AiW Guest: Temitayo Olofinlua This is the third in AiW’s annual Caine Prize for African Writing review series, reviewing all five of the shortlisted stories of 2019’s offerings. We’ve long used the opportunity to talk through the writing recognised by… Read More ›
Reviews & Spotlights on…
Event: What Is Happening in African Literature Today? (Lagos, 31 May)
The Goethe-Institut Nigeria and Wawa Book Review cordially invite you to the Public Conversation, ‘What Is Happening in African Literature Today?’, which offers a platform to literary critics, editors and translators to meet colleagues from different parts of the continent… Read More ›
‘Reality the stranger fiction’: Review of Namwali Serpell’s ‘The Old Drift’
AiW Guest: Charlott Schönwetter Zzz Zzzz. At the beginning and – as much shall be revealed – at the end, a swarm of mosquitoes speaks: “This is the story of a nation – not a kingdom or a people –… Read More ›
Call for applications: Reviews Editor for Africa in Words. NEW Closing date 6 May 2019
Africa in Words is recruiting volunteers to join our small, friendly and entirely voluntary team. We are recruiting for our Reviews section. Africa in Words has an average of 6500 readers each month from over 100 countries. The blog’s Reviews… Read More ›
Review: Oyeyemi’s ‘Gingerbread’ has “no nostalgia baked in”
AiW Guest: Caitlin Bridget Shewell-Cooper. My friends have long heard my complaints that Helen Oyeyemi’s UK covers have never done the books justice. Too twee, too generic, chill out, Caitlin. The Riverhead Books US edition of Gingerbread, featuring a dark… Read More ›
Call for applications: Associate Reviews Editor for Africa in Words. Closing date – 31 July 2018.
Africa in Words is recruiting volunteers to join our small, tight-knit and entirely voluntary team. We are recruiting for our Reviews section, with the potential for multiple Associate Editorial positions.
Caine Prize 2018 Shortlist: A Review of Makena Onjerika’s “Fanta Blackcurrant”
AiW Guest: Beverly Akoyo Ochieng’ AiW’s annual Caine Prize review series is back. We’ve been talking about prize culture for a long time at Africa in Words; Kate Wallis started off this series in 2013. In the coming days we are… Read More ›
Old is New: A Review of Emmanuel Dongala’s Jazz and Palm Wine
AiW Guest: David Borman I first encountered Jazz and Palm Wine in fragmentary form. As a student who read French poorly yet took a course on Francophone African Literature, I was allowed to read translations of our coursework, and… Read More ›
Caine Prize Shortlist Reviews, Part 4: ‘The Virus’ by Magogodi Makhene
AiW Guest: David Reiersgord This week, we will feature reviews of the five stories shortlisted for the 2017 Caine Prize for African Writing. The prize winner will be announced on Monday 3 July. Today’s review is of South African author Magogodi… Read More ›
Caine Prize Shortlist Reviews, Part 2: ‘Who Will Greet You At Home’ by Lesley Nneka Arimah
AiW Guest: Kufre Usanga This week, we will feature reviews of the five stories shortlisted for the 2017 Caine Prize for African Writing. The prize winner will be announced on Monday 3 July. Today’s review is of Nigerian author Lesley Nneka… Read More ›
Caine Prize Shortlist Reviews, Part 1: ‘The Story of the Girl Whose Birds Flew Away’ by Bushra al-Fadil
AiW Guest: Rebekah Bale This week, we will feature reviews of the five stories shortlisted for the 2017 Caine Prize for African Writing. The prize winner will be announced on Monday 3 July. Our first review is of Sudanese author… Read More ›
Ake Review 2015: interviews, short fiction and art
AiW Guest: Tọ́pẹ́ Salaudeen-Adégòkè Tọ́pẹ́ Salaudeen-Adégòkè continues his in-depth discussion of the Ake Review 2015. Read Part I, which discusses poetry, here. Ten Questions: African writers discuss their work The Ten Questions section of the Ake Review features festival guests… Read More ›