A (Possibly Evolving) List of Great Novels by African Writers — for @jmmcdermott
I’ve been commanded by Lord McDermott to put together a list of great novels by African writers so he’d have some stuff to read. And that’s exactly what I’ve done. I’ve intentionally chucked out the books everyone has likely read, such as Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (I know for a fact that Mr. McDermott has read this one, so that’s an easy task). In no particular order, here are the novels (a very VERY short list): Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe Ambiguous Adventure by Cheikh Hamidou Kane Devil on the Cross OR The River Between by Ngugi wa Thiong’o (Matagari is also excellent) The Famished Road OR Songs of Enchantment by Ben Okri Waiting for the Barbarians OR The Lives of Animals OR Disgrace OR Foe by J.M. Coetzee July’s People by Nadine Gordimer Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga Purple Hibiscus OR Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie In the Fog of the Seasons’ End by Alex La Guma Houseboy by Ferdinand Oyono The Dark Child by Camara Laye One Day I Will Write About This Place by Binyavanga Wainaina (a memoir, not a novel, but oh well) Bound to Violence by Yambo Ouologuem ————————————– Note: I have enormous gaps in my reading knowledge of African writers. You’ll notice that there are no writers from places like Egypt, for example, or some of the interior nations. Anyone who would like to suggest novels by writers from these missing countries is encouraged to do so in the comments below!