3 books by African writers shortlisted for 2018 Lambda Literary Award

The Lambada literary Awards committee now in its 30th year has chosen to recognize three books by African writers for its 2018 award for queer literature.

One of the books is the 2017 published anthology under the title Queer Africa 2 edited by Makhosazana Xaba and Karen Martin, both from South Africa.  

The Queer Africa 2 anthology features twenty-one stories by African contributors, out of which five are Kenyans and one is a Ugandan. Some of the Kenyan contributors to the anthology are Alexander Opicho, Alexis Teyie and H W Mukami.

The Queer Africa 2 is on the finalist under the category of queer anthology. This is the latest book on queer theory in Africa. On its publication last year, it was introduced by Barbara Boswell as a collective show-casing of strange storytelling from the continent.

The anthology features other prominent writers like Nick Mulgrew, Unoma Azuah, Nancy Lindah Ilamwenya, Barbara Adair, Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene, Emma Paulet, Amatesiro Dore, Thato Magano, Bishara Mohamed, Matshepo Thafeng, Michael Agugom, S Van Rooyen, Jennifer Shinta Ayebazibwe, Wilfred Jean-Louis, Zukolwenkosi Zikalala, Juliet Kushaba, Alistair Mackay, Rafeeat Aliyu Ola Osaze, Idza L, Olakunle Ologunro, Victor Lewis, and Jayne Bauling.

Other two books on the list of the finalists for the award are both by Nigerian authors;  Lives of Great Men by Chike Edozien and Fimi Sile Forever by Nnanna Ikpo.

The Lambda literary prize is organized by Lambda Literary Academy, the oldest and largest literary and arts organization advancing LGBTQ literature in America. It is focused on celebrating the achievement in LGBTQ literature and art across 23 categories around the world.