Great African Reads discussion

I will start with Level III and may upgrade from there.

I will show my progress here:

Create Your Own Visited Countries Map

1. Visited my first country, Nigeria, with Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

I loved this book! It is the story of two childhood sweethearts from Nigeria who immigrate to different countries, and their experiences. (view spoiler)[The couple eventually reunites years later in Nigeria. (hide spoiler)] I feel that this book is an accurate description of the immigrant experience by people of color. It is also an excellent exploration into the topic of race. I love that I have started off the year with such an awesome book!

Americanah was one of my favourite reads last year. Good choice! And thank you for inserting the map. I also inserted it in my thread and am curious as to how blue it will be at the end of the year😊!

Orgeluse wrote: "Americanah was one of my favourite reads last year. Good choice! And thank you for inserting the map. I also inserted it in my thread and am curious as to how blue it will be at the end of the year😊!"

I have thoroughly enjoyed every book I have read of hers.

I have been super-slack about documenting my progress. At some point, these will all connect. Here are the countries I have "visited" so far:

1. Nigeria:
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. *****
The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma ****
The Palm-Wine Drinkard ****
Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria by Noo Saro-Wiwa ****

2. Ghana:
The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born by Ayi Kwei Armah. ****

3. Cameroon:
Your Madness, Not Mine: Stories of Cameroon by Makuchi. ****

4. Cote d'Ivoire:
Akissi Tome 1 - Attaque de chats by Marguerite Abouet. ***

5. Chad:
Told by Starlight in Chad by Joseph Brahim Seid. ***

6. Egypt:
The Queue by Basma Abdel Aziz. ****
The Jokers by Albert Cossery ***

7. Kenya:
Dust by Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor. ****
Petals of Blood by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o ****

8. Zambia:
Sula and Ja by Ellen Banda-Aaku. ***

9. Botswana:
The Collector of Treasures and Other Botswana Village Tales by Bessie Head. ****

10. South Africa:
A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn. ****
A Dry White Season by André Brink. ****
The Heart of Redness by Zakes Mda. ****
Youth by J.M. Coetzee. ***
Coconut by Kopano Matlwa ****
Master Harold...and the boys by Athol Fugard ****

11. Burundi:
Small Country by Gaël Faye****

12. Central African Republic:
The Road Through War by Anjan Sundaram ***1/2

13. Eritrea:
African Titanics by Abu Bakr Khaal ****

14. Ethiopia:
Ethiopian Story by Heliodorus of Emesa ***

15. Malawi:
Greetings from Grandpa by Jack Mapanje ***1/2

16. Namibia:
Mama Namibia by Mari Serebrov ****

17. Zimbabwe:
An Elegy for Easterly: Stories by Petina Gappah ****

18. Sudan: Cities Without Palms by Tarek Eltayeb ****
Lyrics Alley by Leila Aboulela ****

19. Algeria: The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon *****

20. Tanzania: Three Solid Stones by Martha Mvungi ****

A few more to add:

21. Senegal: Ambiguous Adventure by Cheikh Hamidou Kane ****

22. Libya: The Return: Fathers, Sons, and the Land in Between by Hisham Matar ****

23. Somalia: From a Crooked Rib by Nuruddin Farah ***

24. Uganda: Song of Lawino & Song of Ocol by Okot p'Bitek ****

25. Cape Verde: Selected Poems of Corsino Fortes by Corsino Fortes ****

26. Morocco: Secret Son by Laila Lalami ***

27. Burkina Faso: Women's Wisdom from the Heart of Africa by Sobonfu E. Somé ****

28. Gabon: Awu's Story: A Novel by Justine Mintsa ****

29. Swaziland (Eswatini): The Fabulist's Bindle by Mehluli Nxumalo ***

30. Mauritius: Castaway and Other Tales from Mauritius by Ramesh Ramdoyal ****

31. Equatorial Guinea: La Bastarda by Trifonia Melibea Obono ****

32. Tunisia: Treason by Hédi Kaddour ***

Adding:

33 Sierra Leone: The Memory of Love

34. Togo: Do They Hear You When You Cry

35. Niger: Stranger in the Village of the Sick: A Memoir of Cancer, Sorcery, and Healing

36. Angola: Transparent City

37. Benin: The Beautiful Debo

38. Seychelles: Voices: Short stories from the Seychelles Islands

What an inspiring list of books. I hope I can meet some of these authors and books next year.

Sue wrote: "What an inspiring list of books. I hope I can meet some of these authors and books next year."

It has been an enjoyable journey.

Adding my final entries for the year:

39. Liberia: Konkai: Living Between Two Worlds by Mardia Stone

40. Lesotho: Basali! Stories by and about Women in Lesotho by K. Limakatso Kendall, et al

41. Mali: Bound to Violence by Yambo Ouologuem

42. Guinea-Bissau: The Ultimate Tragedy by Abdulai Sila

43. Madagascar: Return to the Enchanted Island: A Novel by Johary Ravaloson