Literary Fiction by People of Color discussion

...but there are criteria.

I'm looking for books by people of colour from around the world, set in places around the world, NOT North America, Europe or Australia. That is, not set in a predominantly "white" country. I've found that there's a huge difference between growing up or living in a country where whites are a minority (as I did) and where they are a minority. It should also be originally in English.

Preferably, it should be set in a relatively little-known country, and the authors should not be best-selling or prize-winning ones. Much as I loved Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novels set in Nigeria, they are already well known and I'd like to showcase those books that have not yet made a mark!

And if possible, they should be recent publications, though a "lost gem" of a few years ago would also be a good find.

This is research for an article I'm about to write. Last week I wrote a similar article on the website www.writing.ie but that showcased my own novel (set in Guyana) and this time I'm looking for other books which are set in a country most readers will not have visited or read about before.

Hope you can help!

Sharon wrote: "...but there are criteria.

I'm looking for books by people of colour from around the world, set in places around the world, NOT North America, Europe or Australia. That is, not set in a predomina..."

I loved Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi, and I have her latest The Death of Vivek Oji, but I haven't read it yet.

Oh, thanks! I'll add them to my list!

Here are a couple:

The Mermaid of Black Conch
In the Company of Men
Love After Love
Red Island House
A Girl Is a Body of Water

Two books that I am hoping to get to this year are:

We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste

Also, you might try The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma or Rosewater by Tade Thompson fascinating scifi set in Africa. I enjoyed both of these books.

Not all of these might be forgotten or overlooked, but this is what I can find with authors you didn't name--my GR shelves are not all shelved well, nor do they include everything I've ever read.


mostly forgotten gem and a very important novel -
Maru by Bessie Head (born in South Africa, but in her 20s moved to Botswana)

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin Nigerian and still lives there, so not a little known country

author from Zimbabwe but now practises medicine in the States (came to the States to attend Harvard)
Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter by J. Nozipo Maraire

nonfiction
Malawi
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba


quite religious memoir but very realistic at depicting her time during the Rwandan genocide when she spent months in a small bathroom with a number of other women
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculée Ilibagiza

The Missing American, set mostly in Ghana

Green Island by Shawna Yang Ryan takes place primarily in Taiwan during the Chinese occupation.

A Man by Keiichirō Hirano translated. Takes place in Japan. Haven't read it yet.

Disoriental by Négar Djavadi takes place primarily in Iran

(I think all/most of these meet the criteria you have listed, but please double-check that they do....)

Nigerians in Space by Deji Bryce Olukotun. There is also a sequel which I have not yet read.

The Missing American by Kwei Quartey.

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite.

Morning in Serra Mattu: A Nubian Ode by Arif Gamal.

Tail of the Blue Bird by Nii Ayikwei Parkes.

Taduno's Song by Odafe Atogun.

Insurrecto by Gina Apostol.

A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif.

Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco.

The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday by Saad Hossain.

Augustown by Kei Miller.

The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmad.

I loved Taduno's Song.

Here are some other books I loved:

The First Wife: A Tale of Polygamy by Paulina Chiziane (Mozambique)

Season of the Shadow by Léonora Miano (Cameroon)

Period Pain by Kopano Matlwa (South Africa)

Ways of Dying by Zakes Mda (South Africa)

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah (Sierra Leone-nonfiction)
Mating Birds by Lewis Nkosi (South Africa.... older but I feel it is under appreciated)
The Question of Red by Laksmi Pamuntjak (Indonesia)
A Burning by Megha Majumdar (India)
Evening Primrose by Kopano Matlwa (South Africa)
We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo (Zimbabwe)

If you like sci-fi, Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor is set in Nigeria and is great fun.

A new release A RIVER CALLED TIME - Courttia Newland.

LIGHTSEEKERS - - Femi Kayode set in Nigeria

3 more -

THE MOTHER: A NOVEL - Yvette Edwards 2016. Very timely.

WITCHES STEEPED IN GOLD - Ciannon Smart. Author living in England. Debut. TA fantasy 4/20/21 release

IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK - Lola Akinmade Akerstrom 9/7/21 release date Set in Stockholm

You can check out my book, "Book Cover."

It's a complicated yet sweet love story with a romcom flavor added to it. It follows two individuals who cross paths twice in one day. A violent experience leads to something more. Casually, things begin to heat up the more that they're together. Keva thinks that she's dating an average guy, but she'll soon learn that Ryan Persaud is far from average. It's an interesting read with a host of problems; however, a page-turner for the hopeless romantic.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/L-C-Riley/e/B0...

A few more -
THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE - Abi Dare
SWING TIME - Zadie Smith
BOY, SNOW, BIRD - Helen Oyeyemi
NW - Zadie Smith
ON BEAUTY - Zadie Smith
LINKS - Nuruddin Farah

You might also want to check out this article about African book clubs -



'Anybody anywhere can join': How African book clubs are bringing together readers from across the world
By Sana Noor Haq, CNN

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/30/africa...

I have two Scifi suggestions. The stories on on the Oceans and Countries of the world...not North America.

Sixth Extinction: The Reset Button - Back To Pangaea
Continental Drift: The Battle at the Puerto Rico Trench