A Basket of Leaves explores many of the best-known works on Africa, such as Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Nigeria), All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes by Maya Angelou (Ghana), The Viceroy of Ouidah by Bruce Chatwin (Benin), Age of Iron by J.M. Coetzee (South Africa), Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fossey (Rwanda), and When Rain Clouds Gather by Bessie Head (Botswana).
“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 ... He does a
very good job, and it is what he writes in A Basket of Leaves — and not the ninety-nine excerpts
he offers — that make this a good and useful overview of and introduction to Africa ... he packs an
enormous amount of variety and information into such a manageable book.”
— M. A. Orthofer, The Complete Review
“A Basket of Leaves is an invaluable resource for anyone thinking of visiting Africa,
as well as a practical demonstration of the continent’s astonishing diversity.”
— London Review Bookshop
“All [the books included] are enticingly described and should inspire some
budding Africanists to engage in some fascinating reading.”
— George Eberhart,
American Library Association
Published in 2007 by Jacana Press ISBN: 9781770092068 (1770092064)
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