No Edges

“This innovative, Africanfuturist short story collection presents eight stories translated from Swahili by East African writers from Tanzania and Kenya…fascinating, much-needed.” —Margaret Kingsbury, Buzzfeed

“The translators behind No Edges have preserved the unique cadence of every story: each author’s narrative voice is striking and unmistakable. Moreover, the tales all start off with a snippet from the Swahili version, giving the reader a taste of the original. Beautifully translated and rich with interrogations and reminders of our humanity, No Edges is an indispensable read for our increasingly reclusive post-quarantine world.” —Asymptote

“I’ve loved the Calico series from Two Lines Press since its inception. The series presents vanguard works of translated literature in vibrant, strikingly designed editions. Each year, they publish two new titles in the Calico series and each is as good, if not better, than the next. Ranging from speculative Chinese fiction to Arabic poetry and more, each book in the series is built around a theme and captures a unique moment in international literature. No Edges is the first collection of Swahili fiction, Africa’s most widely spoken language, in English translation and introduces readers to eight writers from Tanzania and Kenya. ‘Swahili is the future,’ the collection declares, and moments of everyday life in East Africa are mixed with stories of spaceships and sorcerers. There is a pulsing life to this collection.” —Pierce Alquist, Bookriot

“Untethered imagination is what I’m always hoping for when I read. That’s why I like speculative fiction: it breaks through the constraints of reality. However, those aren’t the only constraints I’ve encoun­tered in literature. Cultural constraints—par­ticularly those in Western culture—can make stories with seemingly radical speculative ideas have a tinge of sameness. Enter No Edges: Swa­hili Stories, an anthology of Swahili literature from Kenya and Tanzania, translated into English that is imbued with enthralling chaos. This collection has everything, thus offering some wickedly good surprises. When people say a book offers everything, it often ticks off all the boxes on a Western checklist. No Edges ticks off all those boxes, comes prepared with its own unique checklist and ticks off those too. With such variety and creativity, there’s going to be at least one (but probably more) story you enjoy.” —Sean Dowie, Locus

“Visionary…These varied and wondrous tales are a literary feast.” —Publishers Weekly

“An absorbing sampler of the literary feast available in Africa’s most widely spoken language, No Edges should leave readers eager to discover more Swahili writers.”  —Shailja Patel, author of Migritude

“An exciting and timely collection that brings tales of speculative possibility and everyday life to new readers, from one of the most beautiful storytelling traditions in the world.” —Nanjala Nyabola, author of Travelling While Black

“A literary gem glued together by an intricate alchemy between master and apprentice, with exciting contemporary voices from the East African coast speaking to a global audience. A must read.” —Abdulrahman ‘Abu Amirah’ Ndegwa, Curator, Swahili Lit Fest

“The collection showcases multiverse realities that are firmly anchored in a world that is specifically Swahili. The translators are visible and their voices are critical for the reader to grasp authentic African narratives. These stories are a must read for anyone interested in global literature presented through a decolonised lens.” —Ida Hadjivayanis, Senior Lecturer in Swahili Studies, SOAS University

Praise for the Calico Series

“By turns cryptic and revealing, phantasmagorical and straightforward, these tales balance reality and fantasy on the edge of a knife.” —Publishers Weekly, *starred review* of That We May Live: Speculative Chinese Fiction

“Unbelievably exciting…These are poems to read and reread, repeating the lines as though they were a secret between yourself and the page.” —The Paris Review on Home: New Arabic Poems

“Essential, a gift that opens up the pleasures of new worlds.” —Hugh Raffles on Elemental: Earth Stories

“This eclectic bilingual anthology from queer Brazilian writers, both living and dead, is as expansive and full of life as the country itself…enticing and poignant.” —Publishers Weekly on Cuíer: Queer Brazil

Additional Materials

• “Kenya, Tanzania… ‘No Edges’, the first Swahili‑to‑English anthology,” in The Africa Report
• “No Edges Makes History as the First-Ever Swahili Story Collection Translated into English,” in Brittle Paper
• No Edges: Swahili Stories Reader’s Guide
• Request an Exam or Desk Copy