1. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. Set in Ethiopia and epic story that takes place over many years about the lives of two brothers and their careers in medicine.
2. Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. Set in the Congo. The story of five women in a family living in Africa because of the misguided father/husband who wants to save the "heathens." Told in five voices.
3. West with the Night by Beryl Markham. Set in Kenya, before it was Kenya. True stories from a remarkable woman. I read this book because I enjoyed the book Circling the Sun by Paula McLain, which is a fictional account of the life of Beryl Markham.
4. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. Set in South Africa before the end of apartheid.
5. The #1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. Set in Botswana. This book feels like the Africa I remember. Funny, too. (First book in a series.)
6. Black Dove, White Raven by Elizabeth Wein. Set in Ethiopia about the Italio-Ethopian war. Very revealing.
7. Things Fall Apart by Chenoa Achebe. Set in Nigeria. I know just about everyone has to read this book in school but it is truly a book I think about just about every day. Who has the right to say my way is right and your way is wrong?
8. Golden Boy by Tara Sullivan. Set in Tanzania. An albino boy has to escape the hunters who are hunting him.
9. The Bitter Side of Sweet also by Tara Sullivan. Set in Ivory Coast, it highlights the negative side of cocoa plantations and the near slavery conditions for the workers.
10. Playing the Enemy by John Carlin. Set in South Africa. About Nelson Mandela and the game (Rugby) which helped bring about the peaceful end of apartheid.
11. Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron. Set in Rwanda during the Rwandan Genocide.
12. Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell. Set in Egypt during the time when the Middle East was being carved up for political reasons. A novel which includes real life characters like Lawrence of Arabia and Winston Churchill.
Awesome list! I'll be keeping this in mind for future reference :)
ReplyDeleteIf you want to check out my own - first ever (so excited!) - TTT post, here's the link:
https://mreadsbooks.wordpress.com/2016/09/13/ttt-1-all-time-favorite-classics/
Excellent list! I love many of these books, especially Things Fall Apart and Cutting for Stone. Have you ever read any books by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie? A few of her novels are set in Nigeria, "Half of A Yellow Sun" is particularly good.
ReplyDeleteHere is the link to my TTT: https://4thhouseontheleft.wordpress.com/2016/09/13/top-ten-tuesday-all-time-favorite-books-in-x-genre/
I really want to read some Chimamanda Adichie books. Thanks for the recommendation.
DeleteI'm glad that I took a chance on The Poisonwood Bible. Still looking forward to Black Dove, White Raven.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great list, Anne. I have only read one book on your list--Alexander McCall Smith's. I love that series. I started listening to Cutting for Stone a couple years ago, but never finished it. I think I would do better if I read it. I don't do well with long audiobooks, although the narrator's voice was very compelling. Most of the other books on your list are books I want to read. Maybe someday. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
I listened to Cutting for Stone and loved it. I practically lived the book for three weeks, though, since it so long.
Delete1, 5 and 11!! I loved them!
ReplyDeleteI think we have really made some tremendous book selections. Let;s try to squeeze in another Africa book soon. If I don't have the excuse of book club, I often don't read the books I really should.
DeleteWonderful list! I have read a few of them and have added Running Rift and Bitter Side of Sweet to my TBR list
ReplyDeleteI am sure you will like them both, or at least find them compelling.
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