Books from Zimbabwe
30 popular zimbabwean books
Travel the world without leaving your chair.
The target of the Read Around The World Challenge is to read at least one book written by an author from each and every country in the world.
All books that are listed here as part of the "Read Around Africa Challenge" were written by authors from Zimbabwe.
Find a great book for the next part of your reading journey around the world from this book list. The following popular books have been recommended so far.
21.
The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing EN
Description:
This murder story features a Rhodesian farmer's wife and her houseboy.
22.
The Hairdresser of Harare by Tendai Huchu EN
Description:
Vimbai is the star hairdresser of her salon, the smartest in Harare, Zimbabwe, until the enigmatic Dumisani appears. Losing customers to this good-looking, smooth-talking young man, Vimbai fears for her job, vital if she's to provide for her young child. But in a remarkable reversal the two becomes allies, Dumi renting a room from Vimbai, then inviting her to a family wedding, where to her surprise, he introduces her to his rich parents as his 'girlfriend'. Soon they are running their own Harare salon, attracting the wealthiest and most powerful clients in the city. But disaster is near, as Vi... continue
23.
The Legacy by Tsitsi V. Himunyanga-Phiri EN
Description:
This new Zambian woman writer is a leader in Zambia on issues concerned with women and development. In her first novel she puts into focus the degrading beliefs and practices of a male-dominated society. Dealing, for example, with issues of widowhood and sexual exploitation, the novel's message is a call for a change in attitude towards the issue of inheritance. But the novel does not fall into the trap of blaming all such societal ills on culture and men; rather she enjoins women themselves to fight for their rights and not assume that a man should do everything for them.
24.
The Library of the Dead by T. L. Huchu EN
Description:
Sixth Sense meets Stranger Things in T. L. Huchu's The Library of the Dead, a sharp contemporary fantasy following a precocious and cynical teen as she explores the shadowy magical underside of modern Edinburgh. WHEN GHOSTS TALK SHE WILL LISTEN Ropa dropped out of school to become a ghostalker – and they sure do love to talk. Now she speaks to Edinburgh’s dead, carrying messages to those they left behind. A girl’s gotta earn a living, and it seems harmless enough. Until, that is, the dead whisper that someone’s bewitching children – leaving them husks, empty of joy and strength. It’s on Ropa’s... continue
25.
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith EN
Description:
Fans around the world adore the bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series and its proprietor, Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier lady detective. In this charming series, Mma Ramotswe—with help from her loyal associate, Grace Makutsi—navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom, good humor, and the occasional cup of tea. This first novel in Alexander McCall Smith’s widely acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe, who is drawn to her profession to “help people with problems in thei... continue
26.
The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John EN
Description:
Martine, 11, leaves England to live with her grandmother on a wildlife reserve in South Africa.
27.
This Mournable Body by Tsitsi Dangarembga EN
Description:
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2020 'Magnificent' Guardian 'A Masterpiece' New York Times
28.
Waiting for the Rain by Charles Mungoshi EN
Description:
The award-winning writer Charles Mungoshi is recognised in Africa, and internationally, as one of the continent's most powerful writers today. This early novel deals with the pain and dislocation of the clash of the old and new ways - the educated young man determined to go overseas, and the elders of the family believing his duty is to stay and head the family.
29.
We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo EN
Description:
A remarkable literary debut--shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize! The unflinching and powerful story of a young girl's journey out of Zimbabwe and to America. Darling is only ten years old, and yet she must navigate a fragile and violent world. In Zimbabwe, Darling and her friends steal guavas, try to get the baby out of young Chipo's belly, and grasp at memories of Before. Before their homes were destroyed by paramilitary policemen, before the school closed, before the fathers left for dangerous jobs abroad. But Darling has a chance to escape: she has an aunt in America. She travels to this ... continue
30.
Without a Name and Under the Tongue by Yvonne Vera EN
Description:
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.