" Popobawa joins the ranks of zombies, witches and vampire studies of Africa and proves that there is still more to say in the generative discourses of the monstrous and mysterious if we are willing to listen well."-- Journal of Modern African Studies "A well-researched and well-documented addition to the body of knowledge on local legends and their global manifestations."-- Journal of Folklore Research "Thompson's movement between local and global discourses demonstrates the importance of a phenomenon that could otherwise be viewed as exotic ethnographic trivia, while her theoretical orientation makes the text as relevant to linguistic anthropologists as to African studies scholars. Especially important is her understanding that marginalized individuals in Zanzibar do offer social critique. "-- African Studies Review "Katrina Daly Thompson emphasizes the importance of understanding African cultural texts in relation to both local and global contexts. The result is a fascinating study that moves in a compelling dialectic from the general to the specific and back again, entrancing and enlightening the reader in equal measure."--Martin Walsh, Wolfson College, University of Cambridge "While Popobawa surely belong to one of the most interesting African legends, Katrina Daly Thompson, instead of asking where the story originated, asks about how people talk about this trickster and what these conversations really mean."--Claudia Boehme, University of Trier.