Great African Reads discussion

Will focus mostly on Southern Africa this year. Books set in or written by authors from the region

South Africa - Men of the South
Namibia - Moord op Karibib
Botswana
Zimbabwe - The Gold Diggers
Mozambique - The First Wife
Zambia - The Old Drift

Namiba - Moord op Karibib

Completed 3 January 2020. 5 stars

Carolien wrote: "Namiba - Moord op Karibib

Completed 3 January 2020. 5 stars"

Hi Carolien!
I have just seen that you are reading in Africaans. I know Dutch and have been intrigued by Africaans for a long time. I was wondering if you can recommend easy Africaans reads (maybe even children's books), I would try to incorporate them into my reading :). Thanks a lot in advance and happy New Year 2020!

You should be able to manage, Orgeluse. A good children's author to start would be Jaco Jacobs, he writes well and there is a great variety.

I've just posted a list of Afrikaans authors that have been translated under the Bingo challenge. Some of them have also been translated in Dutch.

This may interest you: http://bookslive.co.za/blog/2018/01/0...

Another author who has won Dutch awards is Antjie Krog.

Carolien wrote: "You should be able to manage, Orgeluse. A good children's author to start would be Jaco Jacobs, he writes well and there is a great variety.

I've just posted a list of Afrikaans au..."

Thanks a lot for the links and the hint to your list under the Bingo challenge! I will probably start with Jaco Jacobs!

Orgeluse, this may be useful. I found it accidentally this morning. It is a website devoted to Dutch and Afrikaans literature
https://voertaal.nu/category/literatuur/

Carolien wrote: "Orgeluse, this may be useful. I found it accidentally this morning. It is a website devoted to Dutch and Afrikaans literature
https://voertaal.nu/category/literatuur/"

Just checked the website out and it looks interesting, thanks a lot!!!

I completed The Gold Diggers for Zimbabwe which I found emotionally very hard to read as the story told by Sue Nyeti plays out constantly around me. Living in Johannesburg and interacting with migrants from all over Africa, one realises that it is very hostile city. The story starts with 12 people leaving Bulawayo to cross the Limpopo on the way to the "City of Gold". Each character represents a migrant experience, the vast majority ending in tragedy. There is no happy ever after, only loss and despair and the knowledge that this captures the actual daily lives of many migrants.

Carolien wrote: "I completed The Gold Diggers for Zimbabwe which I found emotionally very hard to read as the story told by Sue Nyeti plays out constantly around me. Living in Johannesburg and inter..."

I listened into the audio-read on audible and it really sounds well written though definitely a tough read! So I will put it on my TBR as I also have to read for Zimbabwe for my Random African Travels Challenge :)
The author has also written another novel (The Polygamist which also sounds promising and seems to fit the regional read.
So thanks for sharing!!!