Top 10 African Books You Should Read

1. Stay with Me – Ayobami Adebayo: A compelling narrative exploring love, loss, and the complexities of family life in Nigeria.

Stay with me

2. Tomorrow I Become a Woman – Aiwanose Odafen: This book delves into the rites of passage and the struggles of transitioning from girlhood to womanhood in African society.

Tomorrow I Become A Woman

3. Yinka, Where Is Your Husband? – Lizzie Damilola Blackburn: A sharp and engaging story that tackles societal expectations and personal identity with humor and insight.

Yinka Where Is Your Huzband

4. By the Sea – Abdulrazak Gurnah: A richly textured novel that examines the themes of displacement, migration, and the search for identity.

By the Sea

5. Cry, the Beloved Country – Alan Paton: A classic novel that addresses the social and racial injustices in South Africa, offering a powerful portrayal of a nation’s struggle.

Cry The Beloved Country

6. Homegoing – Yaa Gyasi: A multi-generational epic that traces the impact of slavery on two half-sisters and their descendants across centuries.

Home Going

7. Ogadinma – Ukamaka Olisakwe: A poignant story that reflects on the challenges faced by a Nigerian woman navigating love, ambition, and societal pressures.

Ogadinma

8. The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born – Ayi Kwei Armah: A powerful critique of post-independence Ghana, highlighting corruption and the quest for moral and social integrity.

The Beautful Ones

9. The Epic of Sundiata – D.T. Niane: A foundational work of African literature, this epic recounts the legendary story of Sundiata Keita, the founder of the Mali Empire.

Sundiata

10. Weep Not, Child – Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o: A seminal novel in African literature that explores the effects of colonialism and the struggle for independence in Kenya through the eyes of a young boy.

Weep Not Child