The Book Depository: What/who do you see as your primary market?

James Currey: Anyone who is interested in learning more about Africa, its peoples, arts, civilizations, past, present and future, whether they are students, academics, business and government professionals, or the curious reader.

The Book Depository: What are the principal challenges/opportunities you see at the moment in the business of publishing books?

James Currey: Most of our books are written by academics for academics, and the challenge is to select books that not only meet an academic need but have the potential for broader appeal.

The Book Depository: What brings you to the decision to publish a particular title/author?

James Currey: The best books come from authors who are fully engaged with the topic of their research, who bring an analytical sharpness to the organization of their material and can relate it to areas beyond their immediate field.

The Book Depository: What books are you most proud of having published?

James Currey: Bahru Zewde's History of Modern Ethiopia and Pioneers of Change in Ethiopia are two books that immediately spring to mind. Bahru is a skilled Ethiopian historian who has practiced his craft with great dedication and professionalism under extremely difficult circumstances. We were delighted to be able to present these books to an international audience and to make sure they were available to an Ethiopian readership as well.

The Book Depository: What books are you working on right now?

James Currey: Terry Ranger's Bulawayo Burning, a magnificent and lively social history of Zimbabwe's second city by a veteran historian of Africa and Zimbabwe; the Malawian poet Jack Mapanje's prison memoirs, The Crocodiles: lest we forget recounting his Kafka-esque experiences of detention under the former life-president Banda. These two books are illustrative of our range of authors and subjects.