"... a useful introduction to an important field of African creative writing that has been invisible for the most part in North America and Europe." --Eileen Julien Readings in African Popular Fiction explores the social, political, and economic contexts of popular narratives by bringing together new and classic essays by important scholars in African literature and eight primary texts. Excerpts from popular magazines, cartoons, novellas, and moral and instructional pamphlets present African popular fiction from all areas of the continent. Selections include essays on Hausa creative writing, the influence of Indian film in Nigeria, Onitsha market literature, writing and popular culture in Cameroon, Kenyan romances, Swahili literature, art and cartoons, works by South African writers of the 1950s, and popular crime thrillers in Malawi. Stephanie Newell's introduction engages themes and trends in popular fiction in contemporary Africa. Contributors are J. C. Anorue, Misty Bastian, Felicitas Becker, Richard Bjornson, William Burgess, Michael Chapman, Don Dodson, Dorothy Driver, Roger Field, Bodil Folke Frederiksen, Graham Furniss, Raoul Granqvist, Paul Gready, Ime Ikiddeh, J. Roger Kurtz and Robert M. Kurtz, Alex La Guma, Brian Larkin, Bernth Lindfors, Charles Mangua, Gomolemo Mokae, Ben R. Mtobwa, Njabulo Ndebele, Nici Nelson, Stephanie Newell, Sarah Nuttall, Donatus Nwoga, Alain Ricard, Lindy Stiebel, and Balaraba Ramat Yakubu.

This is a book of reading on religion and culture in Africa comprising ten papers by experts in religion and cultural matters and an introductory note by the editor himself. Covered in the volume are papers covering: the impact of secularisation and urbanisation on a most cherished socio-cultural practice of the extended family system of the Isoko people in Nigeria; the traditional medical practices in Urhobo with particular focus on the use of local herbs to treat ailments; the socioreligious as well as the political significance of Obiri (family hall) in Ikwerreland; the rationale behind the use of the concept Dunamis in the Gospel According to Staint Mark. Although his paper does not focus on African (traditional) religion, its inclusion here is based purely on the theological significance of the concept of Dunamis; the extent to which evil spirits and mysterious forces have influenced the religion and culture of the Urhobo people of Nigeria; the significance of festivals in the traditional African society; John Wesleys innovations in Christendom and their implications for Africa; the recent unprecedented upsurge in the assumed use of religious powers to cast out evil spirits as well as for prayer healing among Muslims in Nigeria; the culture of alienation, anxiety and violence, drawing inspiration from the Fall Story of Genesis 3; and the widowhood practices of some areas in Nigeria.