new African literature Coming at a time when Africa and African writers are in the midst of a remarkable renaissance, Gods and Soldiers captures the vitality and urgency of African writing today. With stories from northern Arabic-speaking to southern Zulu-speaking writers, this collection conveys thirty different ways of approaching what it means to be African. Whether about life in the new urban melting pots of Cape Town and Luanda, or amid the battlefield chaos of Zimbabwe and Somalia, or set in the imaginary surreal landscapes born out of the oral storytelling tradition, these stories represent a striking cross section of extraordinary writing. Including works by J. M. Coetzee, Chimamanda Adichie, Nuruddin Farah, Binyavanga Wainaina, and Chinua Achebe, and edited by Rob Spillman of Tin House magazine, Gods and Soldiers features many pieces never before published, making it a vibrant and essential glimpse of Africa as it enters the twenty-first century.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0143114735
ISBN13:9780143114734
Release Date:April 2009
Publisher:Penguin Publishing Group
Length:368 Pages
Weight:0.70 lbs.
Dimensions:0.9" x 5.5" x 8.4"
Age Range:18 years and up
Grade Range:Postsecondary and higher
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
A top pick for any library strong in African representation
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 15 years ago
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.
Spectacular
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 15 years ago
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.
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