Explores intellectual currents in African prose and verse from sung or chanted lines to modern writings

Covers the literatures of Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ken

African literatures, says volume editor Oyekan Owomoyela, "testify to the great and continuing impact of the colonizing project on the African universe." Africa

This study reflects the legacy of colonialism by devoting nine of its thirteen chapters to literature in 'Europhone' languages-English, French, and Portuguese.