ImageNations

About Celestine Nudanu:  Celestine Nudanu is an avid blogger; she blogs at Reading Pleasure . Her passions are books, reading and writing poetry, not necessarily in that order. She says also that she would rather buy books than clothes. When she is not doing any of these she can be found at the University of Professional Studies, Accra, Ghana, where she is the Administrative Systems Coordinator. Below is  Celestine's selection of books.  Note that I have linked the titles and authors to posts within ImageNations, where available. My views and his might not be the same and so beware when reading and judging them. _____________________ The list of my top ten African Reads is long overdue and I can only apologise to Nana for the delay in submitting it. With that out of the way, as I know I'm forgiven, I can say that I have read many books, of African and non African authors long before I started blogging last year. I cannot even remember the contents and authors of q...

Let me say that when the idea of providing a platform for those who want to pay tribute to the renowned  poet, Kofi Awoonor, was introduced to me I never thought it will go beyond the first day. Today's entry, the fourth in the series, is from Yaayi Aawa , a Senegalese poet. Yaayi's tribute to Kofi Awoonor is a poem by Birago Diop , a renowned Senegalese poet and part of the Negritude movement. The poem is in its original French; however, for the sake of other readers, I have searched for its English translation. The title Souffles is translated as 'Spirits' in English. According to Yaayi, I did not know about Kofi Awoonor before this tragedy, and this is truly sad, but I do feel it is a great loss not only for Ghanaians but for the whole continent. So, that piece ... is my tribute to him. -Souffles- Ecoute plus souvent Les choses que les êtres, La voix du feu s'entend, Entends la voix de l'eau. Ecoute dans le vent Le buisson en sanglot: ...

This is the third in a series of tributes dedicated to the memory of Kofi Awoonor, the poet, academic, novelist, and politician who died during the terrorist attack of the Westgate Mall in Kenya. Kwabena Agyare Yeboah , the author of this poem, is a young poet and a blogger. ImageNations is providing a platform for people who want to pay tribute to Kofi Awoonor in the form of poems or even essays. the night speaks of the cousins who mat at the shore in a howling silence rekindling the voice of the flute that adorns glorious dirges Awoonor, the day is sleeping your sail has seen darkness and Keta's wall is maimed kutsiami! ferry the eagle home as times merge as memories that fade journeys into a cast eternity on this path called home mortals will gather tears and trail your walk Awoonor, mention us to the forebearers and sleep not on our struggles adieu, son of the land

The series continue with the tribute to Kofi Awoonor with a series of poems from Celestine Nudanu of . I will create a space for anyone who wants a platform to share their tribute to Awoonor. Reading Pleasure When Meaning Eludes Us 1 winds of death sweep in a convulsing arc we strive for meaning 2 we strive for meaning in a world of blood and tears frozen in our hearts 3 frozen in our hearts grief blurs with unspoken words nation mourns her son 4 nations mourn her sons as Africa kills her sun we strive for meaning

The death of Ghanaian  novelist, poet, politician, and academic Kofi Awoonor in the Kenya Westgate terrorist attack by al-shabab is no longer news. Several news outlets have talked about this eminent Ghanaian poet. ImageNations is offering a platform for those who want one to share poems of tribute to Kofi Awoonor. Edzordzi Agbozo-Hero begins this series with  The Hippo Turned our Cannon .  This series will run as long as there are submissions. The Hippo Turned our Cannon Nyiᶑeʋu meᶑea keʋu o The hippo does not overturn The canoe with sandload Nyiᶑewu meᶑea keʋu o This hippo overturned it This hippo overturned it We are the snake Whose head Al-Shabab caught We only wag our tails defenceless The hippo overturned our canoe But never it’s content For the sand is too light to sink Your voice, too loud to sink In this corner of our common fate Fire in a neighbour’s farm Consumes all farm-huts A dirge from a distant drum ...

Book blogging has introduced me to several individuals I would not otherwise have met, either in person or in this virtual world. One of these individuals is Ndeye Sene Mbaye who blogs at Under the Neem Tree . As a bilingualist, Ndeye's blog has several interesting reviews including books which have not yet been translated from French. About Ndeye: Ndeye Sene Mbaye is a Senegalese banker, blogger, fashion-lover, a fanatic of economics & development, politics, global affairs and whatever pertains to black people in general. She lives and works in the bilingual city of Montreal, Canada. Follow her on Twitter: @ndeyesene   and  follow her blog about African Literature @undertheneemtre Below is Ndeye's selection of books.  Note that I have linked the titles and authors to posts within ImageNations, where available. My views and his might not be the same and so beware when reading and judging them. _______________ Choosing 10 books, out of the hundreds...

The arts and its creators have since creation suffered from man's unrestrained penchant for categorisation. It is this attitude and reflexive thoughts that create good and bad with nothing in between; superior and inferior with destructive consequences. However, to writers and artistes, this Inherent Discrimination Syndrome (do not google this) could stifle creation, especially when the pot is binary or discrete with concomitant bipolar descriptions - negative for A and positive for B. Most work of fiction is classified as either literary fiction or pulp fiction with the academics favouring the latter. Yet, there are several works that could not be easily classified as belonging to either camp. Today, that definite mark is gradually fading, thanks to authors like China Melville.  Mawuli Adzei's Taboo  (Kwadwoan Publishers, 2012; 247) belong to this loose group. The story itself could be described as postmodernist in its deconstruction of culture and its embedded rel...

A traveller who asks for direction to his destination does not lose his way. [13] A dog does not chase after a fowl that picks its bone; it knows the fowl does not eat bone and will eventually drop it. [17] [I]t is in the groove of the back and the synchronicity of the dancers' arms and elbows, as they enact their intricate embroidery of styles, that you know who the master drummer is. [20] [W]hen a club strikes the forehead, the victim does not enquire of blood. [26] Two pots, our elders say, do not spoil liquor. If one does, the other will not. [34] According to the sages, good and bad news often travelled together in the same boat. Whichever disembarked first held the audience captive. [41] It's from the elders that the youth must pick their honing further. Life is the same. The difference between the elders and the youth is that the elders are the forerunners and have garnered enough valuable life experience before the youth tasted the breath of lif...

I have known Casca on Facebook for sometime and I guess we became friends because after scanning his profile I saw we share a lot of things, a lot. He loves to read and to talk about them. Then we met at one of the monthly Writers Project of Ghana 's book discussions for the first time. About Casca Amanquah Hackman: Casca 'Comrade' Amanqua Hackman is a graduate of the Universtiy of Ghana, a former school teacher and past editor of the Golden World Magazine. His short stories and articles have been published in Daily Graphic and Mirror. Below is Casca's top ten African books.  Note that I have linked the titles and authors to posts within ImageNations, where available. My views and his might not be the same and so beware when reading and judging them. ________________ Yes, a good book is a good book, and it’s enjoyed anywhere; yet it's enjoyed better by persons who find the setting, characters and themes familiar. There are good books from Africa too. ...

About Hannah Amma Konadu Anarfi: Amma Konadu is blogger - at Amma K's Outlet - and a final year student at the Department of English at the University of Ghana, focusing on advanced creative writing and African/African-American literature. She is the current president of the department and a founding member of the Creative Writers' Club (CWC). She prefers to describe herself as a developing writer and poet. Below is Amma's Top Ten.   Note that I have linked the titles and authors to posts within ImageNations, where available. My views and hers might not be the same and so beware when reading them. ___________________ I’m almost ashamed to say, I have read more books from foreign writers than from African writers. But thankfully I have read enough to list my top ten. I must thank Writers’ Project of Ghana for introducing me to amazing reads. School has also helped. Alright so here goes... Purple Hibiscus – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie It is my number one, becau...