A Basket of Leaves

Geoff Wisner has traversed the vast African continent and produced a book that is the quintessential reader’s guide to the books that capture the spirit of the continent – from the desert of Algeria to the savannahs of Kenya, and the jungles of Equatorial Guinea. He presents reviews and excerpts from notable books from each of the 54 countries in Africa.

His compilation explores many of the best-known works on Africa, such as Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Nigeria), All God’s Children Need Travelling Shoes by Maya Angelou (Ghana), The Viceroy of Ouidah by Bruce Chatwin (Benin), Age of Iron by JM Coetzee (South Africa), Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fossey (Rwanda), and When Rain Clouds Gather by Bessie Head (Botswana). He also draws attention to under-appreciated books by excellent but lesser-known African and non-African writers.

Geoff Wisner’s fascination with Africa has developed over a number of years. He has lived and worked in Zimbabwe, traveled in Malawi, raised funds on behalf of political prisoners in South Africa and Namibia, edited a newsletter on southern Africa, and read hundreds of books about every conceivable corner of the continent. Geoff’s book reviews have appeared in numerous international publications including Transition, the Boston Book Review, the Boston Globe, QBR, The African and Wild Earth. He currently works as a copywriter in New York City.

From Complete Review:

The clever and simple idea behind Geoff Wisner's A Basket of Leaves is to give readers a sense of Africa by introducing them to 99 Books that Capture the Spirit of Africa. Wisner introduces each book with... Read more