Henry Chakava, who contributes a substantial introductory essay of Hans Zell Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Critical Bibliography, is Chairman of East African Educational Publishers in Nairobi. He is widely recognized as one of the continent's most innovative and enterprising publishers, and has amassed a wealth of experience during a lifetime devoted to strengthening the indigenous book industries in Africa. He is one of the most prolific authors of articles and studies on many aspects of the state of the book in Africa, and has been the recipient of several awards and honours.