Africa Reading Challenge

Happy experiences lay ahead, fellow audacious readers! Yesterday Kinna announced the kick-off of the much-anticipated Africa Reading Challenge.

The simple rule is that all participants must read at least five books. My plan is to focus on Portuguese-speaking countries, and since there’s five of them, I’ll read a book from each. I’ve read loads of Brazilian authors, but Lusophone Africa is still a shameless desert in my literary landscape.

I’ve  compiled a draft list to share with you, but I’m aware it’ll all depend very much on the books’ availability. Kinna already warned participants that classic African literature in particular can be hard to find. Let me know if you have any other recommendations.

Here’s the plan – all links go to sites in English:

Angola

First choice

• Lueji (O Nascimento de um Império) by Pepetela

Other possibilities

• Quantas Madrugadas tem a Noite or Os da Minha Rua by Ondjaki
• Flores e espinhos by Óscar Ribas
• João Vêncio: os seus amores by José Luandino Vieira
• As Mulheres do Meu Pai (My Father’s Wives) by José Eduardo Agualusa

Cape Verde

First choice

• O Testamento do Senhor Napumoceno da Silva Araújo (The Last Will and Testament of Senhor da Silva Araújo) by Germano Almeida

Other possibilities

• A Casa dos Mastros: Contos Caboverdianos by Orlanda Amarílis
• Chiquinho by Baltasar Lopes
• Vidas Vividas by Ivone Ramos

Guinea-Bissau

First choice

• As Orações de Mansat by Abdulai Silá (play inspired by Macbeth)

Other possibilities

• Mistida by Abdulai Silá
• Corte Geral by Carlos Lopes
• Tiara by Filomena Embaló

Mozambique

First choice

• Os Olhos da Cobra Verde by Lília Momplé (short-stories)

Other possibilities

• Terra Sonâmbula (Sleepwalking Land) or O último vôo do flamingo by Mia Couto
• Nos motamos o cao tinhoso (We Killed Mangy-Dog and Other Mozambican Stories) by Bernardo Honwana
• Niketche: Uma História de Poligamia by Paulina Chiziane

São Tomé and Príncipe

First choice

• A Dolorosa Raiz do Micondó by Conceição Lima (poetry)

Other possibility

• Versos by Caetano da Costa Alegre (poetry)

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