The Last of the African Kings - (Caraf Books) by Maryse Condé

Book Synopsis

The Last of the African Kings follows the wayward fortunes of a noble African family. It begins with the regal Béhanzin, an African king who opposed French colonialism and was exiled to distant Martinique. In the course of this brilliant novel, Maryse Condé tells of Béhanzin's scattered offspring and their lives in the Caribbean and the United States. A book made up of many characters and countless stories, The Last of the African Kings skillfully intertwines the themes of exile, lost origins, memory, and hope. It is set mainly in the Americas, from the Caribbean to modern-day South Carolina, yet Africa hovers always in the background.

Review Quotes

"A provocative critique of multiculturalism and modern race relations. . . . Condé's narrative, fluidly translated from the French by her husband, Richard Philcox, uses irony and humor to portray travelers moving back and forth along the historic line between Africa, the Antilles, and America, delivering a vision of the black diaspora that challenges stereotypes by celebrating individual differences."--New York Times

About the Author

Maryse Condé was a novelist, critic, and playwright from Guadeloupe. Condé is best known for her novel Segu. She has won various awards, such as the Grand Prix Littéraire de la Femme (1986), Prix de l'Académie française (1988), Prix Carbet de la Carraibe (1997) and the New Academy Prize in Literature (2018) for her works.

Richard Philcox is one of the leading translators of francophone literature in the world today. Philcox has taught translation on various American college campuses and won grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts for the translation of Maryse Condé's works.