Great African Reads discussion

Thank you all for joining in the conversations and helping revitalise the group! As the Tour D'Afrique is now back on track for it's last stretch towards the finish line, we are ready to also consider a new (bi-)monthly read alongside the alphabetic country tour.
Earlier on the group has done Contemporary Lit, as well as country-specific choices (Nigeria in 2015, Kenya in 2016) - And it would give everyone more reading choices to have some group reads not defined by the literature of a single country.

There are multiple options:
We can do a selection of books from a list, like 50 books by African women writers that everyone should read or 25 new books by African writers you should read.
Or we can select to read from one of the countries with an abundance of books: Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa or Zimbabwe.
Or something completely different?
So please join the discussion: What would you like to read in the rest of 2017 (or maybe the school year 2017-18)?

Hi -

Yes, I am one of those that have been on hiatus.
I like reading contemporary novels and have been pleased to see more and more novels being published especially by some smaller presses and presses doing translated work.

Fyi - Doomi Golo-The Hidden Notebooks by Boubacar Boris Diop is the first book to be translated from Wolof to English made the shortlist for the Best Translated Book Awards.

my vote is for 50 books by African women...

I
Like to read either books from and about Kenya or 25 new
Books by African writers.

I'm less likely to participate if we follow a list. I find lists and country tours to be limiting and not inspiring, and much prefer monthly nominations that allow members who have time and interest, in the moment, to propose and vote (and commit to participating by voting) on novels they are then inspired to read.

I propose -- for purposes of soliciting nominations -- grouping those countries you mentioned, which offer an abundance of interesting options, with one or two other countries that offer fewer, in order to give us the option of identifying more obscure gems, but avoiding the frustration of limited options and limited availability.

Perhaps we could also focus on "post-1980" or "pre-1970" every 3 or 4 months, as an option, in order to neither get stuck in classics-only or recent-only mode.

Just some ideas.

Carol that is s great idea. Our group can then gain consensus on what to read by voting from titles nominated.

Thanks for your inputs all - we may be able to do quite a few in parallel or in combinations (we have a tour coming to and end as well, making room for more reading) - and we're brainstorming here - so just keep 'em coming please: Your preferences, ideas, suggestions!

All great ideas.

I really enjoyed our project to read authors from Kenya so would be keen for something similar.

Agree with Carol: grouping the countries is a great idea! Also really keen to read from the 50 books by African women list.

I'm keen on the 50 books by African women, but know I will struggle to get some of the books. Maybe we can try to read the authors on the list rather than specific books so that if you cannot get the specific book, it is still possible to participate.

Does anyone know who book #50 is on the 50 books by African Women list? 50 is on a different website, but I was not able to find it.

Part 2 of the list is here: http://www.bookshybooks.com/2014/07/5...

I saw links to the lists yesterday on the website of the Nordic Africa Library in Uppsala, Sweden - quite a resource on it's own - here are their fiction links: http://nai.uu.se/library/resources/fi...
Part 1 is here: http://whatsonafrica.org/50-books-by-...
And part two 26-50 is here: http://www.bookshybooks.com/2014/07/5...
But 50 is not a book, but a challenge to come find it yourself at a book fair - so technically there are only 49!

Yes, the list looks great! Ive only read 7 on there, and if any if the others are as good I d be really happy to read any on the list

Just want to put out there, that it's absolutely possible to do multiple things overlapping here - especially if some of you wold like to be discussion leads on some of the reads, (as the Mods can't promise to read all the books, even if we'd like to)

Margaret wrote: "I
Like to read either books from and about Kenya or 25 new
Books by African writers."

I second this!

Anetq wrote: "50 is not a book, but a challenge to come find it yourself at a book fair - so technically there are only 49! ."

Hah! That explains the mystery of the 50th book!

Diane wrote: "Hah! That explains the mystery of the 50th book!"
Yes, originally the list is a blogpost advertising this book fair. And as there are so few authoritative lists of Best African Lit, (It's a great list, but there's not that much competition, that I know of) it's been canonised, even if it's missing the 50th book - which no-one but you seem to have spottet, so well done!

Not sure how this fits in - maybe as a side read? - but it would great if we could fit in reading the short stories on the 2017 Caine Prize shortlist (available online). There are three Nigerians, one South African, and one Sudanese on the shortlist.

brittlepaper.com/2017/05/2017-caine-p...

Slightly off topic, but wanted to keep you updated:
Our Zambia read will be A Cowrie of Hope by Binwell Sinyangwe
- Join the discussion

And besides the nominations for Tunisia, we now have a thread for Uganda: Following the lakes up to Uganda. Please join the nominations!

For fans and followers of African literature - I thought I would post this here.

“As the library has grown from a roomful of young Nairobians to an ongoing conversation that spans the continent . . . it's become clear that Jalada is where the future of African literature is being written.” Aaron Bady on the Jalada literary collective.

Here is a link to the article:
https://psmag.com/magazine/the-revolu...

And here is a link to the Jalada website - where you can read the various selections and/or listen to the podcasts:
https://jaladaafrica.org/

This is brilliant. Thanks Beverley!

Beverly wrote: "For fans and followers of African literature - I thought I would post this here.

“As the library has grown from a roomful of young Nairobians to an ongoing conversation that spans the continent . ..."

Wow-- I can't wait to dig in on this. Thank you for sharing it!!

We've made a quick decision to start some Short Story reads asap - Sofia will head it up.
It'll give those with less time a possibility to get some short reading in!

That does not mean, we won't be setting up other reads as well, but it'll get us started :)

For a possible future idea, we could feature a different genre each month, such as sci-fi/fantasy, memoirs, classics, folklore, history, historical fiction, mysteries/thrillers, short story collections, poetry, YA, immigrant experience, diaspora-lit, etc.

Anetq wrote: "We've made a quick decision to start some Short Story reads asap - Sofia will head it up.
It'll give those with less time a possibility to get some short reading in!

That does not mean, we won't b..."

Here is the link to the short story discussion. See you on there! :)

AALBC.com (African American Literature Book Club) has listed:

25 African Women Writers You Should Read

https://aalbc.com/authors/25_African_...

25 African Male Writers You Should Read

https://aalbc.com/authors/25_African_...

I liked the format - if you click on the writer's pic, it will take you to a page to learn about the author, view a clip and see the books they have written.

These are contemporary writers that have published books in the near past or currently.

Beverly wrote: "AALBC.com (African American Literature Book Club) has listed:

25 African Women Writers You Should Read

https://aalbc.com/authors/25_African_...

25 African Male Writers You Should Read

https://a..."

Beverly, the links you supplied are not working. Let's see if these will work:

25 African Women Writers You Should Read:
https://aalbc.com/authors/25_African_...

25 African Male Writers You Should Read:
https://aalbc.com/authors/25_African_...

Diane wrote: "Beverly wrote: "AALBC.com (African American Literature Book Club) has listed:

25 African Women Writers You Should Read

https://aalbc.com/authors/25_African_...

25 African Male Writers You Should..."

Diane -

Thanks for correcting the links.
Yes, these work.

Could we start by calling for nominations from the group with scope books on or about Africa? Only books seconded would go through to the poll. Each member nominate two and second one? Say top 10 go through to the vote. Something like that.

Margaret wrote: "Could we start by calling for nominations from the group with scope books on or about Africa? Only books seconded would go through to the poll. Each member nominate two and second one? Say top 10 g..."

I would be very excited to move to a nomination and voting system like this, e.g., one that is more open in scope and allows us to be both more flexible, more responsive and to get broader participation.

I second (or third? emoticon here!) this idea. As an author of a book set in Africa, I know one I'd nominate (wink) - and I'd still get to put forward another one for consideration. Love it!

Jennifer wrote: "I second (or third? emoticon here!) this idea. As an author of a book set in Africa, I know one I'd nominate (wink) - and I'd still get to put forward another one for consideration. Love it!"

See? Everybody wins :)

Margaret wrote: "Could we start by calling for nominations from the group with scope books on or about Africa? Only books seconded would go through to the poll. Each member nominate two and second one? Say top 10 g..."

Hi Margaret - sounds interesting, by "scope books" do you mean non-fiction? Or did you have something else in mind?

I believe she meant, and I agreed with, open nominations up to all of Africa vs. limiting nominations to certain countries, but Margaret's the last word, of course on what she meant.

The A-Z was very helpful (although I missed quite a few and I'm still filling in my map of Africa) but because of the nature of translation and literary centrality of a few specific countries, I feel like there are many great works we haven't read together yet. Nigeria is full of great writers; there's a new book from a Ugandan author that I'm dying to read even if I've read three books from Uganda already. Well, kind of. I don't really count books set in an African country the same way I count books set in an African country by a native author from that country. We've had enough colonization in Africa; isn't it marvelous to be post-colonial in our reading as well?

But I'll keep paying attention to what you're doing and participate as it fits my interest and reading goals. :)

I agree with you, Jenny, in terms of prioritizing books written by African natives. My challenge has been that, since I also track what the group is doing and participate as it fits my interest and reading goals, I've never participated in a group read here. I would if the nomination and voting process was more flexible and opened us up to reading those books that a group of readers is passionate about reading in the moment. I'm not up for spending 45 - 60 minutes any more trying to find the lone novel translated into English from country Y, on the other hand. It's certainly not about me, just encouraging a possible alternative approach that might lead to greater participation by more members, and - selfishly - I'd like to be one of them.

Carol wrote: "I agree with you, Jenny, in terms of prioritizing books written by African natives. My challenge has been that, since I also track what the group is doing and participate as it fits my interest and..."

Yes so to that end, the ability to follow the buzz of something would be helpful. Perhaps in the past we may have planned too far in advance? Which gave us less flexibility to follow interests.

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "The A-Z was very helpful (although I missed quite a few and I'm still filling in my map of Africa) but because of the nature of translation and literary centrality of a few specific countries, I fe..."

Hey, Jenny and Carol - I second (or third again?! 😉) the call for more selections by African authors. As a non-African writer of a book set in Africa I was well aware of who I am - which is a Canadian journalist who's passionate about Radio Okapi, a Congolese success story - and who I'm not (as in not Congolese). I'm confident I didn't re-colonize anyone by documenting Radio Okapi's story, any more than if I'd written a book about a radio set in France. The readers' call in the end, Just wanted to Share the thought as it seems a shame to discount books because of the author's origins.

Carol: that makes sense. The aim is to improve participation by involving as many members as possible.

The tour will come to an end later this year, and will not be restarted. The general idea is to have a loose theme/region for each month (plus side reads) from next year onwards although nothing is set in stone at the moment, so thank you for all your suggestions. Keep them coming!

Sofia wrote: "Carol: that makes sense. The aim is to improve participation by involving as many members as possible.

The tour will come to an end later this year, and will not be restarted. The general idea is..."

This sounds fab, Sofia. I am looking at Kintu by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi on my bedside table, for example, and would love to have a mechanism for reading it with this group. Next month it will no doubt be something else that inspires me and us. Thanks for all you do for this group.

No problem Carol! :) There seems to be quite an interest in Kintu on the nominations page for Uganda - we could definitely organise a side read for this over the summer. I'll get back to you about this.

Sofia wrote: "No problem Carol! :) There seems to be quite an interest in Kintu on the nominations page for Uganda - we could definitely organise a side read for this over the summer. I'll get back to you about ..."

That would be fantastic! A side (group) read also would keep me from copping out on It. Books over 400 pages scare the heck out of me. :)

Sofia wrote: "No problem Carol! :) There seems to be quite an interest in Kintu on the nominations page for Uganda - we could definitely organise a side read for this over the summer. I'll get back to you about ..."
I would like this too. I'm more likely to move it up if it's a group read.

Sofia wrote: "No problem Carol! :) There seems to be quite an interest in Kintu on the nominations page for Uganda - we could definitely organise a side read for this over the summer. I'll get back to you about ..."

I too am very interested in reading Kintu

Me too for Kintu!

Jennifer, Beverly, and Jenny: Awesome to hear! :)

Carol: I know that feeling! Ha ha

Carol wrote: "Books over 400 pages scare the heck out of me. :) ."

I can totally relate...

Diane wrote: "Carol wrote: "Books over 400 pages scare the heck out of me. :) ."

I can totally relate..."

I mean, they just laugh at me, you know? "Look here, reader, you're not even halfway finished with me and you've renewed me from the library 6 times already." I hear them from across the room. . .

Why restrict books by geographical borders (which were established by the European powers), or even by time? How about a big read by subject matter/theme, which is more universal, and can bring together books by authors who otherwise would never rub shoulders?