That book was selected among africa's top twelve books in the 20 th century in february 2002.

mariaba Ba is a genius, pure and simple. Her style is breathtaking and anybody who limits himself to the english translation only is indeed missing out on a lot.

This is one of the best books that I have read for awhile. I stongly reccamend this book. The french is beautiful and the depth in her writing is amazing.

its a wake up call, it was my first book on the subject of interracial marriages I ever read, it sure widened my horizon.

Mariama Ba brings to life the true realities and complexities of interraccial marriage. She writes poignantly and beautifully. She is a master narrator, and will amaze you with her fabulous storytelling. I have read "Scarlet Song" numerous times, and wrote my senoir thesis about this book.

A short and easy read that is incredibly insightful into the psyche of the protagonist. Displays well the troubles of women not only in her position but women in general. Focuses on the gender issue at hand as opposed to the racial one and in doing so makes a statement about the oppression that women have withstood for much longer than the two thousand seasons Ayi Kwei Armah refers to as the period of African oppression. Reads well and is very enlightening to all readers, and especially male. The structure flows well and does not subject itself to a strict ajenda and therefore comes of as very very introspective.

This is a voice you don't hear often. Yes Mariama Ba is an Islamic woman, but what is really fresh for me is the fact that she is Senegalese. I've lived in West Africa and this book captures the slow rhythms, the intense depth of feeling, the understated poignancy that one encounters in those cultures. It is an articulate account of the trauma of multiple marriages and a woman's loss of illusions about love. Other possible readings mentioned by other reviewers (woman in an Islamic society, woman vs man, oppressed vs oppressors) are of less interest to me and should not put you off - this is not a tract or a polemic.

One should note a few negatives: 1) It is a first novel clearly drawn from life experiences so it is autobiography more than fiction. 2) The style is a little schooled at first and she isn't always confident in her voice. 3) She doesn't have enough material and the quality is uneven, in particular when she indulges herself in enumerating the qualities and shortcomings of her children.

Still a poignant, poetic story. Strongly recommended.

"So Long a Letter," by Mariama Ba, is a short novel (only 90 pages), but it is rich in ideas and emotions. According to a note about Ba at the beginning of the book, she was born in the African nation of Senegal and died in 1981. The book has been translated from French by Modupe Bode-Thomas.

This novel is written in the form of a long letter by Ramatoulaye, a Senegalese widow, to her friend Aissatou. Ramatoulaye discusses the lives, marriages and families of both women, and reflects on their friendship. As she writes, the story of her life is fleshed out.

Ba has created a fascinating look at postcolonial life in the former French West Africa. This portrait is decidedly from a woman's perspective and is focused on issues that particularly impact women's lives. Ba explores a multigenerational web that links women and men together.

Ba's subject matter includes motherhood, marriage, religion, education, and politics. Particularly fascinating are her explorations of the role of the "griot" (described in the book's endnotes as "part-poet, part-musician, part-sorcerer") and the practice of cowrie shell divination. A key element in the book is polygamy as practiced in the Muslim African world.

The book deals much with women's relationships--with husbands, with children, with adult female relatives, and with friends. The book is about surviving loss and disappointment; it's also about hope and personal growth...