Africa Day Book Club

New for this year’s Africa Day, the Book Club aims to promote African literature, as well as international writers that have focused on Africa in their work.  This is a virtual Book Club: some titles are suggested here, which cover a range of different themes and literary styles, and highlight the geographical spread and variety of African literature.  If you are already a member of a reading group or club, why not choose one of the titles below to review at your next meeting?

In our suggestions, we have included both classics and lesser-known works by African and international authors.  The list is by no means exhaustive and we would welcome any suggestions you have for the Africa Day Book Club. 

To post suggestions for the Book Club, or to leave your feedback on any of our suggested reads, visit the Africa Day blog on Facebook.

Suggested Reading for Adults

  • 'The Thing Around Your Neck' (2009) by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.  Click here for further details.
  • 'Half of a Yellow Sun' (2006) by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.  Click here for further details. 
  • 'Things Fall Apart' (1958) by Chinua Achebe.  Click here for further details.
  • 'Anthills of the Savannah' (1987) by Chinua Achebe.  Click here for further details.
  • 'Not Untrue and Not Unkind' (2009) by Ed O’Loughlin.  Click here for further details.
  • 'Starbook' (2007) by Ben Okri.  Click here for further details.
  • 'The Poisonwood Bible' (1998) by Barbara Kingsolver.  Click here for further details.
  • 'Wizard of the Crow' (2006) by Ngugi wa Thiong’o.  Click here for further details. 
  •   'African Psycho' (2003) by Alain Mabanckou.  Click here for further details. 
  • 'Another Day of Life' (2001) by Ryszard Kapuscinski .  Click here for further details. 
  • 'Song for Night' by Chris Aban.
  • 'Consequences of love' by Sulaiman Addonia.
  • 'The Yacoubian Building' by Alaa Al Aswany.
  • 'In the Heart of the Country', 'Diary of a Bad Year' by JM Coetzee.
  • 'The Pickup', 'The Conservationist', 'Beethoven was one Sixteeenth Black' by Nadime Gordimer.
  • 'Paradise' by Abdulrazak Gurna.
  • 'Tea Time for the Traditionally Built', 'The Comfort of Saturdays', 'No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency' by Alexander McCall Smith.
  • 'Power of the Sword', 'River God', 'The Quest', 'Seventh Scroll' by Wilbur Smith.
  • 'Adrift on the Nile', 'The Begining of the End', 'Palace Walk' by Naguib Mahfouz.
  • 'Children of the Revolution' by Dinaw Mengetsu.

Suggested Reading for Children and Young Adults

  • 'One World, Our World' (2009) by Grace Wells; illustrated by Steve Simpson; published by Irish Aid, a beautiful introduction to the way of life in Irish Aid's priority countries. Click here for further details or to order a copy.
  • 'The Butterfly Lion' (1996) by Michael Morpurgo; illustrated by Christian Birmingham.  Click here for further details.
  • 'The White Giraffe' by Lauren St. John.  Click here for further details.
  • 'Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain' (2004) by Verna Aardema.
  •  'Burn My Heart' by Beverly Naidoo (young adult readers).  Click here for further details.
  • 'Akimbo and the Snakes' (2006) by Alexander McCall Smith.  Click here for further details. 
  • 'Kwajo and the Brassman's Secret - a Tale of Old Ashanti Wisdom and Gold' (2003) by Meshack Asare.
  • 'Bury My Bones But Keep My Words - African Tales for Retelling' (1991) retold by Tony Fairman; illustrated by Meshack Asare.
  • 'Catch that Goat'  (2000) by Polly Alakija.
  • 'The lucky Grain of Corn' – a dual language book in English and Somali  (2000) by Véronique Tadjo.
  • 'Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum' (1987) by Ashley Bryan.