Popular African Essay Books
Find essay books written by authors from Africa for the next part of the Read Around The World Challenge. (11)
1.
Africa Is Not a Country : Notes on a Bright Continent by Dipo Faloyin EN
NigeriaDescription:
A Literary Hub Most Anticipated Book of 2022 An exuberant, opinionated, stereotype-busting portrait of contemporary Africa in all its splendid diversity, by one of its leading new writers. So often, Africa has been depicted simplistically as a uniform land of famines and safaris, poverty and strife, stripped of all nuance. In this bold and insightful book, Dipo Faloyin offers a much-needed corrective, weaving a vibrant tapestry of stories that bring to life Africa’s rich diversity, communities, and histories. Starting with an immersive description of the lively and complex urban life of Lagos,... continue
2.
An Image of Africa by Chinua Achebe EN
Description:
Beautifully written yet highly controversial, An Image of Africa asserts Achebe's belief in Joseph Conrad as a 'bloody racist' and his conviction that Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness only serves to perpetuate damaging stereotypes of black people. Also included is The Trouble with Nigeria, Achebe's searing outpouring of his frustrations with his country. GREAT IDEAS. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforte... continue
3.
Homo Irrealis : The Would-Be Man Who Might Have Been: Essays by André Aciman EN
EgyptDescription:
"A new collection of essays on literary and cinematic themes"--
4.
Nimrod : Selected Writings by Nimrod ; ed. Frieda Ekotto EN
ChadDescription:
The Chadian writer Nimrod—philosopher, poet, novelist, and essayist—is one of the most dynamic and vital voices in contemporary African literature and thought. Yet little of Nimrod’s writing has been translated into English until now. Introductory material by Frieda Ekotto provides context for Nimrod’s work and demonstrates the urgency of making it available beyond Francophone Africa to a broader global audience. At the heart of this volume are Nimrod’s essays on Léopold Sédar Senghor, a key figure in the literary and aesthetic Négritude movement of the 1930s and president of Senegal from 1945... continue
5.
Reflections on the Guillotine by Albert Camus EN
AlgeriaDescription:
Written when execution by guillotine was still legal in France, Albert Camus' devastating attack on the 'obscene exhibition' of capital punishment remains one of the most powerful, persuasive arguments ever made against the death penalty.
6.
Sex and Lies by Leila Slimani EN
MoroccoDescription:
Gives voice to young Moroccan women who are grappling with a conservative Arab culture that at once condemns and commodifies sex
Zimbabwe8.
The Essential Nawal El Saadawi : A Reader by Nawal El Saadawi EN
Description:
The writings of Nawal El Saadawi are essential to anyone wishing to understand the contemporary Arab world. Her dissident voice has stayed as consistent in its critique of neo.imperialist international politics as it has in its denunciation of women's oppression, both in her native Egypt and in the wider world. Saadawi is a figure of international significance, and her work has a central place in Arabic history and culture of the last half century. Featuring work never before translated into English, The Essential Nawal El Saadawi gathers together a wide range of Saadawi's writing. From novell... continue
9.
The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus EN
Description:
NOBEL PRIZE WINNER • An internationally acclaimed author delivers one of the most influential works of the twentieth century, showing a way out of despair and reaffirming the value of existence. Influenced by works such as Don Juan and the novels of Kafka, these essays begin with a meditation on suicide—the question of living or not living in a universe devoid of order or meaning. With lyric eloquence, Albert Camus brilliantly presents a crucial exposition of existentialist thought.
10.
This Tilting World by Colette Fellous EN
TunisiaDescription:
"Fellous's creative memoir delves into the history Tunisia's Jewish community, sweeping readers onto a lyrical journey from Tunisia to Paris to a Flaubertian village in Normandy, full of the voices of loved ones now silent" -- Provided by publisher.