I consciously began reading African literature and literature by authors of color during the 2020 pandemic lockdown, and I have never been happier.
Most people I talk to aren’t aware that there’s a plethora of fiction and nonfiction literature by authors of color on the market, and they ask what books I would recommend they begin with.
Here are a few top picks I would endorse for anyone seeking to delve into the African literature space.
- The Teller of Secrets by Bisi Adjapon, Nigerian
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This is my top pick because it is a humorous narration of a typical African family setting.
Using first-person narration, Bisi Adjapon writes this coming-of-age book through the vantage point of a young Essie, who is at the center of all her family drama.
Bisi Adjapon brilliantly weaves in the themes of adolescence from a feisty young girl’s perspective: love and loss, as well as cross-cultural friction at the height of Ghana and Nigeria’s political insurrections.
This book is an excellent introduction to the African literature space. You can get a paper back copy of the book using my Amazon Affiliate link, from which I’ll earn a commission to keep promoting authors.
I would also recommend ‘Daughter in Exile’ by the same author, which has aspects of a recurring theme in Chimamanda Ngozie’s, Americanah.
2. Becoming Nigerian: A Guide by Elnathan John, Nigerian
This is an equally humorous and satirical narration of what it means to be an African mechanic, politician, and believer, to mention a few. Elnathan’s satire will have you snapping your fingers at each page turn and pondering your experiences.
If it were up to me, I would ask Elnathan to retitle his book to ‘Becoming an African: 101 Guide’ because of the cut-across themes that tie us to our rather rugged but beautiful continent.
The book is as entertaining as it is informative. In this case, it portrays the sad state of affairs in our continent, and Nigeria to be exact. It sets the scene for the standard of living we have set for ourselves as a result of Ponzi schemes, politicians’ corruption, and pastors/ apostles of ‘god’ feeding off their flock, to mention but a few.
Please get this book before diving into the heavier-themed books in this literary space. You can get a paper back copy of the book using my Amazon Affiliate link.
3. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin, Nigerian
Ah, this book is a typical portrayal of drama in polygamous households. At the center of all this drama is an impotent Baba Segi, who has, sadly, never fathered any of his children.
In her riveting prose on family dynamics, security, and jealousy, Lola Shoneyin has crafted a masterpiece with this.
It is a very entertaining piece of literature, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I did. You can get a paper back copy of the book using my Amazon Affiliate link.
4. Born A Crime by Trevor Noah, South African
This is one of my favorite books of all time!
I won’t stop saying that it was the first book I read that cracked me up as much as sitcoms do. Trevor Noah’s humorous portrayal of the apartheid and growing up as a mixed-race child lightened the book’s theme.
What I loved most about it is that Trevor portrayed the sad state of affairs in South Africa at the time: the discrimination and sacrifices that his mother and family had to make, all the while drawing the reader into the complexities of this using humor.
I’m certain you’ll find it as amusing and informative as I did. Please let me know if you enjoyed it.
PS: This is the current Resolute Scribbles Virtual Book Club pick for the quarter! You can get a paper back copy of the book using my Amazon Affiliate link.
5. How to Write About Africa by Binyavanga Wainaina: Essays, Kenyan
This is a satirical essay written by one of Kenya’s finest writers.
As you can tell by now, I love a good, humorous, and satirical piece of writing. Binyavanga’s essay explores the beauty and splendor that Africa portrays through the eyes of a non-African tourist and addresses some of the critical stereotypes about the continent and its people.
Do dive into it for a quick and entertaining read. You can get a paper back copy of the book using my Amazon Affiliate link.
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One aspect of African literature is that the fictional writing is based on the author’s experiences living on the continent and the challenges typical African families face.
These themes are as heavy as they can get, ranging from polygamy to slavery and cross-cultural feuds. The next books I’ll recommend have seemingly heavy themes but also have rich historical context and are informative and entertaining pieces.
6. Home Going by Yaa Gyasi, Ghanaian
This is at the top of my list of the heavier set themes of African literature.
I loved Yaa Gyasi’s use of flashbacks to narrate the colonial era in Ghana, including the war between the Asante and the Fanti tribes and the implications of the slave trade in the Gold Coast.
She creates a family tree for her characters that ultimately weaves beautifully into each other as the years and generations pass, leading up to love in the present age.
It is a gut-wrenching read, I won’t lie, but it is as captivating as it is sad.
You’d love to explore the historical preservation of some Ghanaian customs and culture from the pre-colonial period through this text.
I would also recommend ‘Transcendent Kingdom’ by the same author. You can get a paper back copy of the book using my Amazon Affiliate link.
7. Kintu by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, Ugandan
Jeniffer Nansubuga Makumbi does for Ugandan literature what Chinua Achebe did for Nigerian literature.
In this brilliantly written narrative of the ‘first man’ according to Buganda customs, Jennifer Nansubuga explores the themes of belonging, generational curses, and healing. The book is a love letter to the Baganda tribe in Uganda.
The use of flashbacks and present-day narrations will keep you engaged as the plot unravels for each individual in Kintu’s lineage after a curse was set on them by a Tutsi (present-day Rwandan).
I loved this book’s character development and plot, and I would recommend it for its richness.
I would also recommend ‘A Girl is a Body of Water or The First Woman’, and ‘Manchester Happened’ by the same author. You can get a paper back copy of the book using my Amazon Affiliate link.
8. The Attic Child by Lola Jaye
Based on a true story, Lola Jaye narrates the journey of a Congolese boy who is sold to a British colonialist as a ‘companion’ in a bid to save his family from being massacred by the white man.
In a sad turn of events, Dikemebe’s master gives him an English name and sets him up to live a good life in England until he dies. In an unnerving twist, Dikembe is locked in the Attic of this grand house, and years later, a little girl discovers some of his hidden treasures in the same Attic.
The book revolves around slavery, family, love, belonging, and healing.
One of the reasons I love this book is because Lola gave her characters a happy ending. I still think about them from time to time. I’m sure you’ll love the book as well. You can get a paper back copy of the book using my Amazon Affiliate link.
9. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie, Nigerian
For everyone who has lived in the diaspora as an emigrant, you’ll relate to this book on some levels you wish you didn’t have to.
Chimamanda narrates the story of a young girl who dreams of going to America and creating a life for herself. She leaves the love of her life, family, and friends in this pursuit only to find that what she thought life abroad would be like, wasn’t it.
The rawness with which the protagonist narrates her challenges will have you cringing at the thought of living abroad. I love the honesty with which Chimamanda wrote this book and the reality of ‘life abroad.’
Let me know if you resonated with the book as much as I did. You can get a paper back copy of the book using my Amazon Affiliate link.
10. The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna, Sierra Leone
I enjoyed the historical context in the book about the Sierra Leone Civil War. I also appreciated that Aminatta wrote the book with mostly male protagonists, sharing stories of lost love and the impact of the war on their lives.
This will be a good read if you love historical narrations from African countries. You can get a paper back copy of the book using my Amazon Affiliate link.
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In conclusion, these books have stood out for me in my pursuit of reading more African literature and books by authors of color.
I hope that you will find this journey as fulfilling as I have over the years. Be sure to check out my other posts for more book recommendations.
Happy reading.