From Publishers Weekly
In broad terms, The Ordeal of the African Writer grew out of author Charles R. Larson's (The Emergence of African Fiction) dedication to confronting the problems facing African writers problems of finding a publisher, an audience either at home or aboard and the means to support themselves. (On the surface, these matters will sound familiar to the struggling American writer; they are, however, exponentially more complicated in Zimbabwe.) More specifically, the book grew out of a questionnaire Larson put to African writers both published and unpublished. Using their responses and his own research, Larson presents a careful consideration of the challenges of African authorship, complete with moving testimonials by the writers themselves.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Larson, author of The Emergence of African Fiction (1972), writes a short but informative guide to the state of writing and publishing in Africa today. Larson describes in detail the painstaking process of getting a book into print and how difficult it is for African writers to see any of the profits from the sales of their books. Larson first describes the plight of Amos Tutuola, author of The Palm-Wine Drinkard (1952), which many consider to be the first modern African novel. Although the novel was successful in Europe and America, Tutuola saw almost none of the profits and died in poverty. Larson also solicited the opinions of African writers writing today, such as Cyprian Ekwensi, who got his start in Nigeria's Onitsha Market; Liberian Similih Cordor; and Zimbabwean Yvonne Vera, who has enjoyed more success than many of her peers. Accessible even to those who have not read the works discussed, Larson's eye-opening book is essential for anyone who is interested in African writing or the huge obstacles African writers face. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
A bold and daring documentation of decades of gruesome experience on the part of African writers trying to break into print. Ernest N. Emenyonu, St. Augustine's College


Review
A bold and daring documentation of decades of gruesome experience on the part of African writers trying to break into print. Ernest N. Emenyonu, St. Augustine's College


Book Description
This book demonstrates how only a small number of African writers--like Chinua Achebe, Ben Okri, Nuruddin Farah, and Wole Soyinka--have become known outside of their own continent. It also details the enormous obstacles they face within Africa to get their work published, let alone to support themselves financially from their writing. Charles R. Larson combines writers' own testimony, pen portraits of their lives, and factual investigation to explore the full dimensions of this problem.


About the Author
Charles R. Larson is Professor of Literature at The American University.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

This book demonstrates how only a small number of African writers-like Chinua Achebe, Ben Okri, Nuruddin Farah, and Wole Soyinka-have become known outside of their own continent. It also details the enormous obstacles they face within Africa to get their work published, let alone to support themselves financially from their writing. Charles R. Larson combines writers' own testimony, pen portraits of their lives, and factual investigation to explore the full dimensions of this problem.

Author Biography: Charles R. Larson is Professor of Literature at The American University.

FROM THE CRITICS

Ernest N. Emenyonu

...Bold and daring documentation of decades of gruesome experience on the part of African writers trying to break into print.

Publishers Weekly