Namwali Serpell

On the banks of the Zambezi River, a few miles from the majestic Victoria Falls, there was once a colonial settlement called The Old Drift. Here begins the epic story of a small African nation, told by a mysterious swarm-like chorus that calls itself man's greatest nemesis. The tale? A playful panorama of history, fairytale, romance and science fiction. The moral? To err is human.

"Cassandra Williams is twelve, and her little brother Wayne is seven. One day, when they're alone together, an accident happens and Wayne is lost forever. Or so it seems. Though his body is never recovered, their mother, unable to give up hope, launches an organization dedicated to missing children. Their father simply leaves, starts another family somewhere else. As C grows older, she sees her brother everywhere: in coffee shops, airplane aisles,...

"Celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the Caine Prize for African Writing, this collection showcases all twenty prize-winning short stories - each with its own unique take on modern African life. A jailer's love poems ghost-written by a prisoner... Love blossoming between two girls despite the horror of their community... Street kids stick-fighting or stealing guavas from the rich... A dystopian world where women must go naked until they marry......