Three decades after her pioneering anthology, Daughters of Africa, Margaret Busby curates an extraordinary collection of contemporary writing by 200 women writers of African descent, including Zadie Smith, Bernardine Evaristo and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
A glorious portrayal of the richness and range of African women's voices, this major international book brings together their achievements across a wealth of genres. From Antigua to Zimbabwe and Angola to the USA, overlooked artists of the past join key figures, popular contemporaries and emerging writers in paying tribute to the heritage that unites them, the strong links that endure from generation to generation, and their common obstacles around issues of race, gender and class.
Bold and insightful, brilliant in its intimacy and universality, this landmark anthology honours the talents of African daughters and the inspiring legacy that connects them-and all of us.
The New Daughters of Africa
Diane Abbott Yassmin Abdel-Magied Leila Aboulela Ayobami Adebayo Sade Adeniran Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Zoe Adjonyoh Patience Agbabi Agnčs Agboton Candace Allen Lisa Allen-Agostini Ellah Wakatama Allfrey Andaiye Harriet Anena Joan Anim-Addo Monica Arac de Nyeko Yemisi Aribisala Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro Amma Asante Michelle Asantewa Nana Asma'u Sefi Atta Ayesha Harruna Attah Gabeba Baderoon Yaba Badoe Yvonne Bailey-Smith Doreen Baingana Ellen Banda-Aaku Angela Barry Mildred K. Barya Jackee Budesta Batanda Simi Bedford Linda Bellos Jay Bernard Marion Bethel Ama Biney Jacqueline Bishop Malorie Blackman Tanella Boni Malika Booker Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond Beverley Bryan Akosua Busia Candice Carty-Williams Rutendo Chabikwa Barbara Chase-Riboud Panashe Chigumadzi Gabrielle Civil Maxine Beneba Clarke Angela Cobbinah Carolyn Cooper Juanita Cox Meta Davis Cumberbatch Patricia Cumper Stella Dadzie Yrsa Daley-Ward Nana-Ama Danquah Edwidge Danticat Nadia Davids Tjawangwa Dema Yvonne Denis Rosario Anni Domingo Nah Dove Edwige-Renée Dro Camille T. Dungy Anaļs Duplan Reni Eddo-Lodge Aida Edemariam Esi Edugyan Summer Edward Yvvette Edwards Zena Edwards Safia Elhillo Zetta Elliott Nawal El Saadawi Diana Evans Bernardine Evaristo Eve L. Ewing Deise Faria Nunes Diana Ferrus Nikky Finney Aminatta Forna Ifeona Fulani Vangile Gantsho Roxane Gay Danielle Legros Georges Patricia Glinton-Meicholas Hawa Jande Golakai Wangui wa Goro Bonnie Greer Jane Ulysses Grell Rachel Eliza Griffiths Carmen Harris zakia henderson-brown Joanne C. Hillhouse Afua Hirsch Zita Holbourne Nalo Hopkinson Rashidah Ismaili Naomi Jackson Sandra Jackson-Opoku Delia Jarrett-Macauley Margo Jefferson Barbara Jenkins Catherine Johnson Ethel Irene Kabwato Elizabeth Keckley Fatimah Kelleher Donika Kelly Adrienne Kennedy Susan Nalugwa Kiguli Rosamond S. King Donu Kogbara Lauri Kubuitsile Goretti Kyomuhendo Beatrice Lamwaka Patrice Lawrence Andrea Levy Lesley Lokko Karen Lord Karen Lįdķpņ Manyika Ros Martin Lebogang Mashile Isabella Matambanadzo NomaVenda Mathiane Imbolo Mbue Maaza Mengiste Arthenia Bates Millican Bridget Minamore Nadifa Mohamed Natalia Molebatsi Wame Molefhe Aja Monet Sisonke Msimang Blessing Musariri Glaydah Namukasa Marie NDiaye Juliana Makuchi Nfah-Abbenyi Wanjiku wa Ngugi Ketty Nivyabandi Elizabeth Nunez Selina Nwulu Trifonia Melibea Obono Nana Oforiatta Ayim Irenosen Okojie Nnedi Okorafor Juliane Okot Bitek Chinelo Okparanta Yewande Omotoso Makena Onjerika Chibundu Onuzo Tess Onwueme Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor Louisa Adjoa Parker Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida Alake Pilgrim Winsome Pinnock Hannah Azieb Pool Olśmģdé Pópó?lį Claudia Rankine H. Cordelia Ray Sarah Parker Remond Florida Ruffin Ridley Zandria F. Robinson Zuleica Romay Guerra Andrea Rosario-Gborie Leone Ross Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin Minna Salami Marina Salandy-Brown Sapphire Noo Saro-Wiwa Taiye Selasi Namwali Serpell Kadija Sesay Claire Shepherd Verene A. Shepherd Warsan Shire Lola Shoneyin Dorothea Smartt Zadie Smith Adeola Solanke Celia Sorhaindo Attillah Springer Andrea Stuart SuAndi Valerie Joan Tagwira Jennifer Teege Jean évenet Natasha Trethewey Novuyo Rosa Tshuma Hilda J. Twongyeirwe Chika Unigwe Yvonne Vera Phillippa Yaa de Villiers Kit de Waal Elizabeth Walcott-Hackshaw Effie Waller Smith Rebecca Walker Ayeta Anne Wangusa Zukiswa Wanner Jesmyn Ward Verna Allette Wilkins Charlotte Williams Sue Woodford-Hollick Makhosazana Xaba Tiphanie Yanique
Recenzijas
Busby opens the door wide and allows her readers to witness the conversations that have occurred between black women writers, conversations about culture, love, inheritance and more, without mediation from the powerful institutions of publishing and academia. The effect is marvellous. It is also necessary -- Imani Perry * Financial Times * An incredible introduction to black women's writing from around the world -- Bernardine Evaristo This remarkable book constitutes a powerful affirmation of literary achievement, demonstrating that contemporary black women writers are part of a vital and extensive tradition * Times Literary Supplement * New Daughters of Africa is a beautiful, essential anthology. It is both long-awaited and urgently needed; it recognises the individual voices and interwoven histories of every facet of womanhood -- Preti Taneja New Daughters of Africa is indispensable because African voices have been silenced or diminished throughout history, and women's voices even more so * The Irish Times * A seminal, international anthology . . . a selection of Africas most compelling voices poets, storytellers, rhetoricians all commenting, critiquing and fantasising about a world opening its doors to let us in * Daily Maverick *
Margaret Busby CBE, Hon. FRSL (Nana Akua Ackon) is a major cultural figure around the world. Her career has spanned work as a publisher, editor, interviewer, reviewer, scriptwriter, lyricist, radio and TV presenter, activist and mentor. She has judged prestigious literary prizes, including the Booker, and served on the boards of such organisations as the Royal Literary Fund, Wasafiri magazine, Tomorrows Warriors, and the Africa Centre in London. She has been a guest on BBC Radio 4s Desert Island Discs. In 2023 she was appointed President of English PEN.
She became Britains then youngest and first Black woman publisher when she co-founded Allison & Busby in the 1960s. As A&Bs editorial director for twenty years, she published an international list of more than 300 notable authors, including Sam Greenlee, James Ellroy, Michčle Roberts, Roy Heath, Michael Horowitz, Buchi Emecheta, Chester Himes, Hunter S. Thompson, George Lamming, Michelangelo, and Jill Murphy.
She has edited two ground-breaking anthologies that together champion the work of more than 400 women of African descent over several centuries: the publication of Daughters of Africa (1992) changed the literary landscape; its sequel, New Daughters of Africa (2019), seeded and launched the Margaret Busby New Daughters of Africa Award, which annually funds a woman student from Africa to study at SOAS, University of London.
Margaret Busby is also the editor of Firespitter; the Collected Poems of Jayne Cortez. She has written numerous dramatizations and radio abridgements of books by, among others, Jean Rhys, Wole Soyinka, Walter Mosely, and Henry Louis Gates. She has saved writers such as CLR James and George Lamming from obscurity by reprinting their work and introducing them to new readers. She was a founding member of Greater Access to Publishing (GAP), which campaigned for greater diversity in the publishing industry. Her reviews and obituaries for the Guardian and other newspapers and magazines have celebrated the lives and work of many international personalities.
She is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and recipient of multiple honorary doctorates and awards, including the London Book Fair Lifetime Achievement Award, the Bocas Henry Swanzy Award, the Royal Society of Literatures Benson Medal, and the Royal African Societys inaugural Africa Writes Lifetime Achievement Award.
Margaret Busbys own collected writings, Part of the Story: Writings from Half a Century, will be published by Hamish Hamilton in 2025.
