Great African Reads discussion

My List for 2019


1. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
2. The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
3. Blackass
4. Kintu
5. Coconut
6. The Sand Child
7. When Rain Clouds Gather
8. AMA
9. I Do Not Come to You by Chance
10. Dreams in a Time of War
11. Dust
12. A Beautiful Place to Die
13. Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria
14. Open City
15. On Black Sisters Street
16. The Thing Around Your Neck
17. Everything Good Will Come
18. Half Blood Blues
19. The Jokers
20. Chicago
21. Karnak Café
22. Akata Witch
23. The Palm-Wine Drinkard
24. The Fishermen

Hi Diane,

The links to Ama are to an out of print edition. Current links include:

https://www.amazon.com/Manu-Herbstein...

Ama, a Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade http://amzn.to/1UtsnzI

Regards

Manu

Manu wrote: "Hi Diane,

The links to Ama are to an out of print edition. Current links include:

https://www.amazon.com/Manu-Herbstein...

Ama, a Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade http://amzn.to/1Uts..."

Thanks, Manu!

This is such a good list of compelling books, with a lot of new Nigerian novels in the mix. Looks like a good year of reading!

Tinea wrote: "This is such a good list of compelling books, with a lot of new Nigerian novels in the mix. Looks like a good year of reading!"

Thanks, Tinea!

1. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
2. The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
3. Blackass
4. Kintu
5. Coconut
6. The Sand Child
7. When Rain Clouds Gather
8. AMA
9. I Do Not Come to You by Chance
10. Dreams in a Time of War
11. Dust
12. A Beautiful Place to Die
13. Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria
14. Open City
15. On Black Sisters Street
16. The Thing Around Your Neck
17. Everything Good Will Come
18. Half Blood Blues
19. The Jokers
20. Chicago
21. Karnak Café
22. Akata Witch
23. The Palm-Wine Drinkard
24. The Fishermen

Finished January's book, A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn.

I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. It is a detective mystery set in 1950's South Africa. I enjoyed the many twists and turns, as well as an insight into the time and place. This is a series I will continue with.

Points: 1

1. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
2. The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
3. Blackass
4. Kintu
5. Coconut
6. The Sand Child
7. When Rain Clouds Gather
8. AMA
9. I Do Not Come to You by Chance
10. Dreams in a Time of War
11. Dust
12. A Beautiful Place to Die
13. Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria
14. Open City
15. On Black Sisters Street
16. The Thing Around Your Neck
17. Everything Good Will Come
18. Half Blood Blues
19. The Jokers
20. Chicago
21. Karnak Café
22. Akata Witch
23. The Palm-Wine Drinkard
24. The Fishermen

Finished February's book, The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born

I wasn't anticipating a long library wait for this book. I had to break down an buy a copy to get it read in time. It was worth it, though.

Points: 1
Total points: 2

1. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
2. The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
3. Blackass
4. Kintu
5. Coconut
6. The Sand Child
7. When Rain Clouds Gather
8. AMA
9. I Do Not Come to You by Chance
10. Dreams in a Time of War
11. Dust
12. A Beautiful Place to Die
13. Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria
14. Open City
15. On Black Sisters Street
16. The Thing Around Your Neck
17. Everything Good Will Come
18. Half Blood Blues
19. The Jokers
20. Chicago
21. Karnak Café
22. Akata Witch
23. The Palm-Wine Drinkard
24. The Fishermen

Finished book number three, Dust by Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor.

Points: 2
Total points: 4

1. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
2. The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
3. Blackass
4. Kintu
5. Coconut
6. The Sand Child
7. When Rain Clouds Gather
8. AMA
9. I Do Not Come to You by Chance
10. Dreams in a Time of War
11. Dust
12. A Beautiful Place to Die
13. Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria
14. Open City
15. On Black Sisters Street
16. The Thing Around Your Neck
17. Everything Good Will Come
18. Half Blood Blues
19. The Jokers
20. Chicago
21. Karnak Café
22. Akata Witch
23. The Palm-Wine Drinkard
24. The Fishermen

Finished book number 4: Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan.

Points: 2
Total points: 6

1. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
2. The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
3. Blackass
4. Kintu
5. Coconut
6. The Sand Child
7. When Rain Clouds Gather
8. AMA
9. I Do Not Come to You by Chance
10. Dreams in a Time of War
11. Dust
12. A Beautiful Place to Die
13. Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria
14. Open City
15. On Black Sisters Street
16. The Thing Around Your Neck
17. Everything Good Will Come
18. Half Blood Blues
19. The Jokers
20. Chicago
21. Karnak Café
22. Akata Witch
23. The Palm-Wine Drinkard
24. The Fishermen

Finished book number 6: The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma. Not sure what happened to my post from May.

Total points: 12

1. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
2. The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
3. Blackass
4. Kintu
5. Coconut
6. The Sand Child
7. When Rain Clouds Gather
8. AMA
9. I Do Not Come to You by Chance
10. Dreams in a Time of War
11. Dust
12. A Beautiful Place to Die
13. Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria
14. Open City
15. On Black Sisters Street
16. The Thing Around Your Neck
17. Everything Good Will Come
18. Half Blood Blues
19. The Jokers
20. Chicago
21. Karnak Café
22. Akata Witch
23. The Palm-Wine Drinkard
24. The Fishermen

Finished book number 7: The Palm-Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola.

Total points: 16

What did you think of it? It's been on my TBR for a while but I somehow still haven't got round to reading it...

Cam wrote: "What did you think of it? It's been on my TBR for a while but I somehow still haven't got round to reading it..."

I liked it, but it probably isn't for everyone. It is a very quick read, though.

1. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
2. The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
3. Blackass
4. Kintu
5. Coconut
6. The Sand Child
7. When Rain Clouds Gather
8. AMA
9. I Do Not Come to You by Chance
10. Dreams in a Time of War
11. Dust
12. A Beautiful Place to Die
13. Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria
14. Open City
15. On Black Sisters Street
16. The Thing Around Your Neck
17. Everything Good Will Come
18. Half Blood Blues
19. The Jokers
20. Chicago
21. Karnak Café
22. Akata Witch
23. The Palm-Wine Drinkard
24. The Fishermen

Finished 9 the consecutive book: Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria

Total points: 25

1. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
2. The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
3. Blackass
4. Kintu
5. Coconut
6. The Sand Child
7. When Rain Clouds Gather
8. AMA
9. I Do Not Come to You by Chance
10. Dreams in a Time of War
11. Dust
12. A Beautiful Place to Die
13. Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria
14. Open City
15. On Black Sisters Street
16. The Thing Around Your Neck
17. Everything Good Will Come
18. Half Blood Blues
19. The Jokers
20. Chicago
21. Karnak Café
22. Akata Witch
23. The Palm-Wine Drinkard
24. The Fishermen

Finished the 10th consecutive book: The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin. This is a fantastic book!

Total points: 30

1. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
2. The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
3. Blackass
4. Kintu
5. Coconut
6. The Sand Child
7. When Rain Clouds Gather
8. AMA
9. I Do Not Come to You by Chance
10. Dreams in a Time of War
11. Dust
12. A Beautiful Place to Die
13. Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria
14. Open City
15. On Black Sisters Street
16. The Thing Around Your Neck
17. Everything Good Will Come
18. Half Blood Blues
19. The Jokers
20. Chicago
21. Karnak Café
22. Akata Witch
23. The Palm-Wine Drinkard
24. The Fishermen

Finished the 11th consecutive book: Open City by Teju Cole.

Total points: 34

Diane wrote: "1. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
2. The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
3. Blackass
4. Kintu
5. Coconut
6. The Sand Child
7. When Rain Clouds Gather
8. AMA
9. I Do Not Come to You by Chance..."

I enjoyed Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives too. My only (minor) complaint was that with the POV switches among the wives, sometimes I found it hard to know who was speaking until I was well into the chapter. Still, it was a satisfying read.

Baba Segi's wives was turned into a play which has been staged in Lagos and London so far. It's absolutely brilliant and I really recommend it if ever it comes near you. There's more from the director and actors here on their take on the book https://brittlepaper.com/2018/06/secr...

Cam wrote: "Baba Segi's wives was turned into a play which has been staged in Lagos and London so far. It's absolutely brilliant and I really recommend it if ever it comes near you. There's more from the direc..."

I would love to see it on stage. I hope it comes to a theater near me.

1. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
2. The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
3. Blackass
4. Kintu
5. Coconut
6. The Sand Child
7. When Rain Clouds Gather
8. AMA
9. I Do Not Come to You by Chance
10. Dreams in a Time of War
11. Dust
12. A Beautiful Place to Die
13. Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria
14. Open City
15. On Black Sisters Street
16. The Thing Around Your Neck
17. Everything Good Will Come
18. Half Blood Blues
19. The Jokers
20. Chicago
21. Karnak Café
22. Akata Witch
23. The Palm-Wine Drinkard
24. The Fishermen

Finished the 12th consecutive book and final book for the year: Everything Good Will Come by Sefi Atta.

Wow excellent job, Diane - I'm tempted to join this year, but am not sure I can stick to the rules :) Will consider options...

Anetq wrote: "Wow excellent job, Diane - I'm tempted to join this year, but am not sure I can stick to the rules :) Will consider options..."

It's actually pretty easy to stick to, since it focuses on only one book per month. The key is to list books you already own or can reliably obtain on short notice. The first time I did this challenge I was put on a library waiting list for a book and almost didn't make it. Since then, I have been more careful with my choices.

I had no idea I had so many ready at hand, but it turned out i have plenty, so I'm in - will number books later :)