Teaching the African Novel

Guarav Desai is chair of the Department of English at Tulane University and has served as codirector of its African and African Diaspora Studies Program. He is the author of Subject to Colonialism: African Self-Fashioning and the Colonial Library (2001) and has coedited Postcolonialisms: An Anthology of Cultural Theory (2005). His articles have appeared in journals such as Cultural Critique, Genders, Research in African Literatures, and Representations.

"This 'companion for teaching' is an essential tool for the neophyte or the expert in teaching African literature because the collection covers a vast array of issues in African literature, proposes concrete ideas for the classroom, while it also participates in current scholarly discussions. . . . Desai's edited volume encourages a more sensitive reading of African literature by considering its colonial history and its present multiculturalism at the same time. We can only agree with Simon Gikandi when he considers this book as an essential tool for teachers of African literature. It is, we might add, a must-have not only for these teachers but also for any humanities program, and language and literature departments, and it will tremendously enrich anyone's understanding of African literature." --Caroline Beschea-Fache, Rocky Mountain Review "A must-have. . . . [I]t will tremendously enrich anyone's understanding of African literature." --Caroline Beschea-Fache, Davidson College "This is an important book, one that is going to become an indispensable theoretical and practical guide for teachers of the African novel and indeed of African literature in general." --Simon Gikandi, Princeton University