<DIV>In 2002, at the annual Zimbabwe International Book Fair, twelve literary books by African women were included for the first time in the category of &ldquo;Africa&rsquo;s 100 Best Books of the Twentieth Century.&rdquo; This was an important but belated affirmation of women writers on the continent and a first step toward establishing a recognized canon of African women&rsquo;s literature.<BR><br> <b><i>The Twelve Best Books by African Women</i></b> is a collection of critical essays on eleven works of fiction and one play. The titles by African women that were included in the list of &ldquo;Africa&rsquo;s 100 Best Books of the Twentieth Century&rdquo; are: Anowa, Ama Ata Aidoo (1970); A Question of Power, Bessie Head (1974); Woman at Point Zero, Nawal El Saadawi (1975); The Beggars&rsquo; Strike, Aminata Sow Fall (1979); Burger&rsquo;s Daughter, Nadine Gordimer (1979); The Joys of Motherhood, Buchi Emesheta (1979); So Long a Letter, Mariama Bâ (1980); Fantasia: An Algerian Cavalcade, Assia Djebar (1983); Nervous Conditions, Tsitsi Dangarembga (1988); Living, Loving and Lying Awake at Night, Sindiwe Magona (1991); Butterfly Burning, Yvonne Vera (1998); Riwan ou le chemin de sable, Ken Bugul (1999).<BR><br> This collection of original essays recognizes the gesture of inclusion as an important shift in consciousness and creates a fresh awareness of the literary works by African women writers. Each essay offers a penetrating analysis of individual texts and opens up a fresh perspective that allows scholars and students alike to explore new dimensions of these writers&rsquo; work.<br></div>