Fiction that Matters

This is a really fantastic survey of so-called “prison literature” in Cameroon by Dibussi Tande. 

Here is a preliminary overview of 10 of the most popular prison literature books from Cameroon, beginning with those written by victims of the Sparrowhawk…

…This brief review of Cameroon prison literature demonstrates, if need be, that this is an emerging and important literary genre which needs further study to fully grasp its significance and locate its place among the various strands of modern Cameroon literature. For now, it is primarily a literary genre which provides an insight not only into little known, forgotten and/or often ignored parts of our history (e.g., Mukong, Dakolle), but also sheds light on the merciless politics of power at the helm of the Cameroonian state (Mebara, Edzoa), and exposes from the inside, Cameroon’s justice system which is at the beck and call of the executive branch, and the country’s inhumane carceral system.