Tuesday, April 14, 2009

How to Write about Africa

I had to read this article today for class, and I actually laughed out loud while reading it. I know that quite a few readers of this blog are interested in Africa, so I thought I would share it.

It's entitled "How to Write about Africa" by Binyavanga Wainaina, who lives in Kenya:
http://www.granta.com/Magazine/92/How-to-Write-about-Africa/Page-1

It's only three pages long and a quick read. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

1 comment:

  1. hahaha. that was pretty funny, and sadly pretty true.

    http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=achille+mbembe+author:a-mbembe+pdf&hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&start=20&sa=N

    here is a link to who i think is becoming on of the most respected voices writing on the subject today, achille mbembe (more accurately, checkout african modes of self-writing or inscription). his stuff is brilliant, although somewhat abstrusely written, but he is able to convey the problem of Africa in an extremely astute and refreshing manner that incorporates while subsequently inverting many of the common African tropes utilized today.

    He is by far and away my favorite of African authors and his book On the Postcolony could quite possibly be the most important modern text on the subject.

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