From Africa: New Francophone Stories
*Starred Review* The title of this short-story anthology refers not only to the tales contained within but to their authors as well--expatriates whose African roots entwine with American and European influences, literary and otherwise. The result is fiction that vigorously resists simplistic labels like "postcolonial" or even "African." True, the legacy of colonialism (particularly French, given the selection's focus) looms large in this collection, often in refreshingly conflicted ways. In one story, the "old, white" gentleman, Jerome, dies in the bathtub, leaving female protagonist Mozati independent and free to explore her feelings for the beautiful yet perhaps fraudulent and disappointing Babyface. Other stories, such as one in which a goat farmer discovers a Boeing 747 has crashed silently in the garden of his hut, remind us of the chaos of connected yet contrasting worlds. Current political themes, such as the memory of the Rwandan genocide, also permeate this book. But these stories ultimately cover a much broader literary terrain than just Africa, and tap universal themes in refreshing ways. Though packaged somewhat academically, with footnotes and a bibliographical essay, this is a challenging and innovative selection, and public libraries would do well to consider it.Brendan DriscollCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.