African love stories? Is that not some kind of anomaly?

This radical collection of short stories, most published in this edition for the first time, aims to debunk the myth about African women as impoverished helpless victims. With origins that span the continent, it combines budding writers with award-winning authors; the result is a melting pot of narratives from intriguing and informed perspectives.

These 20-odd tales deal with challenging themes and represent some of the most complex of love stories. Many are at once heart breaking yet heart warming and even courageous.

Crafted by a stellar cast of authors that includes El Saadawi, Ogundipe, Magona, Tadjo, Krog, Aboulela, Adichie, Oyeyemi, wa Goro, Atta, Manyika and Baingana, there is hardly any aspect of women’s love lives left untouched. From labor pains to burials, teenagers to octogenarians, and not to mention race-fraught and same-sex relationships, the human heart is all out there: beleaguered and bleeding, or bold, and occasionally triumphant.

About the Author

Ama Ata Aidoo‘s literary career dates from when, as an undergraduate, she wrote her first play, The Dilemma Of A Ghost (1964), which was subsequently produced, performed and published. She followed that up with Anowa (drama 1970). Since then, she has published novels, including Changes (1991), volumes of poetry and short stories including An Angry Letter In January & Other Poems (1992) and The Girl Who Can & Other Stories (1997). Her third collection of short stories Diplomatic Pounds & Other Stories was published in 2012 by Ayebia. She also edited the widely acclaimed African Love Stories Anthology, published by Ayebia (2006). Her books for children include Birds & Other Poems (2002).

Aidoo has taught at colleges and universities in Ghana and the United States including the University of Cape Coast and Brown University.

She currently lives in Ghana and is the Executive Director of Mbaasem, a foundation she founded to promote the work of Ghanaian and African women writers.