2016 Reads

I grew up not reading a lot of books written by African authors, mainly because I didn’t have access to them. I’m African. I’m Ghanaian. Somehow I think I should have had more access, if not ‘right’, to these books.

So why didn’t I have access to them? Where were our African books? Were they so few? Were they not good enough? It’s a bit confusing, now that I think about it.

A friend once told me he wasn’t enthused about reading books by African Authors. Could it be an issue of content, or like me, was he only exposed to books by western authors so much so that the interest for reading African Literature was basically low?

In November 2015, I resolved to spend deliberate time reading books by African Writers. This was an unknown territory. It was content I was not used to, but I was ready to explore.

You will find below the list of books, in no particular order, by African Authors I have read since November 2015. You can also click on the links to read my thoughts on some of them.

If you have read any of the books mentioned here, I’d love to hear your comments on it. Also feel free to recommend any you find interesting. It might save me the stress of having to comb the whole of Accra (well,  not exactly THE WHOLE of Accra, but you get the point), sifting through blurbs, font styles, and page colors for one I find worth my curiosity.

African Literature 

1. The Night of the Full Moon by Muheki-Rushedge
2. In the chest of a woman by Efo K)dzo Mawugbe
3. Grief Child by Lawrence Darmani
4. Burning Grass by Cyprian Ekwensi
5. The Palm-wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola
6. Beyond the Horizon by Amma Darko
7. A Cowrie of Hope by Binwell Sinyangwe
8. The Purple Violet of Oshaantu by Neshani Andreas
9. The Jewel of Kabibi by Mawuli Adzei
10. So long a letter by Mariama Ba
11. As The Crow Flies by Veronique Tadjo
12. The New Tribe by Buchi Emecheta
13. Voices Made Night by Mia Couto
14. Mema by Daniel Mengara
15. Queen Pokou by Veronique Tadjo
16. The Concubine by Elechi Amadi
17. Houseboy by Ferdinand Oyono
18. Neighbours: The Story of Murder by Lilia Momple
19. The Housemaid by Amma Darko
20. Can We Talk and other stories by Shimmer Chinodya
21. The Ordained of the gods by Kwanima Boateng
22. Mine Boy by Peter Abrahams
23. The Witch of Lagbasi by Mawuli Adzei
24. Chaka by Thomas Mofolo
25. Money Galore by Amu Djoleto
26. A Squatter’s Tale by Ike Oguine
27. Dew In The Morning by Shimmer Chinodya
28. Nile Baby by Elle Boehmer
29. Arrows of Rain by Okey Ndibe
30. The Mystery of The Haunted House by Ruby Yayra Goka
31. Black Heat by J. Chobe
32. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Non- African Literature

1. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie: Crime fiction that was made into a film (of the same name) in 1978.

2. Morning Noon & Night by Sidney Sheldon

3. The Partner by John Grisham

4. Guardian Angel by Patricia Wilson

5. Left Behind by Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins