Literature of Cameroon

Cameroonian literature is literature from Cameroon, which includes literature in French, English and indigenous languages.

Overview

Colonial-era writers such as Louis-Marie Pouka and Sankie Maimo were educated by European missionary societies and advocated assimilation into European culture as the means to bring Cameroon into the modern world. After World War II, writers such as Mongo Beti and Ferdinand Oyono analysed and criticised colonialism and rejected assimilation. Other older generation writers include Guillaume Oyônô Mbia, Mbella Sonne Dipoko,Francis Bebey, René Philombé and kenjo Jumbam.

Some critically acclaimed writers include Patrice Nganang, Calixthe Beyala, Bate Besong, Gaston-Paul Effa, Werewere Liking, Babila Mutia, John Nkemngong Nkengasong, Bole Butake, Leonora Miano, Francis B Nyamnjoh, Linus Asong,

In 2014, Imbolo Mbue signed a million dollar deal with Random House for her debut manuscript. The novel titled Behold the Dreamers follows the travails of a Cameroonian immigrant and a Lehman Brothers executive during the 2008 financial crisis.

See also

• List of Cameroonian writers

References and further reading

• Pierre Fandio, La littérature camerounaise dans le champ social : grandeurs, misères et défis, l'Harmattan, Paris, Budapest, Kinshasa, 2006, 244 p. ISBN 978-2-296-02370-3
• Pierre Fandio, Les lieux incertains du champ littéraire camerounais : la postcolonie à partir de la marge, l'Harmattan, Paris, 2012, 273 p. ISBN 978-2-296-99105-7