i urge others on this list to do the same
thanks for undertaking this project
ken harrow
On 10/9/15 6:42 AM, 'Chambi Chachage' via USA Africa Dialogue Series wrote:
--LETTER REQUESTING PEARSON PUBLISHERS TO DO MORE IN PUBLISHING IN CONNECTION WITH THE AFRICAN WRITERS SERIES
Dear Sir,We the below signed write to express our grave concern at the publishing policies of Pearson in relation to African fictional writing. When Pearson took over the Heinemann African Writers Series in 2011 the list included some 300 titles of poetry, novels, political and social thought, short stories and drama. The international community of African writers, scholars and readers of African literature were delighted that this seminal and iconic list was to be maintained. Indeed Pearson promised to develop the list and put out a call for new writing to add to its African publishing.
In September 2015 if one consults the list 72 titles are given. Of these 17 are not currently in print and only three appear with promised dates of publication. In all other cases Pearson simply says that there will be a reprint 'soon' – a listing which has in several cases now been posted for years. This means that out of the list acquired only 55 titles, or approximately one sixth, are still available.
Key texts not even listed any more include Okot p'Bitek's seminal poems Song of Lawino and Song of Okot which are foundational to any understanding of the development of modern African writing. Other hugely significant writers who have become casualties of the list include Alex La Guma, Taban lo Liyong, Sembene Ousmane, Ali Mazrui, Christopher Okigbo, Robert Serumaga, and Jack Mapanje, to name but a few. Recently even Nobel prize winner, Wole Soyinka's poetry volume, Poems of Black Africa, appears to have been dropped, while it appears his major novel, The Interpreters, never made it to Pearson. Every year, those of us teaching and reading African literature find we have less and less choice available to us.
We were particularly pleased with the idea of, and call for, new African writing put out by Pearson in 2012. In that year Amir Tag Elsir's, The Grub Hunter, was indeed published under the imprint of AWS, but three years later it is no longer listed.
It appears that having taken over the stewardship of the greatest single list of African writing, Pearson has no interest in maintaining or developing the fabulous riches of African literature. We appreciate that Pearson is a business, however we also doubt the good faith of the publisher which has reneged on promises to take over and build on its African writers series. We certainly continue to wish to purchase and teach many of these texts, and are now increasingly lacking the ability to introduce new readers to the treasury of modern African literature.
We ask Pearson to revisit its African Writers list and to explain why so many titles promised reprinting are not appearing, and why new publishing is not coming on line as promised. We would also like to know, at a time when so many publishers are able to deliver any text on their list through on demand printing, why even texts of less mass interest are not being made available.
Yours faithfully,Professor Jane Plastow. University of Leeds, UK
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Vicensia Shule <vicensiashule@yahoo.com>
To: Chambi Chachage <chambi78@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 8, 2015 12:12 PM
Subject: Fw: PLEASE SIGN A LETTER PROTESTING AND THE RUNNING DOWN OF THE AFRICAN WRITERS SERIES BY PEARSON PUBLISHERS
On Wednesday, October 7, 2015 7:13 PM, Jane Plastow <J.E.Plastow@leeds.ac.uk> wrote:
Dear All,Please read the attached letter which is protesting to Pearson Publishers about how they have radically run down the African writers Series after acquiring it from Heinemann. If you agree with the sentiments expressed please email me with your name, title, nationality and institutional affiliation and I will add your name to the list at the bottom of the letter. Also please pass this letter on to others who may be concerned and ask them to do the same thing. I'm just starting out with folks I know but surely there are many of us horrified at the running down of the list. I'll keep this open for a couple of weeks and see who has signed.
All best wishes,Jane PlastowProfessor of African TheatreUniversity of Leeds
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-- kenneth w. harrow faculty excellence advocate professor of english michigan state university department of english 619 red cedar road room C-614 wells hall east lansing, mi 48824 ph. 517 803 8839 harrow@msu.edu
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