English books from Africa
Recommended English books (436)
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".
421.
When Stars are Scattered by Omar Mohamed EN
SomaliaDescription:
Omar and his brother Hassan, two Somali boys, have spent a long time in the Dadaab refugee camp. Separated from their mother, they are looked after by a friendly stranger. Life in the camp isn't always easy. The hunger is constant . . . but there's football to look forward to, and now there's a chance Omar will get to go to school . . .With a heart-wrenching fairytale ending, this incredible true story is brought to life by Victoria's stunning illustrations. This book perfectly depicts life in a refugee camp for 8-12 year olds.
422.
When the Ground Is Hard by Malla Nunn EN
SwazilandDescription:
Edgar Award nominee stuns in this heartrending tale set in a Swaziland boarding school where two girls of different castes bond over a shared copy of Jane Eyre. Adele Joubert loves being one of the popular girls at Keziah Christian Academy. She knows the upcoming semester at school is going to be great with her best friend Delia at her side. Then Delia dumps her for a new girl with more money, and Adele is forced to share a room with Lottie, the school pariah, who doesn't pray and defies teachers' orders. But as they share a copy of Jane Eyre, Lottie's gruff exterior and honesty grow on Adele,... continue
423.
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor EN
NigeriaDescription:
Born into post-apocalyptic Africa to a mother who was raped after the slaughter of her entire tribe, Onyesonwu is tutored by a shaman and discovers that her magical destiny is to end the genocide of her people.
424.
Why Goats Smell Bad by Raouf Mama EN
BeninDescription:
A collection of twenty folk stories from the Fon people of Benin, about orphans and twins with magical associations, spirits, animals, royalty, and farmers.
425.
Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey EN
GhanaDescription:
“Fans of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency may have a new hero: Detective Inspector Darko Dawson.”—The Wall Street Journal Introducing Detective Inspector Darko Dawson: dedicated family man, rebel in the office, ace in the field—and one of the most appealing sleuths to come along in years. When we first meet Dawson, he’s been ordered by his cantankerous boss to leave behind his loving wife and young son in Ghana’s capital city to lead a murder investigation: In a shady grove outside the small town of Ketanu, a young woman—a promising medical student—has been found dead under suspicious circum... continue
426.
Without a Name and Under the Tongue by Yvonne Vera EN
ZimbabweDescription:
Chronicles the live of Zimbabwean women in two stories, the first a tale about a young woman fleeing the war to seek a new life in Harare, and the second about a mute teenager struggling to cope with the pain of incest.
427.
Wizard of the Crow by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o EN
KenyaDescription:
Informed by traditional African storytelling, discover Ngugi wa Thiong'o's masterpiece. To honour the Ruler's birthday, the Free Republic of Aburiria set out to build a tower; a modern wonder of the world that will reach the gates of Heaven. But behind this pillar of unity a battle for control of the Aburirian people rages. Among the contenders: the eponymous Wizard, an avatar of folklore and wisdom; the corrupt Christian Ministry; and the nefarious Global Bank. 'Mythological but also cheerfully disenchanted; political and playful; cartoonish but also epical... the African novel may well have ... continue
428.
Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi EN
EgyptDescription:
So begins Firdaus' story, leading to her grimy Cairo prison cell, where she welcomes her death sentence as a relief from her pain and suffering. Born to a peasant family in the Egyptian countryside, Firdaus suffers a childhood of cruelty and neglect. Her passion for education is ignored by her family, and on leaving school she is forced to marry a much older man. Following her escapes from violent relationships, she finally meets Sharifa who tells her that 'A man does not know a woman's value ... the higher you price yourself the more he will realise what you are really worth' and leads her in... continue
429.
Woman of the Ashes : A Novel by Mia Couto EN
Country: Africa / 
Mozambique
Mozambique
Description:
The first in a trilogy about the last emperor of southern Mozambique by one of Africa’s most important writers Southern Mozambique, 1894. Sergeant Germano de Melo is posted to the village of Nkokolani to oversee the Portuguese conquest of territory claimed by Ngungunyane, the last of the leaders of the state of Gaza, the second-largest empire led by an African. Ngungunyane has raised an army to resist colonial rule and with his warriors is slowly approaching the border village. Desperate for help, Germano enlists Imani, a fifteen-year-old girl, to act as his interpreter. She belongs to the VaC... continue
430.
Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase EN
BotswanaDescription:
"A fierce, furious, and fearless debut that has its finger on the pulse--no, the gushing wound--of our world's most invasive cruelties." --Daniel Kraus, New York Times bestselling co-author of The Shape of Water "Masterful . . . Tsamaase has created a disturbing techno dystopia in a future Botswana that terrifies with its echoes of our own increasingly authoritarian cyber-policed world. This beautifully written work haunts and upends expectations with its resurrected ghosts and gods and ancestors of Motswana cosmology. What an accomplished debut!" --T. L. Huchu, Caine Prize finalist and author... continue