2025 Reading Challenge discussion

So far I've read:

Algeria:
The Stanger by Albert Camus
A Sister to Scheherazade by Assia Djebar

Angola:
A Practical Manual on Levitation by José Eduardo Agualusa

Burundi:
Krig i Paradiset by Sakina Ntibanyitesha.

Cameroon:
Sorgsna själar by Léonora Miano

Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo-Kinhasa):
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Egypt:
Att Vara Abbas Al-Abd by Ahmad al-Aidy
God Dies By The Nile by Nawal El Saadawi

Eritrea:
Väldigt sällan fin by Sami Said

Gabon:
Petroleum by Bessora

Ghana:
Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi

Ivory Coast:
Aya by Marguerite Abouet
Aya of Yop City by Marguerite Abouet
Långt från min far by Véronique Tadjo

Kenya:
Shadows on the Grass by Karen Blixen
Tracking the Scent of my Mother by Muthoni Garland

Libya:
In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar

Mali:
Äventyr i Bamako by Alpha Mandé Diarra & Marie-Florence Ehret

Moçambique:
Under the Frangipani by Mia Couto
Berättelse vid tidens strand av Henning Mankell

Morocco:
Silent Day in Tangier by Tahar Ben Jelloun
An Arab Melancholia by Abdellah Taïa

Nigeria:
Graceland by Chris Abani
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
News From Home by Sefi Atta
Everything Good Will Come by Sefi Atta
The African by Jean-Marie G. Le Clézio
Open City by Teju Cole
The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta
Waiting for an Angel by Helon Habila
I Do Not Come To You By Chance by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani
The Fishermen by Chgozie Obioma
Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
The Famished Road by Ben Okri
Looking for Transwonderland by Noo Saro-Wiwa
The Palm Wine Drunkard by Amos Tutuola
Tiny Sunbirds Far Away by Christie Watson

Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville):
The Memoirs of a Porcupine by Alain Mabanckou

Senegal:
So Long A Letter by Mariama Bâ

Somalia:
Maps by Nuruddin Farah
The Orchard of Lost Souls by Nadifa Mohamed
Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth by Warsan Shire

South Africa:
The Shinhing Girls by Lauren Beaukes
Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee
In the Heart of the Coutry by J.M. Coetzee
Tsotsi by Athol Fugard
July's People by Nadine Gordimer
Coconut by Matlwa Kopano
The Whale Caller by Zakes Mda
7 days by Deon Meyer
Blood Safari by Deon Meyer
The Quiet Violence of Dreams by K. Sello Duiker
The Exploded View by Ivan Vladislavić
Playing in the Light by Zoë Wicomb

Sudan:
Minaret by Leila Aboulela

Tanzania:
Paradise by Abdulrazak Gurnah

Togo:
An African in Greenland by Tété-Michel Kpomassie

Tunisia:
Tunisian Girl by Lina Ben Mhenni

Uganda:
Tropical Fish by Doreen Baingana

Zimbabwe:
We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
An Elegy for Easterly by Petina Gappah
Alfred & Emily by Doris Lessing
The Fifth Child by Dors Lessing
Under the Tounge by Yvonne Vera

Mixed countries:
African Love Stories: An anthology by Ama Ata Aidoo
Jag har hört kamelerna sjunga by Marianne Ahrne
Gryning över Kalahari by Lasse Berg
Skymningssång i Kalahari by Lasse Berg
På cykel genom Afrika by Mikael Strandberg (not on Goodreads)

Amount of books read: 74
Amount of African contries visited: 26

During Q1 I've been dipping my toes in the water, trying to get a feel for the place.

For Q2 I'm planning on getting heavy, taking on classics and Nobel prize candidates from all over the continent.

In Q3 I'm planning to cover as many countries as possible.

During Q4 I'll read more of the authors and places I found most interesting.

To read:
Karen Blixens The African Farm
Changes by Ama Ata Aidoo
The God Who Begat a Jackal
The Sheltering Sky


More by Nuruddin Farah
More by Doris Lessing
More by J.M. Coetzee
More by Ben Okri
More by Assia Djebar
More by Zoë Wicomb

Books I started on but gave up:
Petals of Blood
Harare North
Aké
The Yacoubian Building

What a great idea! Are you reading books that take place in African countries or are written by African authors, or both?

I'm doing both. I'm not very strict with myself in this challenge, if a book has some connection to Africa, no matter what, it's qualified :)

Sounds great! Have you discovered books you wouldn't have read otherwise?

Absolutely! If I hadn't delved into this project I'd never known that there are so many great books coming out of Nigeria at the moment. I'd also probably not prioritized reading Nuruddin Farah and K. Sello Dukier, two writers whose books I've immensely enjoyed :)

I'll have to check out those authors. The Quiet Violence of Dreams sounds incredible.

Great choice! It deals with modern issues in a South African context, definately one of the best book I've read this year :)

Your challenge sounds fascinating. Can I suggest The Sheltering Sky? It will take you through several North African countries.

Thank you! The Sheltering Sky sounds like a very interesting book. I'll check if I can get it through my library.

Hej Sigrun, this sounds like a fun challenge. Thank you, I think I'll get acquainted with Nuruddin Farah's work - I've not read books from a Somalian author before.

I am completely unfamiliar with African literature. What would you recommend to get me started?

Patricia, I think reaing Nuruddin Farah's a very good idea. I've just read one book myself and I did find the language poetic and the Somali setting interesting.

If you're interested in Somalia I'd also recommend Nadifa Mohamed, I found her "The Orchard of Lost Souls" very easy to get into, it takes place during the Somali civil war during the 80ies.

Jackie B, Africa is a very vast place and where to start depend a lot on what books you normally like ;)

There seem to be lots of books emerging from Nigeria at the moment, a few that I've enjoyed a lot are I Do Not Come to You by Chnace by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani about pranksters doing email scams. Another good one is The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta. It tells a lot about traditional Nigerian life, such as dealing with a polygamous family. All Chimamanda Ngozi Adichies books are also very good. Nnedi Okorafor writes fantasy/sf with an African touch - very enjoyable!

If you're interested in reading more African books, I'd recommend that you join the Great African Reads group. I've found many gems there :)