Great African Reads discussion

Drafting my list ... the remainder of my 2021 list, with some adds of books collecting dust on my shelves and complemented with locally published Burkinese novels (not yet on Goodreads, I will add them).

1. Kétala by Fatou Diome
2. Efuru by Flora Nwapa
3. How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney
4. Cola Cola Jazz by Kangni Alem
5. O Pays, Mon Beau Peuple! by Ousmane Sembène
6. In Dependence by Sarah Ladipo Manyika
7. African Love Stories: An Anthology by Ama Ata Aidoo
8. Le parachutage by Norbert Zongo
9. Distant View of a Minaret and Other Stories by Alifa Rifaat
10. Sueurs froides by William Aristide Nassidia Combary
11. Kamerun ! Une guerre cachée aux origines de la Françafrique, 1948-1971 by Thomas Deltombe
12. Everything Good Will Come by Sefi Atta
13. The Fortunes of Africa: A 5,000-Year History of Wealth, Greed, and Endeavor by Martin Meredith
14. The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
15. La liberté contre le destin by Thomas Sankara
16. Of Water and the Spirit: Ritual, Magic, and Initiation in the Life of an African Shaman by Malidoma Patrice Somé
17. A Certain Amount of Madness: The Life Politics and Legacies of Thomas Sankara by Amber Murrey
18. The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World by Vijay Prashad
19. Tram 83 by Fiston Mwanza Mujila
20. The Book of Not by Tsitsi Dangarembga
21. A Mission to Civilize: The Republican Idea of Empire in France and West Africa, 1895-1930 by Alice L. Conklin
22. Le génocide voilé: Enquête historique by Tidiane N'Diaye
23. Les secrets du sorcier noir by Bali Nébié
24. Kroh! Les femmes ont déserté la maison by Yacouba Traoré

What a diverse list, Wim! In Dependence is also on my TBR and I read most of the Anthology by Ama Ata Aidoo but the rest is unknown to me, so I will definitely have a closer look in the course of the year :))

Love this! Some big ones mixed in there. Can't wait to see your reviews.

And... where exactly in Ouaga do you find locally printed books??

Thank you Tinea.
Locally printed books can be found in the few bookshops around town (but you have to look hard, as they are usually put in a dark and dusty corner in the back). Street vendors also sell some of them.
Unfortunately, most of these books are written by older men (the only ones that can afford to publish their writings?), while I am craving for books by local young writers...

I read both Efuru and The Shining Girls this year from my TBR and enjoyed them both.

Finished my Jan read, The Book of Not, number two in Tsitsi Dangarembga's trilogy that began with the classic Nervous Conditions. A tragic book, but I'm glad I've read it (see my short review). I'll probably put number 3 This Mournable Body on my 2023 TBR takedown!

I also finished my Feb read: William Aristide Nassidia Combary's short story collection Sueurs froides. Short review here.

My March read was the splendid Everything Good Will Come by Nigerian author Sefi Atta. Short review here.

I started reading my April read The Fortunes of Africa: A 5,000-Year History of Wealth, Greed, and Endeavor. I calculated that I have to read at least 25 pages a day if I want to finish it by the end of the month. A true challenge!

In only 50 pages I already finished part 1 that encompasses the first 3 millennia. Even though there are few sources, the book just seem to fly over interesting episodes and displays a Eurocentric view of African history (Roman and Greek sources), even though parts of coastal East Africa were well known to the Arab traders of the Indian ocean.

The debate of the origine (and skin color) of antique Northern African peoples is not mentioned at all.

And I did it! Just finished The Fortunes of Africa: A 5,000-Year History of Wealth, Greed, and Endeavor. Here is my review.

Finished my May read, the amazing novel In Dependence by Sarah Ladipo Manyika. (Very) short review here.

Wim wrote: "Finished my May read, the amazing novel In Dependence by Sarah Ladipo Manyika. (Very) short review here."

This is on a list, based on your review I must get to it.

I did finish my June week some weeks ago: A Mission to Civilize: The Republican Idea of Empire in France and West Africa, 1895-1930 was not an easy, but a compelling read.

I am starting my July read Kétala now, hoping to catch up a bit the coming weeks.

Wim wrote: "Finished my May read, the amazing novel In Dependence by Sarah Ladipo Manyika. (Very) short review here."

Thanks for your review! Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun was a good read for me, too!

Thank you Orgeluse, I have that one on my (long) TBR list!

Finished my July read, the marvelous novel Kétala by Senegalese writer Fatou Diome (very short review here).

Finished my August read O Pays, Mon Beau Peuple! by Ousmane Sembène, and started reading my September read, The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World by Vijay Prashad, a book that is on my TBR list since a very long time...

The Darker Nations looks interesting, Wim. Look forward to your thoughts.

I finished The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World, a very insightful book. A finished it a couple of weeks ago, but could get my thoughts together to write something about it. Finally I just wrote a short review.

I also started my October read A Certain Amount of Madness: The Life, Politics and Legacies of Thomas Sankara, a collection of essays, very much on the same topic and equally thought-provoking.

I managed to finish my October and November reads on time:
- A Certain Amount of Madness: a great and thought-provoking non-fiction book on revolution and politics in post-colonial Africa.
- Kroh ! Les femmes ont déserté la maison: a beautiful Burkinese fiction book.

But I waited until the final days of the year to start my December read Cola Cola Jazz in a last effort!

Glad to have kept the pace in this year that has proved to be a hard year for reading!

Well done, Wim! I know this challenge is beyond me, I never keep up. So I am in awe that you managed it. Some interesting reads along the way.

Wim wrote: "I managed to finish my October and November reads on time:
- A Certain Amount of Madness: a great and thought-provoking non-fiction book on revolution and politics in post-colonial ..."

Congrats on finishing, Wim!