Great African Reads discussion

16 read! Finished 1/1 2020

1) French speaking Africa Eve out of Her Ruins by Ananda Devi
2) Red cover So Long a Letter by Mariama Bâ
3) Published before 1969 Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali
4) Female Protagonist The Collector of Treasures and Other Botswana Village Tales by Bessie Head
5) A book about love Stay with Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀
6) Published after 2000 The Storied City: The Quest for Timbuktu and the Fantastic Mission to Save Its Past by Charlie English
7) Free Choice There Is a Country: New Fiction from the New Nation of South Sudan by Nyuol Lueth Tong
8) Portuguese speaking Africa Transparent City by Ondjaki
9) A Book by a Caine Prize winner Secret Son by Laila Lalami
10) A book about war Nehanda by Yvonne Vera
11) Animal In The Title Death and the King's Horseman: A Play
12) A Regional Group Read Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
13) A group read short story Your Madness, Not Mine: Stories of Cameroon by Makuchi
14) A Debut Small Country by Gaël Faye
15) An Award Winner/A Shortlisted Book Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala
16) Written in an African language (Lingala) Mr. Fix It by Richard Ali A Mutu

I'm behind on my African reading (needed new glasses I figured out after not really reading anything for a whole month and a half) - but I've updated with the two group reads I've read so far. Now back to the pile of unread African goodies waiting for me :)

My unread pile contains these from 2 libraries, who may want them back soon:
READ So Long a Letter by Mariama Bâ (mine has a red binding, also French)
READ The Collector of Treasures and Other Botswana Village Tales by Bessie Head
READ Nehanda by Yvonne Vera
The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta (red cover)
The Quiet Violence of Dreams by K. Sello Duiker
Ripples in the Pool by Rebeka Njau
The Promised Land by Grace Ogot
The Madonna of Excelsior by Zakes Mda

Also I have acquired these while travelling:
The Radiance of the King by Camara Laye
The Curious Case of Dassoukine’s Trousers by Fouad Laroui
Arrows of Rain by Okey Ndibe
The Tuner of Silences by Mia Couto
The collection Africa 39
We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo (Caine Prize Winner)
The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma

...and maybe I could get around to Dust by Caine Prize Winner Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor

That's a very appetising list! Dust, We Need New Names and The Madonna of Exclsior are also high on my list of books I want to read. I loved so Long a Letter and The Collector of Treasures, and enjoyed The Curious Case of Dassoukine's Trousers. Look forward to reading your thoughts on them.

Good to know :) I started We need new names at some point, but found it hard to get into, dies it get easier?

Great list Anetq!

I liked We need new names, and did not find it difficult to read.

Dust has won the East-African poll, so you can already add that one!

I've checked up on my list - and I seem to be missing these four:

Published before 1969 - Maybe Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali
Portuguese speaking Africa - Some Ondjaki perhaps?
Animal In The Title - Hmmm...
Written in an African language - Maybe White Teeth by Okot p'Bitek or Mr. Fix It by Richard Ali A Mutu

Ideas are welcome?

Animals in titles:

The Lion and the Jewel by Wole Soyinka
Death and the King's Horseman: A Play by Wole Soyinka
Piggy Boy's Blues by Nakhane Touré

Hi Anetq, you are making good progress on the bingo!

For Portuguese speaking Africa you can check books by Mia Couto, Jose Eduardo Agualusa, Germano Almeida, Lilia Momple, Pepetela and Dina Salustio

For animal in the title there is also
Memoirs of a Porcupine by Alain Mabanckou
Tail of the Blue Bird by Nii Ayikwei Parkes
Waiting for the Wild Beasts to Vote by Ahmadou Kourouma
Butterfly Burning by Yvonne Vera
Death of the Mantis by Michael Stanley

For published before 1969, some of Ousmane Sembene's and Mongo Beti's books were published before that date

Valerie wrote: "For published before 1969, some of Ousmane Sembene's and Mongo Beti's books were published before that date "

Oooh, yes, I am just now starting God's Bits of Wood which was published in 1960. It got very good reviews from GAR members :D

Valerie wrote: "Hi Anetq, you are making good progress on the bingo!

For Portuguese speaking Africa you can check books by Mia Couto, Jose Eduardo Agualusa, Germano Almeida, Lilia Momple, Pepetela and Dina Salust..."
Thank you Valerie - great selection of animal titles!

Tinea wrote: "Valerie wrote: "For published before 1969, some of Ousmane Sembene's and Mongo Beti's books were published before that date "

Oooh, yes, I am just now starting God's Bits of Wood whi..."

I hope you enjoy it! Not sure what I'll read, but I found the TBR list can be sorted by publication date - that helps :)

Finished Mr. Fix It - written in Lingala.

I have 3 left - and these three lying around...
Published before 1969 - Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali
Portuguese speaking Africa - Os Transparentes
Animal In The Title - Death and the King's Horseman: A Play

Anetq wrote: "Finished Mr. Fix It - written in Lingala.

I have 3 left - and these three lying around...
Published before 1969 - Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali
Portuguese speaking Af..."

Great progress Anetq! What did you think of Mr. Fix It?

Valerie wrote: "Great progress Anetq! What did you think of Mr. Fix It?"

Thanks! And I finally have some time off to finish the last ones :)

I liked mr. fixit - a short read, in some ways echoing the Acebe Classic Things fall apart - a man losing his grip on anything, but more upbeat - review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The final looming deadline has spurred me on to read this play: Death and the King's Horseman: A Play by Wole Soyinka
(bonus: Nobel Prize Winner as well)

Mr Fixit looks interesting. Good luck with the play.

Done!

I read and enjoyed Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali - fables of old kings.

And finally - a day late - I struggled through Ondjaki and finished the bingo!

Congrats!! :D

Congratulations!

Congratulations! I'm definitely impressed!