THE TRUTHFUL LIE: ESSAYS IN A SOCIOLOGY OF AFRICAN DRAMA is a collection of essays written over seven years which together constitute a first attempt to work out a radical sociology of contemporary black African drama and theatre. In this work, which combines bold theoretical speculation with incisive critical analysis, Jeyifo examines the world of trends and patterns in contemporary Black African theatre. It is a measure of the book’s strength that the author’s explicit partisanship for radical and revolutionary expressions and trends does not lead him to ignore the ambiguities and complexities of the vast terrain he has engaged in these essays.