Popular African Contemporary Fiction Books
Find contemporary fiction books written by authors from Africa for the next part of the Read Around The World Challenge. (127)
91.
The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta EN
NigeriaDescription:
...a graceful, touching, ironically titled tale. - John Updike A new edition of her classic novel to coincide with the publication of her other works in the African Writers Series. Nnu Ego is a woman devoted to her children, giving them all her energy, all her worldly possessions, indeed, all her life to them -- with the result that she finds herself friendless and alone in middle age. This story of a young mother's struggles in 1950s Lagos is a powerful commentary on polygamy, patriarchy, and women's changing roles in urban Nigeria.
93.
The Living and the Rest by José Eduardo Agualusa EN
AngolaDescription:
Daniel lives with artist Moira on her native Island of Mozambique. They are awaiting the birth of their child, while also organising the island's first literary festival. But as soon as the first guests arrive, the coast is hit by a cyclone. The island is spared, but the bridge to the mainland is left impassable, and telephone and internet connections are severed. The islanders - and the writers who have come for the festival - are cut off from the outside world. Left to their own devices, the authors forge new bonds and make the best of a situation that gets stranger each day. Some believe th... continue
94.
The Man Who Walked on Water : A Novel by Jacob Beaver EN
KenyaDescription:
A trip to Appalachia to investigate a religious "miracle" becomes a transformational spiritual journey for one unsuspecting Londoner in this modern tale that touches on the mysterious questions in our lives—a poignant, wry novel infused with the humor and warm skepticism of Nick Hornby’s How to Be Good. Dumped, depressed, and bored with his dead-end job, Londoner John Mallory decides to shake up his life. He accepts his journalist brother’s offer to help him on a documentary film investigating a pastor in rural Tennessee who claims he can walk on water. Locals are convinced it’s the Lord’s wor... continue
95.
The Open Door by Latifa al-Zayyat EN
EgyptDescription:
February 1946: Cairo is engulfed by demonstrations against the British. Layla's older brother Mahmud returns, wounded in the clashes, and the events of that fateful day mark a turning point in her life, an awakening to the world around her. Latifa al-Zayyat's acclaimed modern classic follows Layla through her sexual and political coming of age. Her rebellious spirit seeks to free itself from the stifling social codes that dictate a young woman's life, just as Egypt struggles to shake off the yoke of imperialist rule.
96.
The Perfect Nanny : A Novel by Leila Slimani EN
MoroccoDescription:
She has the keys to their apartment. She knows everything. She has embedded herself so deeply in their lives that it now seems impossible to remove her. One of the 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR of The New York Times Book Review, by the author of Adèle, Sex and Lies, and In the Country of Others “A great novel . . . Incredibly engaging and disturbing . . . Slimani has us in her thrall.” —Roxane Gay, New York Times bestselling author of Bad Feminist and Hunger “One of the most important books of the year. You can’t unread it.” —Barrie Hardymon, NPR’s Weekend Edition When Myriam decides to return to ... continue
97.
The Position of Spoons : And Other Intimacies by Deborah Levy EN
Country: Africa / 
South Africa
South Africa
Description:
In The Position of Spoons, Deborah Levy invites the reader into the interiors of her world, sharing her most intimate thoughts and experiences, as she traces and measures her life against the backdrop of the literary and artistic muses that have shaped her. From Marguerite Duras to Colette and Ballard, and from Lee Miller to Francesca Woodman and Paula Rego, we can relish here the richness of their work and, in turn the richness of the author's own. Each page is a beautiful, tender composition of the questioning self- a portrait of Deborah Levy's writing life and intellectual vitality in all o... continue
98.
The Promise by Damon Galgut EN
Country: Africa / South Africa
South Africa
Description:
WINNER OF THE 2021 BOOKER PRIZE A NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS' CHOICE On her deathbed, Rachel Swart makes a promise to Salome, the family's Black maid. This promise will divide the family--especially her children: Anton, the golden boy; Astrid, whose beauty is her power; and the youngest, Amor, whose life is shaped by feelings of guilt. Reunited by four funerals over thirty years, the dwindling Swart family remains haunted by the unmet promise, just as their country is haunted by its own failures. The Promise is an epic South African drama that unfurls against the unrelenting march of history, sure... continue
99.
The Selfless Act of Breathing by JJ Bola EN
Country: Africa / 
Congo, Democratic Republic of
Congo, Democratic Republic of
Description:
Michael Kabongo is a British-Congolese teacher living in London when one day he suffers a devastating loss, and his life is thrown into a tailspin. As he struggles to find a way forward, Michael spontaneously decides to go to America and become someone new, living the life of his dreams--until his money runs out.
100.
The Sexual Life of an Islamist in Paris by Leïla Marouane EN
TunisiaDescription:
"An eloquent work that explores complex social, ethnic, religious, and psychological issues with great sensitivity."---The French Review --Book Jacket.