So, I didn’t get to put out my 2020 round-up post mostly because I was moving to my new website and I was trying to sort quite a few things behind the scene.
I read mostly African literature last year and I have no regrets. I have gotten so used to them that it almost feels weird when I read something different. Instead of boring you with a long post on all the books i read last year, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite books I read in 2020 written by African authors.
In no particular order:
Kintu by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
I thoroughly enjoyed this and it gave me an insight into Uganda’s history and culture. The author is a beautiful story teller. If you love multigenerational family sagas, you’d love this. She wrote a collection of short stories called Manchester Happened and another novel called ‘The first woman’ which I reviewed here.
Everything good will come by Sefi Atta
I read this book twice because it was so relatable even though it was set in the 80s. Nigeria hasn’t changed much sadly. If you like feminist novels set in Africa, you’ll like this. I also reviewed it on the blog.
Ogadinma by Ukamaka Olisakwe
This was the December BOTM for my book club. Also similar to everything good will come in that it is set in Nigeria and is a feminist/coming of age story of a young girl. If you’re in Nigeria, you can get this from masobebooks. It is also available on scribd.
The education of a british-protected child by Chinua Achebe
The only non fiction book that made the list. I am not a huge fan of nonfiction books and typically struggle to finish them but this was different and extremely insightful. It is a collection of essays which were mostly gotten from his past speeches. I also reviewed this on the blog.
Tomorrow Died Yesterday by Chimeka Garricks
I heard so many good things about this book before I picked it up. My expectations were off the roof and it did not disappoint. Chimeka Garricks is a fantastic writer. The humour, authentic Nigerian feel and enjoyable plot made this one of my best reads last year.
The joys of motherhood by Buchi Emecheta
The irony of the title still baffles me sometimes. This book is so important especially if you’re a woman. It made me re-evaluate motherhood and emphasized the importance of being your own person. This is a classic and you should read it.
Aviara by Ominiabohs Othuke
I actually reached out to the publishers to request for a copy of this mainly because I read the synopsis ad I related to the fact that the protagonist has Chronic Kidney disease considering I work in a dialysis centre. I wanted to read it to be sure it was a book I could recommend to my patients. I absolutely enjoyed this. A video review of this book is on my instagram page.
A broken people’s playlist by Chimeka Garricks
After reading TDY, I knew I had to read Chimeka’s new book which is a collection of short stories. I ended the year with his book and it was so beautiful. I highly recommend this. I will likely post a review on here before the end of the first quarter.
She would be king by Wayetu Moore
She would be king introduced me to Liberian literature, history and culture. It was a fantastic retelling of Liberia’s history and it left me very curious. It explores the journey to freedom and discovery in the most exhilarating way! If you love historical fiction novels, magical realism type novels, you’d like this.
I hope you enjoyed this list. If you’ve read any of the books on the list, let me know in the comment section.
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