Binyavanga @ the Sable Litfest

Amran Gaye (a young Gambian writer who reminds me of Nigeria's Tolu Ogunlesi), is seen here in a post Sable Litfest discussion with Binyavanga Wainaina (right) who was quite the maverick during the festival. Every time a young writer wanted tips on getting published or how to become a better scribbler, someone always said: Go to Binyavanga. Fresh from the PEN conference in Dakar, the 2002 Caine winner was among a busload of us literary travellers (including Doreen Baingana, Mariama Khan, Dorothea Smartt, Maureen Roberts & Kadija George) who came down on a road-trip from Senegal to The Gambia for the Litfest, which opened on Friday 13th July.

Wainaina read from his work during the festival, and sat on a 'How to get Published' panel with writers including Courttia Newland (Britain), Fodeh Baldeh (Gambia), Rosemarie Hudson and many others.

After the Litfest, Binyavanga Wainaina was off on his first trip to Nigeria, where co-led with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie writing workshops for up-and-coming Nigerian writers. The Kenyan also gave a reading @ Bookworm, Victoria Island, Lagos, on 28 July 2007.
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More from the Sable Litfest @ the next update.

• Images by MW
• Amran Gaye's Blog
• Binyavanga Wainaina's Blog
• Gambian Literature