English books from Africa
Recommended English books (653)
Travel the world without leaving your chair.
If you speak English here are some English books from Africa for the next part of the "Read Around The World Challenge".
371.
Son of the Native Soil by S. A. Ambanasom EN
CameroonDescription:
Son of the Native Soil is a work whose quiet maturity glows in both subject and style. Here, love heals but the force of hate is very real. The hero, Lucas Achamba, by charisma and love undertakes to unite Dudum clan which politicking and egotism have split. His quick success stirs bitter rivalry and heartless cruelty that decide his fate. Nature is jumpy and even hysterical at this, and Ambanasom exposes it with fine evocative mastery. The style is refined and honeyed by sonal devices and visual tropes that half conceal subtle slashes at human foibles.
372.
Song for Night by Chris Abani EN
NigeriaDescription:
Even with the knowledge that there are some sins too big for even God to forgive, every night my sky is still full of stars; a wonderful song for night. Trained as a human mine detector, a boy soldier in West Africa witnesses and takes part in unspeakable brutality. At 12 his vocal cords are cut to prevent him from screaming and giving away his platoon's presence, should he be blown up. Awaking after an explosion to find that he's lost his platoon, he traces his steps back through abandoned villages and rotting corpses - and through his own memories - in search of his comrades. The horror of p... continue
373.
Song of Lawino & Song of Ocol by Okot p'Bitek EN
UgandaDescription:
Two African literary works by Okot P'Bitek available together in the African Writers Series.
374.
Songs of a War Boy by Deng Thiak Adut, Ben Mckelvey EN
Country: Africa / 
South Sudan
South Sudan
Description:
Deng Adut's family were farmers in South Sudan when a brutal civil war altered his life forever. At six years old, his mother was told she had to give him up to fight. At the age most Australian children are starting school , Deng was conscripted into the Sudan People's Liberation Army. He began a harsh, relentless military training that saw this young boy trained to use an AK-47 and sent into battle. He lost the right to be a child. He lost the right to learn. The things Deng saw over those years will stay with him forever. He suffered from cholera, malaria and numerous other debilitating ill... continue
375.
Soweto, Under the Apricot Tree by Nicholas Mhlongo EN
Country: Africa / 
South Africa
South Africa
Description:
Imbued with a sense of place, this short story collection captures the vibrancy of Soweto and surrounds. Told with satirical flair, life and death intertwine in these tales where funerals and the ancestors feature strongly. Take a seat under the apricot tree and let a born storyteller enthral you with tales both entertaining and thought-provoking. -- Publisher's description.
376.
EgyptDescription:
Radwa and Shagar are two women born on the same day. Spectres alternates between their childhoods, their days at work, their married and unmarried lives, and the two books they are writing.
377.
Spirit Rising : My Life, My Music by Angelique Kidjo, Rachel Wenrick EN
BeninDescription:
“Spinning a dramatic soulful mix of text, photos, song lyrics, and even family recipes, Grammy-winning West African-born Angelique Kidjo ... takes us from her first vocal performance ... to her current life as a world-pop-chart-topping singer-songwriter, humanitarian activist, and UNICEF goodwill ambassador.” — Elle “This inspiring memoir is as much about the author’s love for family and homeland as it is about music ... readers will be enamored of this beautifully told tale of courage and determination, revealing an expansive life that proves ‘music has no color, no language, no boundaries.’ ... continue
378.
Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music by Angelique Kidjo EN
Description:
The enhanced digital edition of Spirit Rising includes a sneak peek at Angélique Kidjo's album Eve, with video that shares the captivating story of its creation—with uplifting music and performance footage—plus "Eva," a breathtaking song featuring Nigerian singer ASA. Grammy Award-winning singer Angélique Kidjo is known for her electrifying voice and fearless advocacy work. In this intimate memoir, she reveals how she escaped Communist Africa to make her dreams a reality, and how she's prompting others all around the world to reach for theirs as well. Born in the West African nation of Benin, ... continue
Tanzania380.
Standing Heavy by Gauz EN
Country: Africa / 
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast
Description:
"One of those rare, transformative novels" KARIM MISKE "Funny and poignant" TIFFANY TSAO, author of The Majesties Initially a little intrigued, all babies eventually return the security guard's smile. The security guard adores babies. Perhaps because babies do not shoplift. Babies adore the security guard. Perhaps because he does not drag babies to the sales. The 1960s - Ferdinand arrives in Paris from Côte d'Ivoire, ready to take on the world and become a big somebody. The 1990s - It is the Golden Age of immigration, and Ossiri and Kassoum navigate a Paris on the brink of momentous change. Th... continue