Encompassing many different visions of Africa, the stories in this comprehensive collection feature characters stuggling to survive grinding poverty, tyrannical governments, cultural upheavals, and disintegrating relationships.

The museums /Leila Aboulela -- Civil peace / Chinua Achebe -- A private experience / Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie -- Two sisters / Ama Ata Aidoo -- First kiss / Doreen Baingana -- Another day at the office / Steve Chimombo -- Inkalamu's place / Nadine Gordimer -- Cages / Abdulrazak Gurnah -- Lomba / Helon Habila -- Earth love / Bessie Head -- Effortless tears / Alexander Kanengoni -- Cardboard manions / Farida Karodia -- Lemon orchard / Alex La Guma -- The second hut / Doris Lessing -- Mrs. Plum / Es'kia Mphahlele -- Who will stop the dark? / Charles Mungoshi / The middle door / Grace Ogot -- Under new pastoral management / Tanure Ojaide -- The power of a plate of rice / by Ifeoma Okoye -- Voice of America / E.C. Osondu -- Eighteen-nintey-nine / Olive Schreiner -- The suit / Can Themba -- Minutes of glory / Ngugi wa Thiong'o -- N2 / Zoë Wicomb.