could you comment on an impression i have that the styles and genres of literary works published and distributed inside africa are different from those published and distributed in the west.
i had the impression that within the continent realism is favored; outside, more avant-garde or experimental fiction is likely to be found. inside the focus tends to be on representation--representing issues or problems, or the lives of certain individuals or communities; outside there is greater concern over the literariness of the text, something that might reflect the kinds of training writers get in university creative writing courses.
i am asking not about an absolute difference, but one of degree.
and i am not asking about publications that might differ according to the language of publication; just a question as to whether you perceive a difference, any difference at all, the comes out in what publishers are publishing in africa as opposed to outside of africa.
thanks
ken
On 7/23/12 6:43 AM, Ikhide wrote:
--"Digital technology is poised to save Africa's stories from the comatose printing presses of Africa's "publishers." Good writers still languish in Africa, staring at lovely stories trapped in the mediocrity of imitation books but all that is changing. E-books are here for African writers who are savvy enough to port their books to the Kindle or the Nook and share with the world. It is a good thing. I have been buying and downloading books by writers living the living in Nigeria, warts and all. I am happy because now I can read many more of our stories than ever before. The Internet has been a boon to our literature. Why do I like reading books by writers "on the ground" in Nigeria as they say? I pine for the stories of our people unvarnished."
Read the rest of my review of Eghosa Imasuen's Fine Boys here.- IkhideStalk my blog at www.xokigbo.comFollow me on Twitter: @ikhideJoin me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ikhide
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-- kenneth w. harrow distinguished professor of english michigan state university department of english east lansing, mi 48824-1036 ph. 517 803 8839 harrow@msu.edu
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