Great African Reads discussion
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Anetq's 2022 Bingo challenge
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Plans:
1. new-to-you country
- I have about 5 left... Should finish The Ultimate Tragedy by by Abdulai Sila for Guinea Bissau.
2. fantasy / sci-fi
My least favorite category in all challenges. I should finish The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
3. poetry or play
No idea yet - but something usually turns up
4. short story collection
Still trying to finish Africa 39!
5. original in Arab
Lots of options...
6. published in the 1980s
?
7. published in the 1960s
?
8. published in the 2020s
- something else from the list in #11?
9 debut novel
Maybe Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi?
10. historical fiction
- no idea, not my category, but something should turn up?
11. book from the AfricanArguments 2021 list of best African books
- have ordered what is available from libraries, will see which one fits here, and not in other categories...
12 non-fiction book by an African author
- also a hard one? Chocolate Nations: Living and Dying for Cocoa in West Africa looks interesting, but the author is Irish.
1. new-to-you country
- I have about 5 left... Should finish The Ultimate Tragedy by by Abdulai Sila for Guinea Bissau.
2. fantasy / sci-fi
My least favorite category in all challenges. I should finish The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
3. poetry or play
No idea yet - but something usually turns up
4. short story collection
Still trying to finish Africa 39!
5. original in Arab
Lots of options...
6. published in the 1980s
?
7. published in the 1960s
?
8. published in the 2020s
- something else from the list in #11?
9 debut novel
Maybe Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi?
10. historical fiction
- no idea, not my category, but something should turn up?
11. book from the AfricanArguments 2021 list of best African books
- have ordered what is available from libraries, will see which one fits here, and not in other categories...
12 non-fiction book by an African author
- also a hard one? Chocolate Nations: Living and Dying for Cocoa in West Africa looks interesting, but the author is Irish.

For Historical Fiction I would recommend The Map of Love if you have not read it yet.
Carolien wrote: "Looking forward to your thoughts on The Ultimate Tragedy. It's on my TBR.
For Historical Fiction I would recommend The Map of Love if you have not read it yet."
Thank you I love getting recommendations :) I've looked at it before (it's also on the 50AW-list as I recall) but it's just so long, and the family sagas aren't usually my thing. But hey everyone seems to love it, so I should probably consider it at some point?
For Historical Fiction I would recommend The Map of Love if you have not read it yet."
Thank you I love getting recommendations :) I've looked at it before (it's also on the 50AW-list as I recall) but it's just so long, and the family sagas aren't usually my thing. But hey everyone seems to love it, so I should probably consider it at some point?

For Historical Fiction I would recommend The Map of Love if you have not read it yet."
Than..."
It's gorgeous. You won't regret it.
One down: I finally finished The Ultimate Tragedy by Abdulai Sila for Guinea Bissau.
Thus my reading Africa challenge leaves me with only these 4 countries - I have books for 3 of them:
Comores: A Girl Called Eel
Lesotho: Chaka by Thomas Mofolo
Liberia: Kourouma Allah is Not Obliged / Allah er ikke forpligtet
Seychelles: ??
My world reading is her btw - if anyone is looking for titles:
https://ucph.padlet.org/anetq/world
I plan on fitting them in this year - and will take any suggestions for Seychelles as I can't seem to find any suggestions except this historical fiction, which happens to be set in Seychelles The Edge of Eden - but I'd really like something by a native.
Thus my reading Africa challenge leaves me with only these 4 countries - I have books for 3 of them:
Comores: A Girl Called Eel
Lesotho: Chaka by Thomas Mofolo
Liberia: Kourouma Allah is Not Obliged / Allah er ikke forpligtet
Seychelles: ??
My world reading is her btw - if anyone is looking for titles:
https://ucph.padlet.org/anetq/world
I plan on fitting them in this year - and will take any suggestions for Seychelles as I can't seem to find any suggestions except this historical fiction, which happens to be set in Seychelles The Edge of Eden - but I'd really like something by a native.
Maybe Jennifer Toussaint-Cali's "Shattered Glass"?
I found it by looking up authors from Seychelles, but the story seems to be very American. I don't know, I have not read it.
I found it by looking up authors from Seychelles, but the story seems to be very American. I don't know, I have not read it.
The only other I found in English is a children's book, apparently educational: “Sootina’s story”, by Robert Mondon.
Ana Lúcia wrote: "Maybe Jennifer Toussaint-Cali's "Shattered Glass"?
I found it by looking up authors from Seychelles, but the story seems to be very American. I don't know, I have not read it."
Thanks will have a look :)
I found it by looking up authors from Seychelles, but the story seems to be very American. I don't know, I have not read it."
Thanks will have a look :)

Another option for historical fiction would be South African author, Marguerite Poland. Most of her works fall in that category and she writes beautifully, I read A Sin of Omission last year.
Carolien wrote: "For Seychelles you could also consider Voices: Short stories from the Seychelles Islands.
Another option for historical fiction would be South African author, [author:Marguerite Po..."
A short story collection from the Seychelles, perfect - thank you, and it's in Kindle unlimited, which I have a the moment :)
I'll check out the Poland book too :)
Another option for historical fiction would be South African author, [author:Marguerite Po..."
A short story collection from the Seychelles, perfect - thank you, and it's in Kindle unlimited, which I have a the moment :)
I'll check out the Poland book too :)
Check mark for Seyshelles! I read some of the stories in Voices: Short stories from the Seychelles Islands - DNF as I am not a fan, but hey moving on!
I am down to my last three countries:
Comores: A Girl Called Eel
Lesotho: Chaka by Thomas Mofolo
Liberia: Kourouma Allah is Not Obliged / Allah er ikke forpligtet or She Would Be King
I am down to my last three countries:
Comores: A Girl Called Eel
Lesotho: Chaka by Thomas Mofolo
Liberia: Kourouma Allah is Not Obliged / Allah er ikke forpligtet or She Would Be King
I forgot to update this - but have read a few...
I finally managed to read Karen Blixen's Out of Africa - being from 1937 I picked the English version, as the Danish is so archaic it's hard to read. And well colonialism and it's racist view of 'the natives' was alive and well at that point, I can attest (even from someone who is (or at least considers herself) a nice mistress...)
- I am being creative and chalking it up as fantasy due to the fanciful selfimage :) (and I'm not a genre reader except for crime fiction).
Another one with a Danish connection (as the author lives here) Broken Halves of a Milky Sun: Poems - that is actually poems and I've written them up as such.
I've also read short stories by Adichie - one fits in the 2020 category, the other in the Short Story category - and finally her Notes On Grief fits the non-fiction category,
I finally managed to read Karen Blixen's Out of Africa - being from 1937 I picked the English version, as the Danish is so archaic it's hard to read. And well colonialism and it's racist view of 'the natives' was alive and well at that point, I can attest (even from someone who is (or at least considers herself) a nice mistress...)
- I am being creative and chalking it up as fantasy due to the fanciful selfimage :) (and I'm not a genre reader except for crime fiction).
Another one with a Danish connection (as the author lives here) Broken Halves of a Milky Sun: Poems - that is actually poems and I've written them up as such.
I've also read short stories by Adichie - one fits in the 2020 category, the other in the Short Story category - and finally her Notes On Grief fits the non-fiction category,
So that leaves me with these categories:
5. original in Arab
6. published in the 1980s
7. published in the 1960s
9. debut novel
11. book from the AfricanArguments 2021 list of best African books: https://africanarguments.org/2021/12/...
5. original in Arab
6. published in the 1980s
7. published in the 1960s
9. debut novel
11. book from the AfricanArguments 2021 list of best African books: https://africanarguments.org/2021/12/...
I have managed to read some more African litt, but they don't seem to fit into the categories...
LaGuardia by Nnedi Okorafor (SciFi / Fantasy / Graphic Novel)
J.M.G. Le Clézio The African (Memoir / 2004)
I think I'll have to throw in the towel on the Bingo this year!
LaGuardia by Nnedi Okorafor (SciFi / Fantasy / Graphic Novel)
J.M.G. Le Clézio The African (Memoir / 2004)
I think I'll have to throw in the towel on the Bingo this year!
Books mentioned in this topic
The African (other topics)LaGuardia (other topics)
Apollo (other topics)
Out of Africa (other topics)
Broken Halves of a Milky Sun: Poems (other topics)
More...
2022 African Bingo: (read: 5/12)
1. new-to-you country The Ultimate Tragedy by Abdulai Sila - Guinea Bissau
2. fantasy / sci-fi Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen aka Karen Blixen
3. poetry or play Broken Halves of a Milky Sun: Poems AKA På min huds sorthed by Aaiún Nin
4. short story collection Apollo by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
5. original in Arab
6. published in the 1980s
7. published in the 1960s
8. published in the 2020s Zikora by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
9. debut novel
10. historical fiction Voices: Short stories from the Seychelles Islands by Glynn Burridge (at least some of the stories are...)
11. book from the AfricanArguments 2021 list of best African books: https://africanarguments.org/2021/12/...
12 non-fiction book by an African author Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie