Great African Reads discussion

In 2019 I planned to read ten books for my Rebel African Trek. I ended up reading 18. I really enjoyed the challenge because it opened me up to read books I had not heard of before.

My goal in 2020 is to read twelve books for my Rebel African Trek. The books can be by either native/resident authors or not. The criteria is they must either be set in an African country or about an African country. The countries do not have to be connected.

This is where I will keep track of my reads and reviews. I like to write reviews of books I read because I enjoy writing and because reviews make me think about what I've just read. Reviews also act as good reminders.

1/12. My first read for 2020 was Nineveh by Henrietta Rose-Innes. It was an unsual book about a beetle infestation. But it's not really about that, at all. I read it as an allegory about all things creepy-crawly that lie beneath the surface. The writing was lush and full of evocative detail. It was a good way to start the year because I really enjoyed it.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

2/12. I read Green Lion, another book by Henrietta Rose-Innes. (South Africa)
I thought it was very good, but I preferred her Nineveh. Her books embody a message about the relationship between humans and insects/animals.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

3/12. I finished Elsewhere, Home by Leila Aboulela (Sudan), a collection of short stories with variations on the theme of the challenges and rewards faced by immigrants in their adopted country. It's a good collection but the focus was a bit repetitive.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

4/12. Finished Tale of a Boon's Wife by Fartumo Kusow (Somalia). A haunting tale of a young woman's life in the turmoil of Somalia leading up to the civil war.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Tamara wrote: "4/12. Finished Tale of a Boon's Wife by Fartumo Kusow (Somalia). A haunting tale of a young woman's life in the turmoil of Somalia leading up to the civil war.

My..."

This looks very interesting.

It is interesting, Carolien.
I thought it provided what appears to be an authentic glimpse of Somali life just as the civil war started brewing.

It doesn't seem to be widely available though. I'll see what I can find.

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you can find it I'm in the U.S. and was able to get it from the library.

5/12 Finished The Law of Inheritance by Yasser Abdellatif (Egypt), translated from the Arabic by Robin Moger. It's a series of vignettes that flash back and forth in time, capturing the zeitgeist of Cairo in the 1990s. I thought it was quite good.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

6/12. I re-read Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton, a classic. A beautiful story, beautifully told about South Africa during Apartheid. Although it's been years since I last read it, I think this is the third time around for me. It is as powerful and as beautiful now as ever.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

7/12. Weep Not, Child by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o. Published in 1964, it is considered a classic. Told through the eyes of a child, it has as its backdrop the escalating tensions in Kenya during British colonialism.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

8/12. Stay with Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀. It is set in Nigeria. The narrative unfolds through the alternating first-person voices of a husband and wife. The plot is well-constructed with shocking revelations interspersed throughout. The narrative weaves elements of Nigerian culture, traditions, customs, and folk tales. I thought it was very well done.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

9/12. I read Unbowed by Wangari Maathai, winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. It was an inspirational memoir of a very courageous woman.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

10/12. I read Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga. A coming-of-age story of a young girl in Zimbabwe. Very well done.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

11/12. The Translator by Leila Aboulela (Sudan). A tender love story between a Sudanese widow and a Scottish professor. I've read a couple of Aboulela's novels and love the way she writes. Her writing is elegant and restrained.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Tamara wrote: "11/12. The Translator by Leila Aboulela (Sudan). A tender love story between a Sudanese widow and a Scottish professor. I've read a couple of Aboulela's novels and love..."

This one is on my TRB. I read Lyrics Alley recently and I love the tone of her work.

Carolien wrote: "This one is on my TRB. I read Lyrics Alley recently and I love the tone of her work...."

I enjoyed Lyrics Alley. But my favorite novel of hers is still The Kindness of Enemies.

That's good news as it is probably my next read by her - I picked up a second hand copy a few months ago.

I hope you enjoy it. I'm pretty sure you will :)

12/12. I read The Happy Marriage by Tahar Ben Jelloun (Morocco), translated from the French by André Naffis-Sahely.
A thought-provoking novel which interrogates class and racial tensions, age-disparity, and a traditional versus a modern view of a Moroccan marriage. I thought it was an interesting approach, skillfully handled.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

With that I have completed my Rebel African Trek by reading 12 books. But I have no intention of stopping. I want to see how many more books by African authors I can read before the year is up.

Congratulations! You really had some very nice books in this selection.

Thanks, Carolien!
I pick up a lot of book recommendations from the folks in this group.

13/12. The Grass Is Singing by Doris Lessing. A compelling novel that shows the damaging impact of South African apartheid.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Try Toubab Tales: The Joys and Trials of Expat Life in Africa, a unique non-stop romp through Mali, ending with a first-hand account of a military coup d'etat.

Thanks for the recommendation, Rob.

You're welcome!

14/12. Bird Summons by Leila Aboulela. About three Muslim women living in Scotland who make a road trip to visit the grave of Lady Evelyn Cobbold, a Scottish convert to Islam and the first British woman to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca.
I didn't think the novel was as good as any of her other books. Her plunge into magical realism didn't work for me.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Tamara wrote: "14/12. Bird Summons by Leila Aboulela. About three Muslim women living in Scotland who make a road trip to visit the grave of Lady Evelyn Cobbold, a Scottish convert ..."

This was on my list for 2021 and now I'm rethinking it. The alternative was The Kindness of Enemies. Would appreciate your opinion.

Carolien, I've read a couple of books by Aboulela: The Translator, Lyrics Alley, Elsewhere, Home, and The Kindness of Enemies. I liked them all. But I think her strongest novel is The Kindness of Enemies. I really loved that one, and I recommend you go with that.
Bird Summons was a let down for me, especially since I enjoyed all her other books.

Thanks, I'm going to take your advice on this one. I read Lyrics Alley this year and enjoyed it very much.

You're welcome.

Thanks for your take on Leila Aboulela's body of works! This helps a lot. I also had in mind to re-read Bird Summons as a "lighter" read, but you got me intrigued and I will definitely reconsider ...

Orgeluse wrote: "Thanks for your take on Leila Aboulela's body of works! This helps a lot. I also had in mind to re-read Bird Summons as a "lighter" read, but you got me intrigued and..."

You're welcome.
I don't want to turn people off Bird Summons because I know some people enjoyed it based on the reviews I read after I posted mine. The novel just wasn't for me.

15/12. I read Burger's Daughter by Nadine Gordimer.
I found the style a bit confusing and didn't enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed her other novels.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Tamara wrote: "15/12. I read Burger's Daughter by Nadine Gordimer.
I found the style a bit confusing and didn't enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed her other novels.

My review: https:..."

This has been on my list for ages. It's supposed to be based on some of the perceptions of Bram Fischer's daughter. He was one of the Rivonia trial lawyers and eventually died in state custody. I'll still give it a try at some point, I think.

I hope you enjoy it more than I did, Carolien. I think she tried to do too much with it. It didn't quite work for me. I'd be interested to know what you think of it when you get around to reading it.

I only read July's People so far and thought the style was quite peculiar. I liked it nevertheless (or maybe also because of that... ). Burger's Daughter is also on my never-ending tbr :))

Orgeluse, I've read Gordimer's July's People and The Pickup, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed, especially The Pickup.

I was looking forward to Burger's Daughter. I was disappointed by it and thought it unnecessarily convoluted. I think others have enjoyed it. Maybe it just wasn't for me.

16/12. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin. Set in Nigeria. A sympathetic treatment of the desperate plight of illiterate women. A quick, easy, and enjoyable read.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, it's on my list and I hope to get to it soon.

Carolien wrote: "Glad to hear you enjoyed it, it's on my list and I hope to get to it soon."

I hope you enjoy it.