Emerging African Voices: A Study of Contemporary African Literatu ...

Foreword

This volume of critical essays uncovers vast reserves of creative talent in the new wave of African writing produced during the first decade of the twenty-first century by a group of young, well-educated, and globally literate men and women, such as Chimamanda Adichie, Chris Abani, Helon Abila, Fatou Diome, Helen Oyeyemi, and Phaswane Mpe. They are not household names yet, but their numbers and reputations are growing and their expanding corpus, some of which has been translated into dozens of languages, has engaged many readers around the world. Some have made unexpected breakthroughs, receiving a slew of prizes, including the prestigious MacArthur and Guggenheim awards; the Commonwealth Prize for Literature, Africa Region; the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award; and the PEN Hemingway Book Prize. Collectively, the essays in this book capture the exciting energy of the emergent writing in rigorous analyses of selected texts, drawing on historical, comparative, and theoretical insights to provide a fresh perspective demanded by the new literature. The volume opens up a realm of artistry that illuminates the recurring and changing aspects of African life in a globally connected world at the dawn of a new century.