Great African Reads discussion

Please make suggestions of authors you'd like to read this year.

Binyavanga Wainaina
Wambui B. Githiora
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

Is this one just Kenyan?

Yes, just Kenyan. But any ethnic background including white and Asian.

I nominate Mike Resnick specifically for Kirinyaga (not his other works... he is not Kenyan.)

Oh but he's American. The authors for this need to be Kenyan. But the book looks interesting!

Marieke wrote: "Oh but he's American. The authors for this need to be Kenyan. But the book looks interesting!"

Ah okay. Are these rules somewhere? I have a hard time keeping track! Maybe when we post new challenges, the rules could be posted alongside!

good idea...I will make an intro thread. I didn't create a challenge but I like that idea! I think it could be fun.

Jenny, I made the intro thread, but have not created the challenge yet.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I nominate M.G. Vassanji - specifically for The In-Between World of Vikram Lall.

The author was born in Kenya and raised in Tanzania and a lot of books are deals with the Asian- descents in East Africa but The In-Between World of Vikram Lall does deal with Kenya.

Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor
Grace Ogot
Warsan Shire
Meja Mwangi
Lily Mabura

Oh, Warsan Shire, yes!

you have to understand,
that no one puts their children in a boat
unless the water is safer than the land
http://seekershub.org/blog/2015/09/ho...

Tinea wrote: "Oh, Warsan Shire, yes!

you have to understand,
that no one puts their children in a boat
unless the water is safer than the land
http://seekershub.org/blog/2015/09/ho..."

That certainly is a powerful statement!

Hi, everyone-
Here are some suggestions:

Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor
• Dust

Wanjiku Wa Ngugi
• Fall of Saints

Hartley, Aiden
• The Zanzibar Chest

Ngugi Wa Thiang’o
• The River Between
• A Grain of Wheat
• Wizard of the Crow

Binyavangna Wainaina
• One Day I Will Write about this Place

Mukoma Wa Ngugi (born in US but grew up in Kenya, I think. Also, these are crime/suspense. Don’t know if these qualify?) :-)
• Black Star Nairobi
• Nairobi Heat

M.G. Vassanji
• The Book of Secrets
• The In-Between World of Vikram Lall
• The Magic of Saida

Looking forward to reading these!

Jenny

Jenny wrote: "Hi, everyone-
Here are some suggestions:

Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor
• Dust

Wanjiku Wa Ngugi
• Fall of Saints

Hartley, Aiden
• The Zanzibar Chest

Ngugi Wa Thiang’o
• The River Between
• A Grain of Wh..."

Yesss! Thanks for this post! Kenyan literature looks soooo good.

Dust is sooo good!

And Ngugi's son's work totally counts. I'd like to read more of his work. I like thrillers and it's nice to have a break from the heavier stuff :)

Marieke wrote: "Dust is sooo good!

And Ngugi's son's work totally counts. I'd like to read more of his work. I like thrillers and it's nice to have a break from the heavier stuff :)"

I really enjoyed his mystery series!

N'gugi wa Thongo - only because I've taken out 'A Grain of Wheat' umpteen times, always said I'd read it, but never did in the end... Ah, the life of a procrastinator...

Some of the other recommendations are fascinating - will certainly be checking those out at a later date!

Anyone read this lady? Good article too
Why I chose an African publisher over a western one
http://gu.com/p/4taqb?CMP=Share_Andro...

In Dependence is on my to-read list, but I haven't gotten my hands on a copy yet.