African Literature Ascendant

[Patrick Murtha]

With today’s announcements, this year’s Nobel, Booker, International Booker, and Prix Goncourt have all gone to African writers, so the continent’s literature is having a moment! I see this as a positive, heartening occurrence because it means, among other things, that African writers in general should get more of a deserved shot in the international marketplace of literary attention; and it shows the tremendous diversity of “African writing”, which is not confined by race, religion, gender, but like the literature of every other continent, embraces all.

 

[Corswandt]

With today’s announcements, this year’s Nobel, Booker, International Booker, and Prix Goncourt have all gone to African writers

Also the 2022 Neustadt for Boubacar Boris Diop of Senegal.

But isn't David Diop (Booker International) born in France and a French citizen?

 

[Patrick Murtha]

Diop’s father is Senegalese and he himself grew up in Senegal from ages 5 to 18. So he may have dual citizenship, but in any case, plenty enough African to qualify (and of course, his subject matter is African also).

 

[tiganeasca]

I agree that it is a "positive, heartening occurrence," but I feel like it is merely a fortuitous year or, to put it another way, mostly pure dumb luck. I'd love to believe that it represents a greater sensitivity or greater awareness. But I just can't--at least not yet. I think we just happened to witness a year where several highly deserving writers all "won" recognition and they all happened to come from the same continent. I won't believe it's meaningful unless and until such sensitivity and such awareness becomes commonplace and not deserving of recognition or comment.

I'm well aware how jaded I sound but I think the track records of most prizes and recognitions give good cause for moroseness. And I will be thrilled when we don't have to recognize something like this as unusual.

(Lest there be any doubt at all, I am not being critical of the OP's post. I am being critical of a world where, sadly, it needed to be said. I agree with you that it is positive and heartening; I just wish we weren't still in a place in 2021 where it needed to happen or needed to be said.)

 

[Leseratte]

I won't believe it's meaningful unless and until such sensitivity and such awareness becomes commonplace and not deserving of recognition or comment.

I think I understand what you mean. Some time ago, a very talented Brazilian journalist got the command of the midday news at our most important TV.They commemorated that she was the first black woman journalist to command these news. She herself answered that there would only be real reason for joy, if the fact became commonplace.
But maybe we are halfway there.

 

[DouglasM]

With today’s announcements, this year’s Nobel, Booker, International Booker, and Prix Goncourt have all gone to African writers...

Also the 2022 Neustadt for Boubacar Boris Diop of Senegal.

And the Camões Prize for Paulina Chiziane, from Mozambique.

 

[Leseratte]

14 award-winning African authors you should know | CNN

There's a whole host of authors from Africa who have made a splash on the international stage. Here are just a few of the stars you should look out for.

edition.cnn.com

 

[kpjayan]

Some one is reading these posts..

Not sure if you need an access to read :

Damon Galgut and a year of triumph for African literature

Prize victories for Galgut, David Diop and Abdulrazak Gurnah show the world is listening but there are still many unheard voices

www.ft.com

 

[Leseratte]

You do. I also read one interesting article about the African Laureates in DW. But it is in German and they didn´t translate it.

 

[tiganeasca]

You do. I also read one interesting article about the African Laureates in DW. But it is in German and they didn´t translate it.

Could it have been this article, translated from the German and appearing in the Hindustan Times?

 

[Leseratte]

No it is this one. The gist is a bit similar. I´m posting the German link, for those that read German, if they translate it later,
I´ll update it.

Literaturpreise für afrikanische Autoren – DW – 05.11.2021

Prix Goncourt für Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, Booker Prize für Damon Galgut: Ist die literarische Vielfalt auf dem europäischen Buchmarkt 2021 angekommen?

www.dw.com

 

[Dante]

France24 on this thread topic.

 

[tiganeasca]

Nothing in great depth here, but definitely some interesting thoughts on this topic.

 

[MichaelHW]

A few years back, in 2017, I interviewed an expert on Somali literature

Somalia: the literature of a nation in ruins | Historyradio.org

historyradio.org

I thought it was interesting. The diaspora serves a very important function for African literature. Some writers who say they are Nigerian, do not actually live in Nigeria. It is the same for most African countries, with the possible exception of South Africa and some arab countries. Often they live in the UK, France or the US. Sometimes this distance is a prerequisite for the criticism they offer in their stories. Other times, it is sad symptom of succes that everyone with an oportunity to leave Africa jumps on the first plane they see.

 

[niamul21]

With today’s announcements, this year’s Nobel, Booker, International Booker, and Prix Goncourt have all gone to African writers, so the continent’s literature is having a moment! I see this as a positive, heartening occurrence because it means, among other things, that African writers in general should get more of a deserved shot in the international marketplace of literary attention; and it shows the tremendous diversity of “African writing”, which is not confined by race, religion, gender, but like the literature of every other continent, embraces all.

Yes, thanks for sharing this info.

 

[wordeater]

My knowledge is limited, but just enough for a personal top 10 of African novels:

1. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Half of a Yellow Sun (2006) [Nigeria, English]
2. Abdulrazak Gurnah - Paradise (1994) [Tanzania, English]
3. Naguib Mahfoez - Palace Walk (1956) [Egypt, Arabic]
4. Chinua Achebe - Things Fall Apart (1958) [Nigeria, English]
5. Irma Joubert - Anderkant Pontenilo (2009) [South Africa, Afrikaans]
6. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Americanah (2013) [Nigeria, English]
7. J. M. Coetzee - Disgrace (1999) [South Africa, English]
8. Nadine Gordimer - The Conservationist (1974) [South Africa, English]
9. Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi - Kintu (2014) [Uganda, English]
10. Maaza Mengiste - The Shadow King (2019) [Ethiopia, English]

 

[Ben Jackson]

A Personal African Ten Novels, I will only focus on 20th Century as I have read more from that period. Next post will focus on 21st Century.

The Conservationist--- Gordimer
Season's Migration to the North-- Salih
A Grain of Wheat--- Ngugi
Palace Walk--- Mahfouz
Things Fall Apart--- Achebe
The Interpreters--- Soyinka
A Dry White Season---- Brink
Beautyful One's are not Yet Born-- Armah
Sleepwalking Land--- Couto
The Famished Road--- Okri