Great African Reads discussion

There has been an interest in reading in Portuguese. The idea so far would be to do something parallel to the French reads.
When a translation is available anyone can read along in translation as well.
Wim and Ana Lucia will add more news below.

If you are interested in joining these reads - please let us know in the comments below :)

I find it really interesting! I'm in

I would be interested in reading translations. I like the idea!

Also very interested. Thanks!

I think it is a great idea, similar to the French GAR. I do not know Portuguese but would be interested in joining in the discussion given that there are translations into English/German/Dutch available.

Yes, I am very interested in reading in Portuguese, there are so many great authors ! Thanks for doing this!

I am interested in joining

Thank you Anetq for creating this thread. I am thrilled to see so many enthusiast people for African lit in Portuguese.

It was Ana Lúcia's idea and she is ready to take the lead. Obrigada Ana Lúcia !

Let's discuss first how to organize these group reads: which frequency do you prefer? 1 book every 2 or 3 months?

For a start, we could visit the different lusophone countries in Africa, nominate and reads books from each one of them?
These are the countries: Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe. We might even include Equatorial Guinea for whom Portuguese is a national language, even though more literature is available in Spanish.

Your ideas and suggestions are more than welcome!

Wim wrote: "For a start, we could visit the different lusophone countries in Africa, nominate and reads books from each one of them?(...)

Your ideas and suggestions are more than welcome!..."
Thank you, Wim! I think this is a great way to start. Looking forward to hearing from the others!

Tradução para o português a seguir. Não fique de fora só porque viu inglês!
Since 15 days have passed and there were no additions to the discussion, I am going to propose starting guidelines for the group. If people want to change it later, we can do so.
I propose we read one book every three months. Since we are in the middle of March now, we can plan to read a book in the April-May-June trimester to start.
Scope of the group’s readings: I propose we do not limit our readings to books from the PALOP (the five/six countries listed by Wim). We could favor them or have a round of books from these countries, but my idea is to read African books that have been printed/translated to Portuguese. This would allow people who do not speak English to participate more in Great African Reads. Some of the books that you all are reading in English or French have been translated to Portuguese, but not all. This subgroup could be a place to go and make sure we are reading something available in Portuguese. And if others want to read those books in other languages they could as well, when available.
I think we will have more participants this way. Also because for those saying they would be willing to read translations I have bad news: the bulk of the literature by Portuguese speaking authors is not translated into English. Exception to Mia Couto. But Germano Almeida, for example, has only “The Last Will & Testament of Senhor...” although he has written many books.
Expanding the readings to translations, folks who don’t read Portuguese but showed interest could join us both when we read Portuguese translations or when we read something translated to Portuguese.

Como já se passaram 15 dias e não houve acréscimos à discussão, vou propor diretrizes iniciais para o grupo. Se as pessoas quiserem mudá-las mais tarde, podemos fazê-lo.
Proponho que leiamos um livro a cada três meses. Como estamos no meio de março agora, podemos planejar a leitura de um livro no trimestre de abril-maio-junho para começar.
Alcance das leituras do grupo: proponho que não limitemos nossas leituras aos livros dos PALOP (os cinco/seis países listados por Wim). Poderíamos favorecê-los ou fazer uma rodada de livros desses países, mas minha ideia é ler livros africanos que foram impressos/traduzidos para o português. Isso permitiria que pessoas que não falam inglês participassem mais do grupo Great African Reads. Alguns dos livros que o grupo está lendo em inglês ou francês foram traduzidos para o português, mas nem todos. Este subgrupo pode ser uma referência dando a certeza de que estamos lendo algo disponível em português. E se quem não fala português quiser ler esses livros em outras línguas, poderiam fazê-lo quando houver traduções.
Acho que teremos mais participantes dessa forma. Também porque para aqueles que dizem que estariam dispostos a ler traduções, tenho más notícias: a maior parte da literatura de autores de língua portuguesa não é traduzida para o inglês. Exceção para o Mia Couto. Mas Germano Almeida, por exemplo, tem apenas “O testamento do Sr. Napumoceno da Silva Araújo” traduzido, embora tenha escrito muitos livros.
Aceitando ler livros traduzidos para o português, pessoas que não falam a língua mas que manifestaram interesse podem se juntar a nós de dois jeitos: quando lemos traduções em português ou quando lemos algo traduzido para o português.

I propose we do not limit our readings to books from the PALOP (the five/six countries listed by Wim). We could favor them or have a round of books from these countries, but my idea is to read African books that have been printed/translated to Portuguese.

I like your proposal. My Portuguese is poor, but I'm going to attempt to participate anyway.

Thank you, Linda. That's great!

That sounds great =)

Sounds like a plan!
One comment re: Translations - sometimes there may be other translations - I see that Germano Almeida have a few more titles in German and Spanish, this may be an exception, but we may have a slight chance to read along, even if it's not in English - at least I'm keeping my fingers crossed :)

Sounds good! What topic/country/type of books do you propose for the first read of April-June?

I would like to read some fiction, as I find it easier that way to introduce myself into any kind of literature, but this is just my proposal :) For the election of a specific topic, I have no idea. Ana Lúcia may have some suggestions.

Personally, I am dying to read something by Paulina Chiziane, first woman awarded with Camões. She comes from Mozambique. I don't know if you had read anything by her before, as I joined African Reads little time ago. The first wife is translated into English, as you can see searching it on Goodreads.

first African woman awarded with Camões, I meant*

That's a great suggestion, Luisa!
The group has not yet read anything by Paulina Chiziane.

Anetq wrote: "
One comment re: Translations - sometimes there may be other translations - I see that Germano Almeida have a few more titles in German and Spanish, this may be an exception, but..."
I got your comment as I reading the Wikipedia article about Ondjaki and realizing he has books translated to many languages of which only a very small part is to English. So, yes, when people say translations I should not read "to English".

Greetings from Maputo, Mozambique! I am definitely in! Do let me know how to participate! Thanks! Hugo

Hugo wrote: "Greetings from Maputo, Mozambique! I am definitely in! Do let me know how to participate! Thanks! Hugo"
Hi, Hugo!
For the April/May/June trimester we are reading Teoria Geral do Esquecimento de José Eduardo Agualusa.
The discussion is being carried out in this thread.
Seja bem vindo!