# Anansi: New & Ancient African Tales - Hardcover

by **Emily Zobel Marshall** (Foreword by), **Ivana Akotowaa Ofori** (Introduction by), **Ian Ableson** (Contribution by)

**Building on the popularity of mythological retellings, here's a new book, with new stories and a fascinating introduction to the enigmatic Anansi. A beautiful collectable edition.**

Gorgeous collectable edition. **Anansi** is at once a creator god, a trickster folk hero, a wily spider and a heroic symbol of resistance. From his origins in West African folklore, to his lauded status in Jamaican culture, Anansi is a versatile immortal whose many stories reflect the early world of his origins, and the potential for re-imagination. Sometimes dark and chilling, occasionally light-hearted, but always lively and clever, Anansi appears in the lives of everyday folk, pricks the pomposity of the mighty and in this collection of new stories, appears in the modern and the ancient world, a symbol still of individuality and resilience, adapting to city life, with the undertow of ancient lore ever-present.

Introductory essay by Ivana Akotowaa Ofori, and foreword by Emily Zobel Marshall. The modern authors whose stories feature in this book are: Ian Ableson, Benjamin Cyril Arthur, Bernice Arthur, Emmanuel Blavo, Bryoni Campbell, Sara Chisolm, Yazeed Dele-Azeez, A.L. Dawn French, Yeayi Kobina, Alina Mereșescu, Ella N'Diaye, Florence Onyango, Frances Pauli, Shruti Ramesh, Peter K. Rothe, and Chisom Umeh.

**About the series:** Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. **Myths, Gods & Immortals** brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a legendary, mythological or folkloric figure, with new stories alongside a comprehensive introduction which tells the original tales and emphasizes ancient and modern connections, tracing history and stories across continents, cultures and peoples. New and emerging writers from open submissions reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well known stories, alongside the specially commissioned story of the origins and the cultural background from the era. The first titles are _Medusa_, _Odin_, _Anansi_ and _Circe_.

### Author Biography

**Ivana Akotowaa Ofori** ('Introducing Anansi') is a Ghanaian storyteller. She is a weaver of words in many forms, including fiction, non-fiction and spoken-word poetry. A 2023 alumna of the Clarion West Six-Week Writing Workshop, Akotowaa has been nominated and shortlisted for various awards, including the Miles Morland Writing Fellowship and the Nommo Awards. Her work has appeared in anthologies such as Tor.com's _Africa Risen_ (2022), and Clinamen Editions' _Daring Shifts_ (2023) and in online magazines such as _Jalada Africa_ and _AFREADA_. Her debut novella, _The Year of Return_ was published in 2024 by Android Press. She lives in Accra, Ghana.

**Emily Zobel Marshall** (Foreword) is a Professor of Postcolonial Literature at Leeds Beckett University. She is of French-Caribbean and British heritage and grew up in the mountains of Snowdonia in North Wales. An expert on the trickster figure in the folklore, oral cultures and literature of the African Diaspora, she has published widely in these fields, including her books _Anansi's Journey: A Story of Jamaican Cultural Resistance_ (2012, UWI press) and _American Trickster: Trauma Tradition and Brer Rabbit_ (2019, Rowman and Littlefield). She develops her creative work alongside her academic writing and her collection _Bath of Herbs_ was published by Peepal Tree Press in 2023.

**Number of Pages:** 368

**Dimensions:** 1.1 x 8.5 x 6.2 IN

**Publication Date:** February 11, 2025

## Details

- **Price:** 30.0 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 30.00 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Anansi: New & Ancient African Tales - Hardcover

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