The editors... must be congratulated... Long live the Africanstorytellers!" -- Africa Today
"It is difficult toimagine a more practical introduction to contemporary African epic than thisanthology... no other single volume comprehends the full scope of African epic (asopposed to praise poetry) the way this one does.... The stories are engaging, andthe free-verse translations are surprisingly readable.... Recommended for allacademic collections." -- Choice
Western culture traces itsliterary heritage to such well-known epics as the Iliad and the Odyssey andGilgamesh. But it is only recently that scholars have turned their attention towardcapturing the rich oral tradition that is still alive in Africa today. These 25selections introduce English-speaking readers to the extensive epic traditions inAfrica.