'Africa's Best Stories' for 2010
A new anthology has been published and released. This anthology, titled Africa's Best Stories, is a collection of short stories by Africa's best story writers, most of whom have won various awards. Authors included in this anthology are the Nobel Prize winning author Wole Soyinka, the Orange Prize winning author Chimamanda Adichie, Caine Prize winner E. C. Osondu, Caine Prize finalist Sefi Atta and many other upcoming writers.
Some of the stories included in this anthology are Why Husbands who Love their BMWs should avoid High Hairstyles by Muthoni Garlan, The Guitar by Kingwa Kamencu, The Time Story by Chimamanda Adichie, and A Place Called Hope by Jude Dibia. There are 18 stories from different writers in this anthology.
This book has been selected and endorsed by Oprah Winfrey for the Oprah Book Club.
'Every story is carefully crafted, distinctively told with unique voice of the author. The book contains stories that will make the reader laugh, grin, cry, curse, hope and dream. The stories will move your hearts to the heavens'--Mfonobong Nsehe, StoryAfrica founder and Editor.
'Africa´s best stories is a refreshing read. Indeed, Africa´s got some really gifted storytellers. We love how African culture was distinctively brought out in these stories. African literature is the future'--Oprah.
NOTE: ImageNations objective is the PROMOTION OF AFRICAN LITERATURE, however when such publication or work seems to be of dubious source, ImageNations would not participate in its promotion. Ever since I posted this article, a lot of stories have come to my attention that the people at StoryAfrica who claimed to have published this masterpiece of an anthology, did it without the consent of the story owners. Thus, though some of the writers have given them the consent LATER ON, most of the have not. They then promised to pull it down from Amazon but this has not yet been done. Hence, NOTE THAT IF YOU PURCHASE THIS BOOK YOU ARE CONDONING A CRIME. Please help us to protect the Intellectual Property of writers. The following are internet sources to support this claim.
- http://book.co.za/bookchat/topic/media-watch-meet-a-literary-419-scam-africas-best-stories-involved-in-oprah-book-club-hoax/page/3
- http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/weve-been-had-a-detective-story/
- http://www.oprah.com/community/thread/137174
- http://lucidlilith.wordpress.com/2010/06/09/the-africas-best-stories-scam/
- http://wordsbody.blogspot.com/2010/06/storyafrica-update.htm
ImageNations would however continue to promote African Literature and as such if the editors or publishers or the people at StoryAfrica do come out with any new collection or publication, which is certified to be original with no lingering illegality, we intend to promote it. However, ImageNations would not condone in illegal acts. ImageNations apologize for this inconvenience and we hope that you would keep visiting this blog. HELP PROMOTE AFRICAN LITERATURE.
Nana, please check out the news on this book again, especially on books SA and also a link on my fb page. Turns out the writers were not consulted for permission to use their stories and the editor lied about it being selected by Oprah.
ReplyDeleteI have read it and read what Molara wrote on her blog. To me what is clear is that the people at StoryAfrica erred big time. But if what they are saying is true then they were scammed to and they also scammed (about the oprah issue). Yet they have come out to show some apology and have decided to pull it down. I agree, if my work is misused or used without my permission I would be hurt but if we take this to a media war and all that well I have my opinion. I read a comment from Molara on her blogspot page and she said she's in no mood to accept an apology. The harm has been caused and the publishers have been asked to stop production (if the people at Story africa are to be believed), what again should they do?
ReplyDeleteIt is stupid and perhaps childish on the part of certain people related to Nsehe to threaten Molara. For that there is no argument about it. It is absolutely criminal but there were others who came out in civility. they apologised and rolled out the steps to be followed. Is it agreeable to her? A way has to be found. Even if it would be legal fine. I saw this story promoted by Chimamanda Adichie on her facebook page and she's one of those writers whose story is in the anthology. So what's happening here?
I hope this thing comes to a successful conclusion.
http://wordsbody.blogspot.com/2010/06/storyafrica-update.html
Just so you know,
ReplyDeleteMany, if not all, of the stories were used without permission, and the book has not yet been taken down from Amazon.
This book is a scam; the stories were copy-and-pasted from free e-zines and published without the writers’ knowledge; writers such as Molara Wood, Toni Kan, CN Adichie, Wole Soyinka, EC Osondu, and Jude Dibia. The chaps behind StoryAfrica have now started a campaign of calumny and hate against those who have stood up to them. See link: http://book.co.za/bookchat/topic/media-watch-meet-a-literary-419-scam-africas-best-stories-involved-in-oprah-book-club-hoax/page/3
ReplyDeletePlease, no one should be fooled! These are thieves, they aren't victims of a scam themselves. They are using a format perfected by most 419s: ie, blame another person, appear contrite, but keep on doing what you're doing. And Richard James, who wrote most of the reviews found all over the web, is more involved than he lets on. He and Mfonobong Nsehe, the mastermind behind this scam, are one and the same person ( http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/weve-been-had-a-detective-story/ ).
Do not buy the book!
@Curio thanks for the response and the information. Hmmm this is becoming hard. Ok! READERS PLEASE DO NOT PURCHASE THIS BOOK AS DOING SO WOULD MEAN YOU ARE CONDONING A LITERARY CRIME.
ReplyDelete@Eghosa...thanks for the links. You know the very moment I heard this was a scam I was shocked. In fact in the first period I was made to understand that the book never even existed. Then later it came to my notice that it existed but the authors of the various stories did not give their consent.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the links and I hope my readers would follow it and decide it for themselves. but I would encourage them NOT TO MAKE PURCHASES. This is bad enough. There is no quick way to success but hard work. I hope Nsehe and his cohorts get to know this.
THANKS ONCE AGAIN FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR NOTICE.