Poetry in West Africa is often part of a vibrant oral tradition that blurs genre boundaries as Barbara discusses in this episode with Todd Fredson, whose translation of Ivorian Coast poet Azo Vauguy's Zakwato & Loglêdou’s Peril was a finalist for the 2023 National Book Critics Circle Award. They discuss Todd's journey into translation, his experiences in West Africa, and the themes and challenges of translating oral traditions and the importance of preserving and sharing African literature. Todd's insights into the cultural and historical context of the poems and the impact of colonial legacies highlights the vibrancy and multi-sensory nature of poetry and the need for greater visibility and accessibility of African literature.Get the book:https://actionbooks.org/azo-vauguy-zakwato-logledous-peril/ Action BooksConnect with Todd:https://www.toddfredson.com/Chapters