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Contemporary: Biography & Memoir (Sep 2012)
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Marieke, Former guide & Chief Chatterbox
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Sep 09, 2012 09:38AM

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A Long Way Gone
The Man Died: Prison Notes of Wole Soyinka
You Must Set Forth at Dawn
Long Walk to Freedom
One Day I Will Write About This Place: A Memoir
The Devil That Danced on the Water: A Daughter's Quest
Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey of a Desert Nomad
But also, someone in another thread said that Chinua Achebe will be coming out with a memoir very soon! And I want to read that!!
The Man Died: Prison Notes of Wole Soyinka
You Must Set Forth at Dawn
Long Walk to Freedom
One Day I Will Write About This Place: A Memoir
The Devil That Danced on the Water: A Daughter's Quest
Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey of a Desert Nomad
But also, someone in another thread said that Chinua Achebe will be coming out with a memoir very soon! And I want to read that!!
Great suggestions! We'll have to keep and eye out for the Achebe memoir publication so we can plan accordingly and in case it gets picked in the poll.
Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria is an excellent suggestion, Adlyn, and i might read it ASAP. That's really great to see Ken Saro-Wiwa's daughter writing. :)
Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria is an excellent suggestion, Adlyn, and i might read it ASAP. That's really great to see Ken Saro-Wiwa's daughter writing. :)

When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa by Peter Godwin (SBN 9780316018715)

I was going to add Transwonderland to the Narrative Nonfiction group as while it is memoir/travel writing - we have many memoir/bio suggestions and less in the narrartive nonfiction group (especially with travel writing)

My First Coup d'Etati:And Other True Storeis from the Lost Decades of Africa - John Dramani Mahama
i just started Transwonderland. I just couldn't resist!
i have this biography to suggest: Ben Enwonwu: The Making of an African Modernist.
i have this biography to suggest: Ben Enwonwu: The Making of an African Modernist.
Hi everyone!
i know i'm late doing this but i want to set up a poll for this genre. We will be choosing a selection for Februrary. Does anyone have any more titles to add?
i know i'm late doing this but i want to set up a poll for this genre. We will be choosing a selection for Februrary. Does anyone have any more titles to add?

2.Philip Tobias: Into the Past
Thank you, Fela!
I'm going to post the poll tonight so please leave your suggestions here today. (It's 10am my time)
I'm going to post the poll tonight so please leave your suggestions here today. (It's 10am my time)

* The Worlds of a Maasai Warrior—Tepilit Ole Saitoti
* Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman—as told to Marjorie Shostak
* Mafeking Diary—Sol T. Plaatje.
I hope this month's reading will interest some of you in my new anthology African Lives (coming out in March)! http://bit.ly/LaDhtl
Great! thanks everyone!
because we have so many options, i'm going to randomize the list and take just five for the poll.
because we have so many options, i'm going to randomize the list and take just five for the poll.
And here are the top five after randomizing:
Mafeking Diary—Sol T. Plaatje.
One Day I Will Write About This Place: A Memoir
Dreams in the Time of War
A Long Way Gone
When a Crocodile Eats the Sun
Mafeking Diary—Sol T. Plaatje.
One Day I Will Write About This Place: A Memoir
Dreams in the Time of War
A Long Way Gone
When a Crocodile Eats the Sun

is anyone familiar also with shorter essays, or collections?
sarah wrote: "oh my. this is a great thread for me right now. I am trying to put together a (world lit) syllabus that includes non-fiction, which is my least-read-genre...memoir is definitely an important aspe..."
if you can wait until March, Geoff's anthology is coming out (see his link at the end of post 15) :)
ETA: sorry, did you mean non-biography essays?
if you can wait until March, Geoff's anthology is coming out (see his link at the end of post 15) :)
ETA: sorry, did you mean non-biography essays?

I think it may be a translation issue - it is listed on Amazon US as Mafeking Diary if it is the same book (actually quite pricey)

I think it may be a translation issue - it is listed on Amazon US as Mafeking Diary if it is the same book (actuall..."
That's interesting. In South Africa, I always saw it spelled as Mafikeng.

Marieke, I haven't, and that looks both great, and maybe right on...I will definitely take a look at it. thanks!


thanks

Andrea wrote: "I will definitely be joining the February read. I've read that book once already, but I would love to get some new insights into it. Also, have a small plane trip coming up in February (over a we..."
excellent!
i'm excited to read it, too. and i'm glad we will have people discussing who have read it before.
excellent!
i'm excited to read it, too. and i'm glad we will have people discussing who have read it before.

Is anyone else reading?
That reminds me...did I set up a discussion thread yet? :/
I'm on my phone, I'll check at lunchtime.
I'm on my phone, I'll check at lunchtime.
I totally forgot to check at lunchtime. Crazy day!
Soon I'll be home...
Go to the library, Muph! ;)
Soon I'll be home...
Go to the library, Muph! ;)
Anne wrote: "I will be reading 'one day a will write about this place' too."
wonderful!
i finally opened a thread for discussing it! i'm really very sorry for the delay. i don't know why February is speeding by like this.
wonderful!
i finally opened a thread for discussing it! i'm really very sorry for the delay. i don't know why February is speeding by like this.

Heehee...the discussion can certainly continue after February. I will set up the sci-fi poll tomorrow. Or maybe even tonight.
Books mentioned in this topic
Desert Flower (other topics)A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier (other topics)
The Devil That Danced on the Water: A Daughter's Quest (other topics)
The Man Died: Prison Notes of Wole Soyinka (other topics)
You Must Set Forth at Dawn (other topics)
More...