Even a volume of this size and complexity can explain only a portion of African literature, but these 97 critical and theoretical essays cover leading issues and disciples, giving background in literary history, regional writing, African writing in non-African languages, the colonial factor, and questions about criticism. Contributors critique orality, literacy and the interface; writers, writing and function; the function of creativity in adversarial contexts; negritude and traditionalism, as expressed in nativism and the quest for indigenous aesthetics; language in African literature; genres; theorizing the criticism of African literature; and the influence of Marxism, feminism, structuralism, post-structuralism, post-colonialism,, postmodernism eroticism and postcolonial queer theory. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)