5 Exemplary books by African authors
Book lovers; grab yourself a hot chocolate, tea or coffee, put your favourite slippers on and dive headfirst into another world with our list of African books.
- German Calendar, No December– by Sylvia Ofili and Birgit Weyhe
This African book was, in fact, written by a Nigerian-Hungarian and illustrated by a German, who grew up in East Africa, this bildungsroman explores mixed identity and migration. Through its beautiful – and often hilarious – illustrations it tells the universal tale of a young woman finding her place in the world.
Set in Nigeria, it appears in the form of a graphic novel. We follow young Olivia Evezi, who, dreaming of Enid Blyton-style adventures, leaves her idyllic Warri hometown for a boarding school in Lagos. But her dreams are soon dashed as she faces endless punishments at the hands of upper-class women.
University in Germany, her mother’s homeland, soon beckons. However, the harsh rules pertaining to migrants and a seemingly new identity prove difficult to navigate. Deemed too white in Nigeria and too black in Germany, Olivia slowly learns to define herself beyond the labels given to her. And she does so with a healthy dose of both fiction and friendship.
- Transparent City – by Ondjaki
Originally published in Portuguese, this is an unpredictable African book that will get you hooked from the start. It follows a cast of characters inhabiting a single apartment block in Luanda. All hustling and scavenging – many of them struggle to make ends meet – Ondjaki succeeds in depicting joy within a community surviving in the harshest of conditions.
Our protagonist is Odonato, whose city is slowly becoming unrecognisable. As he searches for his lost son and begins to lose all sense of hope, his flesh becomes transparent. And his very being appears to be seeping into this vast, urban sprawl.
Throughout the book, Ondjaki blends this type of surrealism with realism. And he skilfully uses these magical elements as an indictment against corruption. But he also combines satire and comedy to great effect, guiding readers through this controlled chaos – a vivid depiction of urban Africa.
- Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Set in a Nigeria under military control, this fascinating African book by the now world-famous Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie sees its characters take separate paths – one to Britain, the other to America, or Americanah, as locals say.
It weaves the love story of Ifemelu, a bright and beautiful girl and Obinze, a well-read, handsome boy, who fall in love at secondary school in Lagos. They continue their relationship, off and on, for many years, until they are reunited in Nigeria.
As a blogger in America Ifemelu’s eyes are open to race, at one point feeling distinctly different as a non-American black woman – a powerful emotion that eventually propels her to return ‘home’, now a writer. Whilst Obinze lives a dangerous life as an illegal immigrant in Britain, eventually making the same decision to return to a newly democratic Nigeria.
Adichie’s prose is lively, colourful and realistic – immersing you in the characters’ emotions as they explore both identity and race.
- Skin We Are In – by Dr. Sindiwe Magona, Nina Jablonski and Lynn Fellman
Despite appearances, we’re all the same. That is the powerful message of this superlative African book. Ostensibly aimed at children aged 8-12, but really for all ages, Skin We Are In looks at the science behind skin colour.
By following five children of different hues, the book explains why skin colours vary and how our thinking about them has changed over history. The work of a writer, an illustrator and an anthropologist, it hopes to remove notions of inferiority and superiority from the lexicon of South Africa’s youth.
Yet this unique tale is likely to hold significance for children and adults across the globe.
- Broken Glass – by Alain Mabanckou
Set entirely within a Congolese bar, Credit Gone West, this short African book/novel is perfect for our unconventional times. And it will likely appeal to anyone missing their favourite watering hole.
At 180 pages, it is a perfect introduction to the dark wit of Alain Mabanckou, who combines both high and lowbrow gags to great effect. Oh and don’t worry if most of the former go over your head, for he riffs heavily on both French literature and civilization.
Due to a lack of punctuation, this book can be a little hard to follow. But then again, our eponymous narrator – Broken Glass – is a disgraced alcoholic schoolteacher. Over the course of an evening, he recounts the (or, perhaps a…) history of this run-down bar, amidst the company of its other loyal patrons.
Who are your favourite African writers? Or have you already got your winter African-books reading list sorted? Let us know in the comments below.
