Monday, March 31, 2008

Africa Reading Challenge

From Matthew Cheney I learned a little bit about the Africa Reading Challenge.
Participants commit to read - in the course of 2008 - six books that either were written by African writers, take place in Africa, or deal significantly with Africans and African issues. (Read more if you like!)
You can read whatever you want, but of the six books, I recommend a mixture of genres.
I'm in. When I first read about this on Cheney's blog I was a couple of hours away from starting The Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu, African-set SF.

It is rather easy to stick with the usual stuff I am going to read, so this is a good opportunity to step out and experience something different.

My List:
1. The Shadow Speaker
2. ??
3. ??
4. ??
5. ??
6. ??

If I hadn't read Philip Caputo's Acts of Faith last year (or the year before, whenever it was), I'd be well on my way, but I did so it doesn't count.

I'll have to come up with the other five books I want to read, but I hereby announce my participation.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

How about What is the What and Heart of Darkness

Anonymous said...

How about What is the What and Heart of Darkness?

Joe said...

I've read Heart of Darkness, but What is the What might not be a bad choice. Thanks for the reminder about the Eggers.

I think I want to get some memoir and other non fiction in there, too. I know there is the boy soldier book out there.

Greyweather said...

What about "Wizard of the Crow"? I've seen this book mentioned a lot recently online.

Joe said...

I'll officially add these to my list later, but:

2. What is the What - Dave Eggers
3. The End of Poverty - Jeffrey Sachs
4. Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi (her novel Purple Hibiscus was excellent)

Still have two more to add. I want a memoir, I think, and a general nonfiction.

Liviania said...

Rainbow's End: A Memoir of Childhood, War, and an African Farm by Lauren St. John might work with your list, since you still want a memoir and general non-fiction.