Best African Books

23,477 members

464 reviews

3.8

20 Members: timspalding, kidzdoc, rebeccanyc, SilentInAWay, kleo, thorold, Soupdragon, sjmccreary, kootibkiteer, manupaulose, souloftherose, LisaMaria_C, alex68, cej1027, banjo123, ahef1963, LadyReadA, ManWithAnAgenda, steller0707, BondGrl008,

2

Cry, the Beloved Country

by Alan Paton

10,636 members

193 reviews

4

10 Members: hailelib, kageeh, inge87, aulsmith, kootibkiteer, manupaulose, souloftherose, Dilara86, ahef1963, steller0707,LisaMaria_C

3

Purple Hibiscus

5,370 members

191 reviews

4

8 Members: SilentInAWay, Samantha_kathy, souloftherose, elkiedee, JuliaMaria, cej1027, banjo123, steller0707
Explanations: JuliaMaria: Nigeria

4

Half of a Yellow Sun

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

7,945 members

317 reviews

4.2

10 Members: rebeccanyc, Soupdragon, sjmccreary, souloftherose, elkiedee, LisaMaria_C, Dilara86, banjo123, ahef1963, steller0707

5

by Alexander McCall Smith

15,320 members

427 reviews

½ 3.7

9 Members: hailelib, kleo, sjmccreary, souloftherose, elkiedee, LisaMaria_C, cej1027, ahef1963, ArtieVeerle,banjo123

6

Nervous Conditions

by Tsitsi Dangarembga

2,395 members

51 reviews

3.9

7 Members: rebeccanyc, bonsam, souloftherose, elkiedee, ManWithAnAgenda, steller0707, BondGrl008

7

The Famished Road

by Ben Okri

2,654 members

44 reviews

½ 3.6

5 Members: SilentInAWay, deebee1, Dilara86, banjo123, abbarabs1501

8

The Grass Is Singing

by Doris Lessing

2,439 members

79 reviews

3.9

6 Members: thorold, DorsVenabili, LisaMaria_C, alex68, JuliaMaria, steller0707

9

Cutting for Stone

by Abraham Verghese

10,621 members

567 reviews

½ 4.3

5 Members: kidzdoc, SugarCreekRanch, elkiedee, LisaMaria_C, steller0707

10

Disgrace

11,866 members

299 reviews

3.9

5 Members: kidzdoc, alex68, JuliaMaria, ahef1963, steller0707
Explanations: JuliaMaria: Südafrika

11

In the Country of Men

by Hisham Matar

1,403 members

64 reviews

½ 3.7

5 Members: SqueakyChu, kidzdoc, elkiedee, LisaMaria_C, ahef1963

12

Wizard of the Crow

A Girl Is a Body of Water

1,060 members

21 reviews

½ 4.3

4 Members: kidzdoc, rebeccanyc, Dilara86, alex68

13

by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

504 members

21 reviews

4.1

3 Members: proserpinarex, gust, ManWithAnAgenda

14

An Elegy for Easterly

by Petina Gappah

278 members

32 reviews

3.8

4 Members: teckelvik, Soupdragon, souloftherose, elkiedee

15

Arrow of God

1,479 members

29 reviews

½ 3.7

4 Members: rebeccanyc, aulsmith, Dilara86, banjo123

16

A Grain of Wheat

1,128 members

27 reviews

½ 3.7

4 Members: kidzdoc, rebeccanyc, thorold, ManWithAnAgenda

17

Americanah

The Palm-Wine Drinkard and his Dead Palm-Wine Tapster in the Deads' Town

9,651 members

346 reviews

4.2

4 Members: gust, alex68, JuliaMaria, steller0707

18

The Poisonwood Bible

by Barbara Kingsolver

28,781 members

539 reviews

4.2

5 Members: Samantha_kathy, SugarCreekRanch, souloftherose, steller0707, BondGrl008, ,LisaMaria_C ,banjo123

19

July's People

by Nadine Gordimer

2,004 members

48 reviews

½ 3.5

4 Members: aulsmith, alex68, ahef1963, steller0707

20

by Amos Tutuola

585 members

18 reviews

½ 3.5

4 Members: SilentInAWay, thorold, alex68, banjo123

21

By the Sea

by Abdulrazak Gurnah

465 members

12 reviews

½ 3.7

4 Members: kidzdoc, rebeccanyc, alex68, ahef1963

22

No Longer at Ease

Life and Times of Michael K

1,740 members

32 reviews

½ 3.7

4 Members: thorold, LisaMaria_C, Dilara86, banjo123

23

3,075 members

75 reviews

3.8

3 Members: kidzdoc, belgrade18, ahef1963

24

Petals of Blood

The Thing Around Your Neck

882 members

15 reviews

3.9

3 Members: kidzdoc, rebeccanyc, SilentInAWay

25

The Boy Next Door

by Irene Sabatini

178 members

13 reviews

4

3 Members: Soupdragon, souloftherose, elkiedee

26

The Memory of Love

by Aminatta Forna

755 members

47 reviews

3.9

4 Members: kidzdoc, Soupdragon, elkiedee, steller0707,LisaMaria_C

27

The Story of an African Farm

2,221 members

76 reviews

4.1

3 Members: Soupdragon, elkiedee, steller0707

28

God's Bits of Wood

by Ousmane Sembene

768 members

11 reviews

4

3 Members: rebeccanyc, Dilara86, banjo123

29

by Olive Schreiner

1,194 members

30 reviews

½ 3.4

2 Members: southernbooklady, teckelvik

30

Desert

by Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio

767 members

21 reviews

½ 3.7

3 Members: kidzdoc, kleo, alex68

31

Waiting for the barbarians

4,915 members

83 reviews

4

3 Members: LisaMaria_C, alex68, ahef1963

32

The River Between

The Cairo Trilogy: Palace Walk, Palace of Desire, Sugar Street

831 members

22 reviews

½ 3.7

3 Members: kidzdoc, rebeccanyc, kootibkiteer

33

by Naguib Mahfouz

1,272 members

18 reviews

½ 4.3

2 Members: gust, alex68

34

Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

by Nelson Mandela

5,636 members

72 reviews

½ 4.3

3 Members: LisaMaria_C, banjo123, ahef1963

35

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

by Ishmael Beah

8,099 members

319 reviews

4

2 Members: SqueakyChu, ahef1963

36

The Heart of the Matter

by Graham Greene

5,590 members

91 reviews

3.9

3 Members: LisaMaria_C, ahef1963, steller0707

37

The Dark Child

by Camara Laye

799 members

23 reviews

½ 3.4

2 Members: Dilara86, banjo123

38

Baking Cakes in Kigali

by Gaile Parkin

816 members

84 reviews

3.9

2 Members: aulsmith, sjmccreary

39

Infidel

by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

4,935 members

203 reviews

4.2

2 Members: kootibkiteer, LisaMaria_C

40

What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng

by Dave Eggers

7,275 members

174 reviews

4.1

3 Members: SqueakyChu, kidzdoc, LisaMaria_C,banjo123

41

Heart of Darkness

by Joseph Conrad

26,548 members

433 reviews

½ 3.6

4 Members: souloftherose, ahef1963, jeffza, steller0707, ,Dilara86 ,banjo123

42

The Lying Days

by Nadine Gordimer

193 members

2 reviews

3.9

2 Members: Soupdragon, elkiedee

43

An Ordinary Man: An Autobiography

by Paul Rusesabagina

804 members

27 reviews

½ 4.3

2 Members: SqueakyChu, LisaMaria_C

44

The Good Doctor

by Damon Galgut

734 members

27 reviews

½ 3.5

2 Members: kidzdoc, manupaulose

45

Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War

by Mark Bowden

5,037 members

69 reviews

4.2

2 Members: LisaMaria_C, ahef1963

46

A Bend in the River

by V. S. Naipaul

3,486 members

58 reviews

½ 3.7

2 Members: LisaMaria_C, alex68

47

Matigari

The Race for Timbuktu: In Search of Africa's City of Gold

294 members

5 reviews

3.8

2 Members: rebeccanyc, alex68

48

So Long a Letter

by Mariama Bâ

1,528 members

50 reviews

3.8

2 Members: Dilara86, ahef1963

49

by Frank T. Kryza

221 members

8 reviews

3.9

2 Members: LisaMaria_C, John_Vaughan

50

Tomorrow I'll Be Twenty

by Alain Mabanckou

91 members

5 reviews

4

2 Members: thorold, Dilara86
Explanations: thorold: Congo

51

The Map of Love

by Ahdaf Soueif

1,778 members

35 reviews

½ 3.6

2 Members: elkiedee, steller0707

52

Houseboy

by Ferdinand Oyono

395 members

9 reviews

½ 3.5

2 Members: rebeccanyc, thorold

53

Lyrics Alley

by Leila Aboulela

209 members

14 reviews

½ 3.7

2 Members: kidzdoc, elkiedee

54

Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey of a Desert Nomad

by Waris Dirie

1,534 members

34 reviews

3.8

Member: kleo

55

Ancient Egyptian Literature: Volume III: The Late Period

by Miriam Lichtheim

340 members

4 reviews

3.9

Member: prosfilaes

56

Tales From the Dark Continent

by Charles Allen

130 members

3 reviews

½ 3.4

Member: John_Vaughan

57

The Shadow of the Sun

by Ryszard Kapuściński

2,323 members

54 reviews

4.2

2 Members: alex68, ahef1963

58

Notes from the Hyena's Belly: An Ethiopian Boyhood

by Nega Mezlekia

244 members

5 reviews

½ 3.7

2 Members: LisaMaria_C, ahef1963

59

The Flame Trees of Thika: Memories of an African Childhood

by Elspeth Huxley

1,173 members

18 reviews

4

2 Members: LisaMaria_C, ahef1963

60

When Rain Clouds Gather

by Bessie Head

393 members

7 reviews

3.8

2 Members: LisaMaria_C, Dilara86

61

Out of Africa / Shadows on the Grass

by Isak Dinesen

2,352 members

24 reviews

4

Member: LisaMaria_C

62

At the Still Point

by Mary Benson

64 members

2 reviews

½ 4.4

Member: inge87

63

Too Late to Turn Back

by Barbara Greene

60 members

2 reviews

3.8

Member: John_Vaughan

64

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

by Trevor Noah

8,134 members

413 reviews

½ 4.4

Member: cej1027

65

Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood

by Alexandra Fuller

3,773 members

113 reviews

3.9

Member: LisaMaria_C

66

A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali

by Gil Courtemanche

791 members

22 reviews

3.9

Member: SqueakyChu

67

The Zanzibar Chest

by Aidan Hartley

519 members

9 reviews

½ 3.7

Member: John_Vaughan

68

God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith with Nicolas Diat

by Robert Cardinal Sarah

367 members

6 reviews

½ 4.5

Member: inge87

69

Green Hills of Africa

by Ernest Hemingway

2,585 members

18 reviews

½ 3.5

Member: John_Vaughan

70

Mother Comes of Age

by Driss Chraïbi

142 members

7 reviews

4.1

Member: thorold
Explanations: thorold: Morocco

71

The African Equation

by Yasmina Khadra

124 members

13 reviews

½ 3.7

Member: inge87

72

Boyhood: Scenes From Provincial Life

1,240 members

29 reviews

3.9

Member: thorold

73

Devil on the Cross

There Was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra

460 members

7 reviews

3.8

Member: rebeccanyc

74

In Search of South Africa

415 members

11 reviews

½ 3.6

Member: inge87

75

WOESTIJNNOMADEN

by Arita Baaijens

13 members

4

Member: kleo

76

Abiku

by Debo Kotun

10 members

½ 2.5

Member: SilentInAWay

77

Martha Quest

by Doris Lessing

1,154 members

14 reviews

½ 3.6

Member: thorold
Explanations: thorold: Zimbabwe / Southern Rhodesia

78

Segu

by Maryse Condé

675 members

10 reviews

4

Member: Dilara86

79

The Radiance of the King

by Camara Laye

400 members

6 reviews

½ 3.7

Member: rebeccanyc

80

Zulu Victory

by Ron Lock

67 members

4

Member: John_Vaughan

81

Travelling with Djinns

by Jamal Mahjoub

54 members

3 reviews

½ 3.6

Member: kidzdoc

82

Brief an meine Mutter

by Waris Dirie

45 members

3.9

Member: kleo

83

by H. V. Morton

59 members

½ 3.3

Member: John_Vaughan

84

Mr. Myombekere and His Wife Bugonoka, Their Son Ntulanalwo and Daughter Bulihwali: The Story of an Ancient African Community

by Aniceti Kitereza

21 members

2 reviews

3

Member: thorold
Explanations: thorold: Crazily detailed novel explaining the culture of Ukerewe Island, Tanzania, written in the local language in the 1940s and not translated until very recently.

85

Out of Africa

by Isak Dinesen

5,839 members

111 reviews

3.9

Member: alex68

86

Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown

by Paul Theroux

2,339 members

62 reviews

3.9

Member: John_Vaughan

87

Other Lives

by André Brink

48 members

4 reviews

½ 3.6

Member: kidzdoc

88

Aké: The Years of Childhood

by Wole Soyinka

813 members

14 reviews

3.9

Member: thorold

89

Weep Not, Child

The Belly of the Atlantic

690 members

9 reviews

½ 3.6

Member: rebeccanyc

90

by Fatou Diome

203 members

6 reviews

½ 3.7

Member: Dilara86

91

The Book of Chameleons

by Jose Eduardo Agualusa

567 members

36 reviews

3.9

Member: Dilara86

92

Memoirs of a Porcupine

by Alain Mabanckou

205 members

15 reviews

½ 3.5

Member: rebeccanyc

93

You Must Set Forth at Dawn: A Memoir

by Wole Soyinka

200 members

1 review

½ 4.3

Member: alex68

94

Season of Migration to the North

by Tayeb Salih

2,005 members

56 reviews

3.8

Member: alex68

95

Summertime