Great African Reads discussion

New-to-you country A book set in or written by someone from an African country you haven't previously read something from (if you've read all 55 nations already, you have a free choice!)

Recent (2019-21) A book published in 2019, 2020 or 2021.

African Island A book set in or written by someone from an African Island or island state.

Diaspora author A book written by a diaspora author - any one you like, list for inspiration here: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

Short stories A collection of short stories. Here's a list of Caine Prize winners for inspiration: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...

Spanish or Portuguese A book originally written in Spanish or Portuguese.

Free Choice Any great African read!

Published 1980-90 Any book first published in the 80s

Theme: Family A book about family

Poetry Any poetry

Africa39 Author A book by one of the authors featured in the Africa 39. Reading the book Africa 39 naturally counts too.

A debut novel A first book by any author

Non-diaspora author A book by an African author living in Africa

A Group Read Any book chosen as a group read in 2021 in any category

Non-fiction A non-fiction book about Africa

Prize winner A prize winning book or author

Planning: Possible candidates (I am actually going to plan this year!)

New-to-you country (if you've read all 55 nations already, you have a free choice!)
Free choice

Recent (2019-21)
His Only Wife, Zikora, The Shadow King, Scarlet Odyssey

African Island A book set in or written by someone from an African Island or island state.
A Girl Called Eel, Echoes from the Oasis

Diaspora author A book written by a diaspora author - any one you like, list for inspiration here: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
An African in Greenland, Ghana Must Go

Short stories A collection of short stories. Here's a list of Caine Prize winners for inspiration: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
Tribaliks, The Book of Khartoum

Spanish or Portuguese A book originally written in Spanish or Portuguese.
We Killed Mangy Dog, Sacred Hope, Shadows of Your Black Memory

Free Choice Any great African read!
Free

Published 1980-90 Any book first published in the 80s
Doguicimi, Thomas Sankara Speaks, My Country Africa, Tropical Circle, An African in Greenland, Admiring Silence, Ancestral Voices, Battlefront Namibia

Theme: Family A book about family
Kintu

Poetry Any poetry
Anos Ku Ta Manda, Kumukanda, Nectar

Africa39
Blackass, Zikora, New Daughters of Africa, The Spider KIng's Daughter, Ghana Must Go, House of Stone

A debut novel A first book by any author
Scarlet Odyssey, Kintu

Non-diaspora author A book by an African author living in Africa

A Group Read Any book chosen as a group read in 2021 in any category
The Barefoot Woman

Non-fiction A non-fiction book about Africa
The Shadows of Imana, Songs of a War Boy, Battlefront Namibia

Prize winner A prize winning book or author
Season of the Shadow, Tram 83, Tropical Circle, The Arab of the Future, We Need New Names, Ancestral Voices

Ooooh planning!! I was thinking of you, when I said: if you've read all 55 nations already, you have a free choice :)
Thanks for sharing plans, it' really nice to see what others are considering.

Inspiring titles! I can highly recommend Ghana Must Go, We Need New Names and The Arab of the Future: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1978-1984: A Graphic Memoir, the first volume of this Syrian writer that is set in Libya is already good but not the best of the series - volumes 2+3 set in Syria are better :)

I planned, then I ignored my planning. Let's see how I did in retrospect...

New-to-you country (if you've read all 55 nations already, you have a free choice!)
Free choice: The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta

Recent (2019-21): His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie

African Island A book set in or written by someone from an African Island or island state: A Girl Called Eel by Ali Zamir

Diaspora author A book written by a diaspora author: An African in Greenland by Tété-Michel Kpomassie

Short stories A collection of short stories: The Blind Kingdom by Véronique Tadjo

Spanish or Portuguese A book originally written in Spanish or Portuguese:__________________________

Free Choice Any great African read: Efuru by Flora Nwapa

Published 1980-90 Any book first published in the 80s: The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay

Theme: Family A book about family: Kintu by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

Poetry: Letter to Country by Rethabile Masilo

Africa39: Zikora by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

A debut novel A first book by any author: The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré

Non-diaspora author A book by an African author living in Africa: The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso

A Group Read Any book chosen as a group read in 2021 in any category: The Barefoot Woman by Scholastique Mukasonga

Non-fiction A non-fiction book about Africa: The Shadow of Imana by Véronique Tadjo

Prize winner A prize winning book or author: We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo

Okay, so I am missing one for a full card. Let's see if I can read it before the year is out.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you. I have only read the Abi Daré book, so quite a few leads for me.

Well done, Diane! Keeping fingers crossed you have something to hand.

My final book!

Spanish or Portuguese A book originally written in Spanish or Portuguese: Sacred Hope by Agostinho Neto.

Congratulations, Diane!

Well done, Diane!

I was planning to read it from the beginning for Angola and never got around to it. This gave me the nudge I needed to get it read.