Results: An Acclaimed Author Passed Away May 22, 2019.

Have you heard of Binyavanga Wainaina and/or his death before this survey?

Binyavanga Wainaina was known for his biting satire. His best work was titled "How To Write About Africa", aimed at Western writers and journalists. Part of the essay contained : "In your text, treat Africa as if it were one country. It is hot and dusty with rolling grasslands and huge herds of animals and tall, thin people who are starving. Or it is hot and steamy with very short people who eat primates. Don't get bogged down with precise descriptions. Africa is big: fifty-four countries, 900 million people who are too busy starving and dying and warring and emigrating to read your book. The continent is full of deserts, jungles, highlands, savannahs and many other things, but your reader doesn't care about all that, so keep your descriptions romantic and evocative and unparticular." (full essay found at https://granta.com/how-to-write-about-africa/) Have you heard of this work?

Some news bites seem to only focus on and report "Binyavanga Wainaina advises writers to think of Africa as one country." without giving a context or stating the target audience. If you heard about this or heard this news bite, did you think the call "to think of Africa as one country" was serious?

Binyavanga Wainaina's essay ends with "Always end your book with Nelson Mandela saying something about rainbows or renaissances. Because you care." Are you concerned or care about the social/health/war issues on the continent of Africa, including the war in Syria?

Do you think authors can be influential people?