Mrs. Plum | Literary Criticism & Book Review

Mrs. Plum Critical Overview

Mphahlele was living in Paris in the mid-1960s when he sent his manuscript of In Corner B, the collection in which "Mrs. Plum" first appeared, to the East African Publishing House in Kenya, East Africa. He wanted to support an African publisher rather than a European one-a decision he came to regret for purely practical reasons. Kenya was a new nation, having achieved independence only in 1963, and did not have efficient systems in place for producing books or other goods. The manuscript languished for three years before being published, and when the book was issued, there were no highprofile media outlets for promotion. The audience for the book built gradually, mostly by word-ofmouth, and although the book is now recognized as important and of high quality, contemporary reviews were few. In South Africa, Mphahlele's work was banned, and the book was not available there until 1979.

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