Interviews Eloghosa Osunde and Okwiri Oduor. Photo of Oduor by Chelsea Bieker. It’s hard to argue with Booker Prize–winning author Damon Galgut’s assertion that 2021 was “a great year for African writing.” And as WLT’s “New African Voices” issue helped make clear, 2022 is shaping up to be one as well. Here, then, are two debut novelists who give us every reason to believe the richness and variety of writing from the continent is no passing trend: Nigerian Eloghosa Osunde, author of Vagabonds!, a kaleidoscopic vision of Lagos’s outcasts and outlaws (published in March by Riverhead Books); and Kenyan Okwiri Oduor, author of Things They Lost, which captures a vivid, incantatory world through the eyes of a solitary twelve-year-old girl (published in April by Scribner). Anderson Tepper: Eloghosa, did you set out to write Vagabonds! as a novel or as a collection of vignettes of life in Lagos that you then stitched into a cohesive whole? Eloghosa Osunde: Neither. I set out to write a book of fiction where the individual stories were given momentum by a narrator’s perspective, in a particular sequence, to create a specific rhythm. Beyond the above categories, this book is that. Tepper: Tell us more about the animating spirits of Lagos and particularly Tatafo, the book’s fiery, gossipy, all-seeing narrator? Osunde: They are angels and monitoring spirits moving in favor of Eko, who is the chief spirit of the city, their creator.... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'
[ World Literature Today | 2022-04-21 13:41:40 UTC ]
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New graphic novels for middle schoolers explore the poignant joys of summer camp for queer and nonbinary kids. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-04-12 04:00:00 UTC ]
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180 titles have been submitted for this year's German Book Prize, established to 'draw attention beyond national borders' to German fiction. The post German Book Prize: 180 Novels Submitted by 106 Publishers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-04-10 17:03:14 UTC ]
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From books about disintegrating relationships and countries to a worker’s-eye view of Korea and a story of farmers in Brazil, the selected titles engage with current realities, say the judging panelKorean writer Hwang Sok-yong and German author Jenny Erpenbeck appear on this year’s International... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2024-04-09 13:00:09 UTC ]
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Every author wants to write a book like David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas. Two decades after it first hit the shelves, the author of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow celebrates its daring, dazzling appealPity the writer who believes they have written the next Cloud Atlas! A literary agent once... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2024-04-06 10:00:31 UTC ]
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The genre has departed from classic themes, with new books dealing with war, politics and powerlessness – and sales have risen 54% year-on-yearHorror fiction is having a moment, according to data showing 2023 was a record-breaking year for book sales in the genre.Between 2022 and 2023, sales of... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2024-04-04 13:22:32 UTC ]
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If you’ve ever loved a book so much that you wanted to eat it, or driven your loved ones crazy with puns, The Edible Book Festival might be for you. The festival started in 2000 and has expanded into many, loosely affiliated annual events, all taking place around April 1st. Created by librarian... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-04-01 14:00:36 UTC ]
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The Liturgy and Anxiety of Ordinary Lives: In Conversation with Rigoberto González, by Darlington Chibueze Anuonye Interviews [email protected] Tue, 03/26/2024 - 08:23 Rigoberto González / Photo by Mahsa HojjatiRecently, I scheduled a zoom call... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2024-03-26 13:23:19 UTC ]
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The biting cultural commentary that emanates from the pages of Alexandra Tanner’s debut novel Worry is like the too-bright light of a smartphone screen at night, pulling you closer and keeping you absorbed late into the night. One year following a secret suicide attempt that only Jules, our... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2024-03-26 11:00:00 UTC ]
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At the Salt Lake City–based press, founder Kenechi Uzor aims to “champion African perspectives,” publishing five to 10 English-language originals and works in translation by African authors annually. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-03-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
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As the middle grade graphic novel category has grown in recent years, the number of graphic adaptations of middle grade books has exploded. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-03-08 05:00:00 UTC ]
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As the middle grade graphic novel category has grown in recent years, the number of graphic adaptations of middle grade books has exploded. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-03-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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This week, four authors of acclaimed debut novels—Xochitl Gonzalez, Rachel Lyon, Lucas Rijneveld, and Adelle Waldman—return for their sophomore efforts. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The biennial Novel Prize comes with a $10,000 purse and simultaneous publication in North America, by New Directions; the U.K. and Ireland, by Fitzcarraldo; and Australia and New Zealand, by Giramondo. In a twist, this year, the three publishers crowned two winners. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-28 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Are utopias becoming a trend in fiction during this dystopian era? The debut novel from Phillip B. Williams, 'Ours,' embraces magic without ignoring reality. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2024-02-24 11:09:13 UTC ]
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Some stories are ripped from the headlines; others are ripped from history. Three new novels publishing this week explore the lives of historical figures who left a mark on their respective eras. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-22 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The Many Worlds of Anna May Wong: A Conversation with Katie Gee Salisbury, by Susan Blumberg-Kason Interviews [email protected] Wed, 02/21/2024 - 15:24 Katie Gee Salisbury first came across Anna May Wong when she was doing a college internship and... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2024-02-21 21:24:15 UTC ]
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We Solve Murders introduces a new detective duo – but the author has not abandoned his Thursday Murder Club charactersA new crime series by Richard Osman called We Solve Murders has been announced, after the huge success of his Thursday Murder Club novels.The beloved elderly sleuths from the... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2024-02-20 17:44:06 UTC ]
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Scott Guild's debut novel (and companion album) 'Plastic' is a dark and entertaining saga about a postapocalyptic world populated by plastic figurines. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2024-02-15 21:43:40 UTC ]
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Andrew Ewell's debut novel 'Set for Life' is well-written but doesn't fulfill its potential. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2024-02-09 16:00:10 UTC ]
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Our book reviewers offer up bouquets to unexpected tales of love and affection, from a long marriage to a passion for the movies. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2024-02-08 20:38:00 UTC ]
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