Contents
Aminata Sow Fall
The Senegalese novelist whose The Beggars’ Strike turns social exclusion into sharp satire.
Le Revenant · The Beggars’ Strike
- Born
- 27 April 1941
- Birthplace
- Senegal
More people
Aminata Sow Fall
Aminata Sow Fall writes in French about power, dignity and daily life in Senegal. Her fiction centres African social worlds rather than treating them as a background to Europe.
Early life
Saint-Louis
Grew up in the Senegalese city before studying in Dakar.
Paris studies
Studied modern languages before returning to teach.
Career
- 1976
First novel
Published Le Revenant.
- 1979
Major novel
Published La Grève des bàttu, translated as The Beggars’ Strike.
- 1987
Cultural institution
Founded a centre for African cultural exchange.
- 2017
Later fiction
Published L’Empire du mensonge after decades of writing and cultural work.
Selected work
Le Revenant
A debut novel about social standing and family.
The Beggars’ Strike
People expelled from a city discover their collective leverage.
The Call of the Arenas
Explores wrestling, family and cultural belonging.
Beyond work
Publishing
Founded Éditions Khoudia to support literary work.
Education policy
Worked on bringing African literature into Senegal’s school curriculum.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Career and work — aflit.arts.uwa.edu.au ↗Photo: may! from New York City. CC BY 2.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
