Talking about books reminds me of some Nigerian or other African authors that have written very rich novels, which have even enjoy international recognitions. Those days when I had time to read novels, the African Writers Series and Fontana Novels are my favourites.

Who can forget "Things Fall Apart" by our own Chinua Achebe? If you have read other books and yet to read any of Achebe's book, then you have not read any book. What about "The Man Died" by Wole Soyinka? It is a must read by everybody. Who have read "Cried The Beloved Country", by Alan Paton? Then you must know what I am talking about.

Anybody who has read books by African authors in this forum? Then lets share, our culture is very rich.

Oh Bless! Diakim, you just touched a soft nerve. Even though Things Fall Apart, The Arrow of God and some other Chinua Achebe's books constituted my English literature textbooks while still in College, I took out time to read them years later. They are indeed wonderful works of art.

The Gods Are Not To Blame, Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again, Lion of The Jewel... again the list is really endless. Wole Soyinka's books are not books you flip through and fully understand what he is talking about. They need thourough perusal. Even now, I read his books at least twice before the full meaning sinks. Have you read any of Peter Enahoro's books? They are simply hilarious.

I always get excited when talking about books, I better stop now or go on and on.......

I am yet to read any of Enaharo's books.

Talking about understanding Wole Soyinka's books, and the needs to read it again, you are very correct. I cannot but marvel at his command of the English Language and at how he manipulates words. "The Trials of Brother Jero", and "The Interpreter" are just books you need to read and read again.

Books like "Weep Not Child" and "A Grain of Wheat" by Ngugi Wa Ti O Go (former James Ngugi, I hope got the spellings right), just opened our eyes to the struggles for independent by the Easter African countries.

Reading this post has opened my eyes to a new dimension entirely. I visit the bookstores or internet looking strictly for books by my favorite authors such as J. Archer, Sidney Sheldon, J. Grisham, Robert L. and the rest of them, whereas there are loads of African writers whose books have far deeper meaning and depth than these authors. I am by no means belittling the work of Western authors, I couldn't if I tried, but the fact remains that we are rich in culture and blessed in language. As Africans, we best express ourselves in our diverse languages, now imagine that wealth of expression being married with verse knowledge of English language and put down as a book. As from tomorrow (well, at least for the next couple of months) as time permits, my next purchase of books will definitely be from the African shelves. Trust me, I'll pass on the authors, titles and what the books are about.

That is good. And this is what I will do too as soon as I have the time.

While at it, you might check out "The Radiance of The King" by Camara Laye, Author of the African Child. It was a book I read long time ago about a white man that was attracted to the splendour and wealth of an African king, and he went in search of the monarch...

You can also check out "Toads for Supper", another Fontana Series (I think the Author is Chukwuemeka Ike, I can't be too sure now). This one is unputdownable. I trust you will pass on the details of the books purchased as promised.

That is good. And this is what I will do too as soon as I have the time.

While at it, you might check out "The Radiance of The King" by Camara Laye, Author of the African Child. It was a book I read long time ago about a white man that was attracted to the splendour and wealth of an African king, and he went in search of the monarch...

You can also check out "Toads for Supper", another Fontana Series (I think the Author is Chukwuemeka Ike, I can't be too sure now). This one is unputdownable. I trust you will pass on the details of the books purchased as promised.

@diakim,

I've ordered Toads for Supper on the internet already and should get it in a couple of days. I instantly fell in love with the title. That is precisely the kind of rich expression I was talking about. Speaking of which, who has read Wole Soyinka's The Deceptive Silence of Stolen Voices? Imagine, isn't the title alone captivating? Deceptive silence, suggesting that the voices are indeed not silent yet they are stolen. How intriguing! Suffice to say that 'AKE's' true meaning elude me till date. Better luck when next I read it.

Wole Soyinka books are in a different world from our own. I am still surprise that the guy is a Nigerian. Though I have not read the book "Deceptive Silence...", but from the title I know it is going to be another treat.

Good for you to have ordered the book "Toads for Supper". There are many invaluable lessons to be learnt from it.

hey guys i really love this idea of discussing book because I LOVE TO READ. OH MY GOSH I REALLY REALL DO!!! but one thing is tht ithe only book by an african author i have read is things fall apart. i am more into sidney sheldon, J grisham (hi fi girl!!) etc authors. (hey Ra there was a movie on J grisham's book, "runaway jury" have u seen tht? i mean. i have read many books by many author i usually am not selective about the author. but i will tell u guys tht sidney sheldon really rocks!!! i mean he is such a good author and if you guys get the chance you should really read the books!! okies mabe the guys would not really like the books because they are more of the romantic love stories. but they are all worth it .

Ra i love one of grisham's novel i do not recall the title but it was tht first one tht i read tht drew me to his book. it was about a man who gave up his practice at a profitable firm to help out the homeless people. this was after a homless mother and children he met died in the cold due to asphixiation... do u remember the title?

ok guys i would like to get into african authors so could u all please recommend good novels to me?

If you are really interested in reading books by African Authors then I will suggest a few:

- Toads for Supper (by Chukwuemeka Ike?), a Fontana Series
- No Longer At Ease (by Chinua Achebe), African Writers Series
- One Man One Wife & One Man One Matchet (by Chinua Acehebe?), African Writers Series
- The Concubine (by Elechi Amadi), African Writers Series
- Efuru (by Flora Nwapa), African Writers Series

I guarantee you will enjoy reading any of this books.
I am sure Ra will have one or two to recommend to you also.

African books are very rich, instructional and educational.

I really must commend African(Nigerian) authors, they take us back to our roots. Apart from the first one (Toads for supper)I have read all the other books enumerated by diakim, very interesting piece of writing. I wonder if anyone have read "The Palmwine Drinkard" by Amos Tutuola. That novel had lots of grammatical errors, it was a transcription in pidgin English prose of an oral tale of his own intervention. Our people back home didn't really appreciate the novel because of the writer's  imperfect use of English language but the writer gained world fame with the novel. Talk about a prophet not being recognised in his own land.

I have heard about the book "The Palmwine Drinkard", and also the author, but I have not been opportuned to read the book. I still hope to read it, somedays.

Talk about a prophet not being recognised in his own land,our own Chinua Achebe, even though is on wheel chair is a lecturer in an American university, teaching African Literature.

when u get to read "mine boy" by peter abrahams. you will get to understand the art of african litrature. nothing feels more thrilling than to be on a pure african concept, with great facts emerging from an insight of realities.

Ben Okri's The Famished Road is one classics african book along with Ngugi Wa Thiong'o's Weep Not Child.

what about VIOLIENCE( festus iyayi) any body read that. i think its also good. the book toads for supper is a book to be read by everyone

My best african Author is Cyprain Ewensi. I have read his books over and over again.
They are, 'Jagua Nana' and 'Jagua Nana's Daugther'.I also like 'Burning Grass'.

The only book i am proud to have read is, Things fall apart and god's are not to be blame. I didn't just read them as high school books. I read them on my own and loved them

hot angel,

Nice read those. If you can lay your hands on Arrow of God by the same author, go for it. It's a very nice one as should be expected of Chinua Achebe

Okay Ra.

things fall apart -- achebe

that book's on the reading list for colleges i think.

yep it is.

Things fall apart and the center cannot hold...
Lovely book. Lovely Video(film).

Any1 read passport of Mallam Ilia?

no. what's it about?

Famished road, things fall apart, Decolonising the Mind (Ngugi wa thiong'o)

I look around for one of my best African Writer of all time..Peter Abraham, author of "The Mine Boy". I read that when I was in primary 4, and It affects my outlook till today, It remains a joy for me, anytime.

There are several authors like Cyprian Ekwensi and his "Burning Grass" and "Mallam Elias Passport".

Wish we could celebrate all these works of professionalism.

There is another one, "A Collection of 12 Plays"..but I don't know the author.

Enough on board...

Maybe later

Hello,
Like everyone here, I too am a bibliopath, I cannot live without books and it is very true how rich our culture is. There are up and coming authors that I'm sure you'll enjoy. The celebrated purple hibiscus by chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is one
Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi
Shakara Dance-hall Queen by Tess Osonye Onwueme(actually made into a series on BBC)
What mama said and Tell it to women, also by her are very good and of course,
Windsong by our dearly loved May Ellen Ezekiel.
There are so many books. It really makes my heart sing when I see people enriching themselves with positive material.

It is truly marvellous to have stumbled on a site where I can chat to other nigerian bibliophiles!!

For the past few years I've been especially addicted to African authors and African themed books. I have so many favourites and am actually in the process of setting up a book club with the above as the main books to be read.

I'd like to contribute which books I've been reading over the past few years (don't panic...not that many!!)

The Poisonwood Bible ( Barbara Kingsolver)

A Cowrie of Hope - Binwell Sinyangwe

Zenzele - Nozipo Maraire

So Long a letter - Mariama Ba

Nervous Conditions - Tsitsi Damgbaremgba

The Concubine - Elechi Amachi

Everything Good will come - Sefi Atta

Changes - Ama Ata Aidoo

Purple Hibiscus - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Alan Paton - Cry the Beloved Country (MUST READ)

James Ngugi - Weep Not Child, A Grain of Wheat

Wole Soyinka - Ake (MUST READ) particularly if from Abeokuta as I am!!

Chinua Achebe - Everyhing He's ever written

The Devil that Danced on the Water - Aminatta Forna

I could go on but I'll stop there for now!! I'll be visiting this post often now that I've discovered it so please let me know if you've read any of the above and if you haven't I strongly suggest you do. Also, does anyone know where I can get pacesetters novels to buy in the UK?? Thanks a lot!!

I hope you've not all forget "Kongi's Harvest" by Wole Soyinka, it's epitomises everything happening in Nigeria.

I have read like over and over, in fact, it's like a bible now.

One interesting English book is the "Chauser's Tale". I so much loved the book, I read it while waiting to resume University in 196, and I was shocked when I found out it's a text for Part 2 English students.you can imagine the thrill when discussing it with them as if I am a lecturer

Book reading keeps me sane, at least for a while...

i think am movin into d african world again norrmally i read black american authors books . but now am goin african i can remeber readin some books 4 literature when i was in high skool dat was how i got intrested in readin so yall send me d titles

Soulful,
Try this site - www.pacesetternovels.com

in deed africa writters are great, i cant stop loving them,specially CHINUA ACHEBE,NGUGI WA THIONGO , ANY ONE HERE READ DEVIL ON THE CROSS, A MAN FOR THE PEOPLE?