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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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A Nigerian writer whose works range from novels to short stories to nonfiction. She was described in The Times Literary Supplement as "the most prominent" of a "procession of critically acclaimed young anglophone authors [who] is succeeding in attracting a new generation of readers to African literature.."
13 books on the list
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Cuz book cover
Cuz
An American Tragedy
Danielle Allen - 2018-09-04 (first published in 2017)
Goodreads Rating
This powerful memoir by Danielle Allen delves into the tragedy of mass incarceration through her own personal experience of trying to rescue her baby cousin, who was arrested for an attempted carjacking at just fifteen years old. Despite her heroic efforts, Michael served eleven years in prison and was later found murdered. Through her compassionate retelling of his story, Allen raises important questions about the American justice system and the devastating impact of mass incarceration on families and communities. A must-read for anyone interested in social justice and systemic change.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2018-07-10T00:00:00.000Z
A memoir about the loss of a beloved cousin, is unbearably moving. It illuminates the injustice often meted out to young black men by the American criminal justice system.      source
Speak No Evil book cover
Speak No Evil
A Novel
Uzodinma Iweala - 2018-03-06
Goodreads Rating
"Speak No Evil" is a powerful and heart-wrenching novel that explores what it means to be different in a conformist society, and how that difference can lead to devastating consequences. Set in Washington D.C., the story follows Niru, a gay teenager from a conservative Nigerian family, who must navigate the complexities of coming out to his parents and friends. As Niru struggles to reconcile his desires against society's expectations, he finds unexpected solidarity in his best friend Meredith. But when Niru's father discovers his secret, their world is turned upside down, and they are both forced to confront the brutal realities of love and violence. This deeply compassionate and timely novel is a must-read for anyone interested in the power of words and self-identification, and the struggle to find one's voice in a world that seeks to silence it.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2018-07-10T00:00:00.000Z
A young Nigerian American comes out as gay, is a coming of age story about the difficult, churning mix of family expectations. It is elegant and elegiac, and evokes Washington DC with subtle power.      source
The Color Purple book cover
The Color Purple
A Novel
Alice Walker - 2019-12-10 (first published in 1982)
Goodreads Rating
In this modern classic, Alice Walker depicts the lives of African American women in early 20th-century rural Georgia. The story follows Celie and Nettie, two sisters separated as girls who sustain their loyalty and hope in each other through a series of letters spanning 20 years. The Color Purple broke the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, narrating the lives of women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery. With deep compassion and beautiful writing, this Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner is a must-read journey towards redemption and love.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2018-06-16T00:00:00.000Z
I admired the fierce honesty in the single-mindedly feminist world-view of this book      source
Fathers and Sons book cover
Fathers and Sons
Ivan Turgenev - 2005-02-01 (first published in 1862)
Goodreads Rating
Fathers and Sons is a stirring tale set in Russia during the 1860s, amidst the liberation of the serfs. The story follows the generational conflict between older aristocrats and the new democratic intelligentsia, and vividly depicts the friction between liberal and conservative thought. It introduces the radical new philosophy of nihilism and follows the journey of two young friends, Arkady and Bazarov, who venture off to the provincial capital in search of amusement. This affordable masterpiece offers readers the opportunity to savor a timeless work of world literature.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2018-06-16T00:00:00.000Z
I loved this book as a teenager and have never forgotten how completely absorbed I was by Turgenev’s wonderfully evocative world.      source
Recommended by
Ernest Hemingway
Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery book cover
Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery
John Gregory Brown - 2001-09-14 (first published in 1994)
Goodreads Rating
This haunting novel explores family loyalty and relationships between races in New Orleans, uncovering the heartbreaking legacy of an Irish Catholic family. Moving through different decades, the story illuminates the impact of race on destiny.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2018-06-16T00:00:00.000Z
It is filled with longing, melancholy and nostalgia, and it is so atmospheric, so hauntingly described, that the reader never quite emerges from the book      source
Waiting for the Vote of the Wild Animals book cover
Waiting for the Vote of the Wild Animals
Caribbean and African Literature Translated from French)
Ahmadou Kourouma - 2001-03-29
Goodreads Rating
"Waiting for the Vote of the Wild Animals" by Ahmadou Kourouma is a satirical novel that exposes the political machinations of African dictators during the Cold War. Through vivid storytelling, Kourouma describes the palaces, shrines, and hunting preserves built for the personal gratification of the leaders, who paraded around with mistresses, marabouts, and advisers. The novel follows the thirty-year career of the master hunter and president Koyaga, a fictionalized Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo, who assumes power through treachery, assassination, and sorcery. The novel culminates in an apocalyptic stampede that underscores Kourouma's sharp critique of African politics.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2018-06-16T00:00:00.000Z
This is a humourous, irreverent and unabashedly political novel; it is an enraged lament about post-colonial Africa and how the leaders who inherited supposedly independent countries went on to fail their citizens. Some leaders are closely modelled on real characters – Mobutu of Zaire and Lumumba of the Congo are impossible to miss. The simplified summary of Kourouma: Colonialism has spawned monsters in the name of African leaders, and the West is the creator of these Frankensteins. The narrative is complex. There is a wonderfully oral quality to the telling, and many stories and anecdotes are laugh-aloud funny. Kourouma insists – and this underlies the narrative – that African dictators are mostly guided by their belief in the traditional, the supernatural, and that Islam or Christianity are mere window-dressing. This is a good example of an intelligent and important book that’s also genuinely interesting.      source
Arrow of God book cover
Arrow of God
Chinua Achebe - 1989-01-01 (first published in 1964)
Goodreads Rating
African traditions clash with modernity in this poignant story of a father-son conflict set in Nigeria. Ezeulu, chief priest of the god Ulu, is losing his authority to rivals, his family, and the white government. Unwavering, he leads his people even as destruction looms. "Arrow of God" is a spare and powerful tale of faith lost and struggle against the forces of change. The second volume of Achebe's African trilogy, it follows the classic "Things Fall Apart" and precedes "No Longer at Ease."
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2018-06-16T00:00:00.000Z
It made me see that it was, in fact, possible for people of colour to exist within literature. Arrow of God has remained one of my favourite novels. Set in 1920s Igboland, it tells the story of a remarkable priest, Ezeulu, and a British administrator, and the ways in which colonialism brought not only political but cultural changes. It is funny and absorbing, moving and beautiful. I love this book.      source
The Famous Five Collection book cover
The Famous Five Collection
Books 4-6 (Famous Five Gift Books and Collections) [Paperback] [Jan 01, 2012] Enid Blyton
Enid Blyton - 2015-02-05 (first published in 1995)
Goodreads Rating
Embark on thrilling adventures with the Famous Five Collection, featuring three classic Enid Blyton novels. Follow the Five as they explore a mysterious house filled with secret tunnels, uncover sinister plans at a circus, and investigate their uncle's strange behavior on a secluded island. With original illustrations, this collection is a value-for-money must-read for fans of suspenseful children's fiction.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2014-02-28T00:00:00.000Z
I was entranced by the children who had these wonderful adventures and who were always magically at the right place at the right time.      source
The Remains of the Day book cover
The Remains of the Day
Kazuo Ishiguro - 2005-01-01 (first published in 1989)
Goodreads Rating
Discover the world of postwar England through the eyes of a dedicated butler as he reflects on his life of service to a "great gentleman." Follow Stevens on a country drive as he grapples with doubts about his employer's true character and his own faith in their relationship. This profoundly compelling portrait of the perfect English butler is a must-read for anyone interested in the fading, insular world of aristocratic England.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2014-02-28T00:00:00.000Z
It’s a stunning book, and the movie came close to being just as stunning      source
Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje
The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
Playing in the Light by Zoe Wicomb
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez