The World's Literature in Europe discussion
A-YEAR-AT-A-GLANCE CALENDAR
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2016 Calendar (in message 1)
Wanda wrote: "...The Last Brother, A Bend in the River, and In the Country of Men are top contenders. "All magnificent, Wanda! Thanks so much for sharing the books.
Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "...The Book of Chameleons by José Eduardo Agualusa, set in Angola."You're enthusiastically looking forward to the story. Creative title.
Asma Fedosia wrote: "Wanda wrote: "...The Last Brother, A Bend in the River, and In the Country of Men are top contenders. "All magnificent, Wanda! Thanks so much for sharing the books."
You are welcome, Asma. I do not intend this to sound overbearing, but feel free to swipe a title if you like.
;~}
Wanda wrote: "...feel free to swipe a title if you like. ."
Your selections cover several countries, including Mauritius. So, I might "swipe" that one or the Naipaul :)
I have so many African titles on my list I will have to look through the list again. I do want to read Birds of Amber which I have on my shelf but I also ha some on my kindle and the library---well it has so much. I would like to read Naipaul too. Thankfully there is a year ahead of us.
Sue wrote: "...I do want to read Birds of Amber which I have on my shelf...I would like to read Naipaul too...."The author of Birds... has written and has had translated about five novels.
For my list of remaining countries in Africa I want to read from, I've started making a list of possible books. Rather than copy here and clog up the feed I've created a document in Google Drive. If you have any suggestions I've overlooked, I'd love to hear them! (If a country is not on the list, it means I've already read a book from it.)
Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "For my list of remaining countries in Africa I want to read from, I've started making a list of possible books. Rather than copy here and clog up the feed I've created a document in Google Drive. I..."This is such a great idea Jenny. I should probably do something like this someday. (though I have a feeling I will want to double up on some countries)
Sue wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "For my list of remaining countries in Africa I want to read from, I've started making a list of possible books. Rather than copy here and clog up the feed I've created ..."That's my problem. I get stuck (in good ways) - I spent four months in Papua New Guinea!
Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Sue wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "For my list of remaining countries in Africa I want to read from, I've started making a list of possible books. Rather than copy here and clog up the feed I..."A place I haven't even been to yet!
Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "For my list of remaining countries in Africa I want to read from,... I've created a document in Google Drive..."Totally excellent, Jenny :)
Sue wrote: "...a great idea Jenny. I should probably do something like this..."I'm with you, Sue. I store my lists on the Notes App of the laptop. Shall I say that the Google Docs is a bit advanced?
Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "...I spent four months in Papua New Guinea! "Good months they were, too. I learned some intriguing info from your posts about Rockefeller's work and his museum wing.
Sue wrote: "A place I haven't even been to yet! "Adventurous--Ulysses's yearning for the distant horizon.
From near the end of January 2016 into early February, the featured book is The Joys of Motherhood. As Jenny implied in a post...a lot of literature from Egypt and Nigeria. So far, next year's stories and play are set in Nigeria. 
Chinua Achebe's five novels might be the featured African opus of 2016. Written thoughts are welcome.
I don't have any comments on the book selection for now, everything I read with you was great, or at least an interesting discovery, so I'll trust you for next year's selection too.Only comment I have is that I don't have that much time for reading, and things sometime felt a bit rushed. At times, I felt I had barely the time to finish one book before starting the other read for this group, without much time to dig as much into the conversations here, and read around the books (for example, reading other books in the series, etc.). Also, since I am interested in this group, I tended to focus only on this one and not have time for other readings/groups this year.
So if possible, I would like to take things a little bit more slowly next year? I know I could skip some books here, but they look so interesting, it's hard to take that decision!
Although if I'm the only one of this opinion, please just keep on as you used to do, and I guess I'll just have to manage my reading time differently.
Melaslithos wrote: "I don't have any comments on the book selection for now, everything I read with you was great, or at least an interesting discovery, so I'll trust you for next year's selection too..."Melaslithos, thank you for the compliment. I'm glad that the selected books are on target.
At present, a highly rough calculation is a hundred pages a week. I can slow the pace. An extended stretch can be seventy or eighty pages a week; that is doable.
Asma Fedosia wrote: "Melaslithos wrote: "I don't have any comments on the book selection for now, everything I read with you was great, or at least an interesting discovery, so I'll trust you for next year's selection ..."Hi Asma, yes, if possible, I'd like to slow a little the pace. 70-80 pages / week sounds good. But of course, only if everyone else is fine with that.
Asma, As long as you're looking at Africa as an idea you might want to think about some of the following which I've read:
Ancestor Stones and The Memory of Love both written by Aminatta Forna about Sierra Leone. Both beautifully written showing two views of the unrest/revolution there.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi has written more than you list above and is probably most famous for Half of a Yellow Sun about Biafra. I also enjoyed Purple Hibiscus, which is set in Nigeria, though that is more about an abusive father than about that area of Nigeria.
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese is set in Ethiopia.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba is a non-fiction book about how a very young boy built a windmill from scraps in Nigeria (?) and brought both water and electricity to his tiny village.
We cannot forget his horrible ethnic battles which have gone on in Africa, and Philip Gourevitch's We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families is about the horror of Rwanda.
I've also read Things Fall Apart by Chinua and enjoyed it, but I suspect I did not fully understand it because it appeared that much of it had connections to African myths, legends, and story telling, of which I am not familiar.
Beryl Markham's West with the Night was very interesting, but is clearly idealized.
And, of course, Barbara Kingsolver wrote a wonderful novel about the Congo of the late 1950s and early 1960s in The Poisonwood Bible.
I've read more African literature, especially J. M. Coetzee, about South Africa, but you would have surely already considered him given his literary stature.
Melaslithos wrote: "...yes, if possible, I'd like to slow a little the pace. 70-80 pages / week sounds good..."I reviewed the 2016 schedule (there currently are three books) and gave more time for reading and discussion. Thank you, Melaslithos, for your input.
Maggie wrote: "...As long as you're looking at Africa as an idea you might want to think about some of the following which I've read..."Hi, Maggie, some of your suggestions I too read--Adichie, Verghese, Achebe (want insight into it), Coetzee. The Kingsolver sounds really good.
Maggie wrote: "Asma, As long as you're looking at Africa as an idea you might want to think about some of the following which I've read:
Ancestor Stones and The Memory of Love bo..."
Very interesting list Maggie. I've only read the Kingsolver which I thought was excellent. I already have most of the others on my list and have added Forna. Some of the books may even be on my shelf. Maybe next year I can actually get to some of them.
Asma Fedosia wrote: "Melaslithos wrote: "...yes, if possible, I'd like to slow a little the pace. 70-80 pages / week sounds good..."I reviewed the 2016 schedule (there currently are three books) and gave more time fo..."
Thank you!
One novel that I think would be an interesting contrast to some of the others mentioned here would be The Spider's House by Paul Bowles, set in Morocco.
Sue wrote: "...I already have most of the others on my list and have added Forna..."I also like Maggie's two selections by Aminatta Forna.
Melaslithos wrote: "Thank you! "You're welcome, Melaslithos. I'm looking forward to Africa 2016.
Poingu wrote: "One novel that I think would be an interesting contrast to some of the others mentioned here would be The Spider's House by Paul Bowles, set in Morocco."I like your book and author suggestion, Pingu, The Spider's House by Paul Bowles. The title is new to me, and Bowles also wrote The Sheltering Sky.
Asma Fedosia wrote: "I like your book and author suggestion, Pingu, The Spider's House by Paul Bowles. The title is new to me, and Bowles also wrote The Sheltering Sky. "I suggested The Spider's House because, unlike in the Sheltering Sky which is told almost entirely from a Western expat point of view, Bowles in The Spiders House tries to inhabit the mind of a 15 year old illiterate Muslim extremist, and to tell the story of how this young man reacts to living in a country dominated by westerners. The novel brings up a lot of questions for me about who gets to tell which stories, and I think it would make for a good discussion.
Poingu wrote: "Asma Fedosia wrote: "I like your book and author suggestion, Pingu, The Spider's House by Paul Bowles. The title is new to me, and Bowles also wrote The Sheltering Sky. "I suggested The Spider's ..."
Just realized I have this on my kindle as well as a collection of stories written by Bowles.
Poingu wrote: "...The Spider's House...brings up a lot of questions for me about who gets to tell which stories, and I think it would make for a good discussion. "I read a NYTimes review about The Spider's House. I'm interested in Paul Bowles. His writings are very well received by readers. Great suggestion, Pingu.
Sue wrote: "...Just realized I have this [The Spider's House] on my kindle as well as a collection of stories written by Bowles."Which collection is that one, Sue? The Bowles I own is The Sheltering Sky, but I'm intrigued by this multitalented, artistic man and by his Tangier, Morocco, connection.
Formats in digital and print are A+.
The collection I have is The Stories of Paul Bowles. I think I picked it up as a kindle deal a while ago but it hasn't been touched yet. (I have many of those waiting for me)
Sue wrote: "The collection I have is The Stories of Paul Bowles..."Looks good, Sue. Some of the stories in that collection are about Africa, I noticed. Today's email from the Guernica magazine makes mention of Bowles with regard to his mentoring.
Asma Fedosia wrote: "Sue wrote: "The collection I have is The Stories of Paul Bowles..."Looks good, Sue. Some of the stories in that collection are about Africa, I noticed. Today's email from the Guernic..."
This looks very interesting Asma. I'm going to read the full article later.
I'm hoping to join a couple of books selected for this group next year. Africa is almost a literary blind spot for me right now, apart from Nigeria. I've read Achebe's Things Fall Apart, and that's definitely a 5 stars read for me. For next year personally I'm thinking to get to Adichie's Half a Yellow Sun, and Season of Migration to the North (I think a couple of people mentioned these above). I'm also very interested to read Naguib Mahfouz's Cairo trilogy (maybe just the first one to start), and something from Morocco - which I visited last year (in person) and have been meaning to read (in my list: In Arabian Nights). The Meursault Investigation also sounds interesting.
Can't wait to see the group 2016 list!
Although story collections offer an exposure to many authors, I find that they are hard to discuss because everyone has a different favorite and the discussion remains superficial. I always hope that folks with so much interest in African literature will really engage in an interesting discussion!
I too have my eye on Palace Walk: The Cairo Trilogy and Half of a Yellow Sun.I'd also like to add The Alexandria Quartet
Mekki wrote: "I too have my eye on Palace Walk: The Cairo Trilogy and Half of a Yellow Sun.I'd also like to add The Alexandria Quartet"
I literally own all of these. I've only read half the quartet but I love those books, the language is gorgeous.
Mekki wrote: "I too have my eye on Palace Walk: The Cairo Trilogy and Half of a Yellow Sun.I'd also like to add The Alexandria Quartet"
Me too!
Dioni (Bookie Mee) wrote: "...Adichie's Half a Yellow Sun, and Season of Migration to the North...Naguib Mahfouz's Cairo trilogy... In Arabian Nights...The Meursault Investigation..."Sounds wonderful, Dioni. Maybe you could oversee a discussion about one of those or could introduce the topic about one.
Suzann wrote: "Although story collections offer an exposure to many authors, I find that they are hard to discuss because everyone has a different favorite..."That's true, Suzann. And, sometimes a novel or a story needs to be unpacked. At those times, a story yields multiple layers of meaning.
Your mentioning story collections, Adichie's The Thing Around Your Neck came to my attention.
Mekki wrote: "I too have my eye on Palace Walk: The Cairo Trilogy and Half of a Yellow Sun... The Alexandria Quartet"Mahfouz, Adichie, Durrell, Achebe would all be excellent for the author of the year, imo!
The only caveat of course is that Durrell is not himself Egyptian. And the books are sixty years old. So we will see quite a bit of veiled racism in the portrayal of the never-able-to-be-known "nubian-princess" women, to the never-to-be-trusted Arabs as portrayed by Durrell. It might be better to read a native author if we're going for an internal view.
Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "The only caveat of course is that Durrell is not himself Egyptian. And the books are sixty years old. So we will see quite a bit of veiled racism in the portrayal of the never-able-to-be-known "nub..."Jenny, thank you for that perspective about the ...Quartet.
Asma Fedosia wrote: "Sue wrote: "Me too!" for the The Alexandria QuartetDurrell's Paris Review interview."
thanks for the link Asma.
And jenny, I do agree re the cultural (ir)relevancy to our goals of Durrell though I do want to read him, even if not for this.
Asma Fedosia wrote: "Sounds wonderful, Dioni. Maybe you could oversee a discussion about one of those or could introduce the topic about one."I'd be happy to start/oversee the discussion for Half a Yellow Sun or Season of Migration to the North if you're looking for someone :)
Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "The only caveat of course is that Durrell is not himself Egyptian. And the books are sixty years old. So we will see quite a bit of veiled racism in the portrayal of the never-able-to-be-known "nub..."yes, I hesitated to suggest Bowles for the same reason but sometimes it is interesting to look back and notice what has changed in terms of stereotypes and what has changed about who gets to tell whose story.
Sue wrote: "thanks for the link..."You're welcome!
Durrell was born in India, was British, was intrigued with Europe--Greece, France (set the Avignon books there), Egypt... Some writers, for instance Errol Lincoln Uys can write centuries of epic about a place, and some writers stray too far from history.
The World's Literature in Europe
Books mentioned in this topic
Eteka: Rise of the Imamba (other topics)A General Theory of Oblivion (other topics)
The Poisonwood Bible (other topics)
The Poisonwood Bible (other topics)
The Stranger (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Errol Lincoln Uys (other topics)Paul Bowles (other topics)
Aminatta Forna (other topics)
Chinua Achebe (other topics)
José Eduardo Agualusa (other topics)
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Thanks for the book recommendations and for sharing your favorite author.