Great African Reads discussion

The Nov/Dec 2024 read will be from Central Africa (as defined by the UN geoscheme)
Nominate great reads from any of these countries:
Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, São Tomé and Príncipe.

Try to keep nominations to one pr. person - and you're welcome to second someone else's nomination.

Our last choices from this region are not eligible in this round:
The Return by Dulce Maria Cardoso
African Psycho by Alain Mabanckou
Transparent City by Ondjaki
Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue.
Your Madness, Not Mine: Stories of Cameroon by Makuchi
Tram 83 by Fiston Mwanza Mujila
King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild
The Book of Chameleons by José Eduardo Agualusa
La Bastarda: A Novel by Trifonia Melibea Obono
Awu's Story: A Novel by Justine Mintsa
Co-wives, Co-widows by Adrienne Yabouza
(but the threads are open if you want to read and discuss those titles)

Authors! Please note : We have decided to not allow self-nomination - but if you are an author and would like to promote your book, please feel free to do so in this folder. Thank you for your understanding!

Hi, two questions about nomination process-

Is the text above meant to say Nov/Dec? I'm guessing it was a cut and paste issue and the thread title is what's accurate?

And it says "Our last choices from this region are not eligible in this round:", and then there's a list of books. So those are the books not eligible? Cuz I noticed for the last nomination the chosen book was in the list.

Just checking if I understand right. Ok thanks :)

Jen wrote: "And it says "Our last choices from this region are not eligible in this round:", and then there's a list of books. So those are the books not eligible? Cuz I noticed for the last nomination the chosen book was in the list..."

Hi Jen
Yes it was a copy/paste error on the months, it's fixed now.
The book from Jan/Feb is now on the list (The Return) - as we read it in Jan/Feb, we're not picking it again for Nov/Dec. But did you mean another book?? Maybe I missed something?

PS: If anyone is interested in reading some of the books already read, the threads are open to 'continue' the discussions - we're just not choosing it again as a group read. But I'd very much like to encourage anyone to read the "already read" books.

I was just confused about the lists in general since the current Achebe read was on the list and also was chosen as group read. But ok, got it.

Hi!
I definitely second The Return by Dulce Maria Cardoso. Reading it in Portuguese is priceless, as the writing is truly cristal. Love this author, and groundbreaking when addressing the topic.
I just finished The utopian generation, by Pepetela - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... and *Angola* has a raw and very interesting depiction here. From the colonial resistance in Portugal by African students, the struggle for independence, civil war... truly comprehensive and realistic. Really worth reading.

ps-sorry if missing the topic, very interesting books in the list.

Equator by Miguel Sousa Tavares São Tomé

Blurb—
It is 1905 and Luis Bernardo Valenca, a thirty-seven-year-old bachelor and owner of a small shipping company, is revelling in Lisbon’s luxurious high society. But his life is turned upside down when King Dom Carlos invites him to become governor of Portugal’s smallest colony, the island of São Tomé e Principe. Luis Bernardo is ill-prepared for the challenges of plantation life – used to a softer urban existence, he is shocked by the conditions under which the workers labour.

But with the English closing in on São Tomé’s cocoa plantations, the island’s main means of survival, Luis Bernardo must endeavour to protect the island and its community.

Jen wrote: "I was just confused about the lists in general since the current Achebe read was on the list and also was chosen as group read. But ok, got it."

I’ll take responsibility for that. I read in haste about it being excluded but had wanted to read it for a while. I had just read Obioma’s new book (he is the cited as “heir” to Achebe), so jumped in with that suggestion. I’m so thankful there were some who wanted to read it because it truly is a must read.

:) As I am totally running this, when my reminders remind me and I have the time to copy & paste stuff, there may well be inconsistencies - my thinking is: If people are enjoying reading som great african reads - and possibly together, it's all good - no reason to get too hell bent on rules :D I'm just trying to keep this running on minimal effort and keep the spammers to a minimum...
So if anyone thinks it's time to clear some of the older groups reads off the "not eligible" list, then that is totally fine with me, it is getting a bit long!
Also if any of you would like to join in moderating group activities or have ideas for how to engage more people in reading, PLEASE let me know, any help is appreciated?

Yes! - fully in favor of flexibility in terms of rereads if there's enough reader interest in something, and especially if there are not other suggestions offered. I was just wanting clarity on what the lists represent.

And I appreciate very much that you are keeping this group afloat, Annette! It's a literary focus that is really a big new love for me :) Thank you for your work on this.

I'll nominate a novella from Cameroon: Houseboy by Ferdinand Oyono

Has the group read much from Cameroon?

a book I would right to read is La danse du Vilain (The Villain's danse) by the congolese (RDC) writer Fiston Mwanza Mujila. After the elegant linearity and the tragical dimension of Achebe's storytelling, It would be nice to have something more baroque, and with a lighter tone.

Carla wrote: "Hi!
I definitely second The Return by Dulce Maria Cardoso. Reading it in Portuguese is priceless, as the writing is truly cristal. Love this author, and groundbreaking when addressing the topic.
..."

Hi Carla - sorry The Return is actually on the Exclusion list as it was already a group read earlier this year - but the threads are still open, if you would like to read it and add your comments there!

Jen wrote: "Has the group read much from Cameroon?..."
The easiest way to check is to have a look at the group bookshelf https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...
where Diane (and other before her I think?) have kindly tagged all the read books by country :)

Carla wrote: "Hi!
I definitely second The Return by Dulce Maria Cardoso. Reading it in Portuguese is priceless, as the writing is truly cristal. Love this author, and groundbreaking when addressing the topic.
..."

If you're interested in Angola (and great books!) I highly recommend A General Theory of Oblivion by José Eduardo Agualusa - I loved it!

So to recap the nominations:
I see 3 eligible nominations for this:

Equador by Miguel Sousa Tavares from São Tomé
Houseboy by Ferdinand Oyono
The Villain's Dance Fiston Mwanza Mujila

I'll set up the vote, before we get even more great choices to choose from :)

Vote here: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...

I love the idea of The Villain's Dance! I'm just not positive I can commit because I have alot of reading already planned with other groups for the rest of the year. But I did read a few pages from a sample of the ebook and it really appealed to me.