Intended to provide help for those interested in studying West African literature, this book is divided into three parts. Part One provides background information: the various African oral traditions are discussed, related to the way of life of the people, and examined for the extent to which they form the basis of present West African literary works. In the second part, the major literary forms and ideas are discussed: the West African novel, Nigerian drama, the poetry of revolution, and the philosophy of "Negritude." In part three, four books which are widely read and frequently adopted in schools are considered in detail: Camara Laye's "African Child," Chinua Achebe's "No Longer at Ease," Cyprian Ekwensi's "People of the City," and Wole Soyinka's "Lion and the Jewel." A conclusion indicates the possible directions for future studies of African literature. (LH)