The African Book Review
 2013-2014
!
T
!
he African Book Review marked its first year in 2014. During this period we reviewed classic and upcoming African literature, and interviewed some of the best writers on the continent. From original poetry, to insightful interviews and essays, we had our fingers on the pulse of creativity within Africa and around the diaspora.
The African Book Review wouldn’t exist without writers, editors, reviewers, and readers around the world. We’d like to say thank you to everyone who has been a part of this incredible project. It’s amazing to note how quickly we’ve grown while retaining a high standard of quality content.
!
We’re excited to collaborate with more readers, artists, and writers; those concerned about the continent, those engaged and active within it, and those whose works reflect the vibrancy of African literature, as ours does.
!
To a great 2015!
Sincerely,
Etinosa Agbonlahor | Editor, Curator | The African Book Review
!
! ! !
A YEAR IN INTERVIEWS
! ! “I wanted the reader to come along the journey, to see hear, smell, and be close to what it felt like.”
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
! ! ! ! !
Ishmael Beah | Writer, Human Rights Activist | 09.2013
The African Book Review
! !
“I think slavery is African history. It’s a history that I find empowering in the sense that it is a testimony to the rebellion, intelligence and resilience of a continent.”
! ! ! ! ! ! !
! ! ! ! ! ! !
Minna Salami | Writer, Advocate | 06.2014
The African Book Review
!
“We express our femininity and sexuality differently, depending on the generation to which we belong, our religions and cultures.”
Sefi Atta | Writer | 09.2013
The African Book Review
“I don’t think that poetry is a matter of understanding or communicating, nor is it a direct expression of the self. In my opinion, poetry is a matter of experience.”
Alessandro De Francesco | Poet | 11.2013 The African Book Review
“Ethiopia is one of the biggest influences in my writing… It’s fascinating to witness such intensely visible changes that the country is so rapidly experiencing; there’s a lot of progress and naturally, there are also a lot of problems, there’s so much hope and frustration at the same time. It’s a critical time in our history so it’s impossible to ignore.”
Liyou Mesfin Libsekal | Writer | 04.2014 The African Book Review
“I didn’t want to write like those people, I wanted to write like Ahmed Yerima, I wanted to make my own mistakes because playwriting is a skill.”
Ahmed Yerima | Playwright | 09.2014
The African Book Review
! ! ! ! “Being a poet has helped me see life as something filled with countless poetic possibilities.”
! ! ! ! ! ! !
Viola Allo | Poet | 04.2014
The African Book Review
!
I think the art of storytelling is under siege. In contemporary fiction there is a certain fixation with linguistic dance and performance that is not wedded to a story. So I’d like my readers to say “Even if I would have wanted a different kind of outcome, I was engaged by the story.”
Okey Ndibe | Writer, Professor | 01.2014
The African Book Review
! Contributors
! Ioana Danaila was born in Romania. She graduated from University Lyon 2 Lumière with a Masters in Postcolonial Literature and a First degree in French for Non-Francophone people. She has published short stories and translated books from French to Romanian. She speaks Romanian, French, English, and Spanish and teaches English to high school students in France.
Somto Ibe was born in the ancient city of Ibadan, Nigeria, and lives in Canada. She’s studying to be a chemical engineer and likes a good read of any sort but preferably historical fiction.
! !
Liyou Mesfin Libsekal
is an Ethiopian poet born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She spent the majority of her childhood in
different parts of East Africa. She earned a BA in Anthropology from the George Washington University in 2012 and now lives in her home country. She’s the winner of the 2014 Brunel University African Poetry Prize.
!
Jade Yeung was born and raised in Brooklyn. She received her BA in English at Hunter College. She reads literary fiction, poetry published before the 1980’s, and compelling non-fiction. When she’s not working one of several jobs in publishing and food, she likes to cook and listen to podcasts.
The African Book Review
www.TheAfricanBookReview.com
africanbookreview@gmail.com
The African Book Review