African Stories That I Love

When it comes to literature, nearly everyone knows of Charles Dickens, Maya Angelou, J.K. Rowling, and Victor Hugo. Western literature has been celebrated for centuries and for many, these authors represent the apex of skilled writers. But what about a continent with a long storytelling history? Where folktales and oral traditions have paved the way for modern tales about life rich in culture and influence? As great as American and European literature have come to be, African literature deserves its place on our shelves next to The Hate U Give and To Kill A Mockingbird.

My journey in African literature began around nine years ago, when I was in middle school and now as a 22-year-old woman, I have been able to curate a handful of some of my favorite pieces of literature written by African writers. In no particular order, here they are.

African Novels I Love

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

This book is a classic and probably the most widely read piece of African literature in the U.S. I remember reading this book my senior year of high school in English class and being excited that it was a book written by an African author. The thing that I enjoy most about this book besides its commentary on colonization is that the main character, Okonkwo, is not written to be some perfect hero. He is a flawed man whose importance is tied into his masculinity and his social status, but he is still a good character to show the harsh realities of colonization.

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This book is written by a Nigerian author that has come to be one of my favorite writers ever. I first read this book during my freshman year of college and I fell in love with it instantly. Being someone who loves historical fiction, I was instantly drawn to this book because it takes place during the Nigerian Civil War and Biafran Secession of the 1960s. Beyond the setting though, this book is amazing because it focuses on four main characters and the author fleshes out these characters so well that no two feel alike, but they all feel like real people that we could encounter even in 2020 in the west.

The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper

This was the first piece of African literature I read when I was in middle school. This book excited me because it was written about Liberia, which is the country my mother is from. Despite still enjoying this novel, upon reading it as an adult, I have come to take it with a grain of salt. Written as a memoir that is heavily influenced by the ethnic tensions between the Americo-Liberians and indigenous Liberians that led to a bloody coup, the author's perspective as a rich Americo-Liberian, comes with its own biases. It is still worth the read, however, because while it may be slightly one-sided, the writing itself can give the reader a glimpse into the psychological effects that a divided social and political hierarchy can have on those governed by the system.

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Considering that I have already admitted that she is one of my favorite writers, it should be no surprise that Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has found her way back onto this list. This book has a different feel to it than Half of a Yellow Sun because a large chunk of it takes place in the U.S. and centers around the main character's battle between preserving her Nigerian identity and embracing her new American identity. My favorite thing about this book is that it shows the realities and struggle of immigration, but also shows the main character accepting that with her new home comes a new identity and it is not necessarily a bad thing. I also enjoy how the author doesn't shy away from taboo issues within adult relationships but presents them in a way that makes the reader question themselves.

Murder in the Cassava Patch by Bai T. Moore

This novella is considered a Liberian classic. I read this book when I was on a search for the perfect birthday gift for my mother a few years ago. I had heard her say before that this was her favorite book of all time, but tracking it down was very hard because there are very few copies that are available. My favorite thing about this book is that it doesn't try too hard. It is a crime novel by genre, but at its core it is a glimpse into the life of the Vai/Gola people of the 1950s. It portrays social issues in a way that is subtle and is experienced rather than talked about.

Link to the book because it's hard to find: https://tlcafrica.com/novel_murder_in_the_cassava_patch.htm

Honorable Mentions (Non-Novels)

"Africa's Plea" by Roland T. Dempster

Written by a Liberian poet. I like this because I think it authentically captures the fight to preserve a cultural identity, during the age of decolonization in Africa.

Read it here: https://frostthegreat123.wordpress.com/2015/08/17/africas-plea-by-roland-tombekai-dempster/

"Now is the Time" by Mzwakhe Mbuli

Written by a South African poet. This poem captures the hope and determination of the South African people at the end of apartheid and became somewhat of an anthem for Black South Africans.

African Folktales

It would be a crime to mention African literature without mentioning the long history of African folktales that have greatly contributed to the storytelling traditions on the continent. Full of colorful characters and universal morals, the stories that my mother told me as a kid will always have a special place in my heart.

While these stories just scratch the surface of the great literature that comes from the African continent, these stories have opened me up to African literature and set me on a journey that I plan on continuing for as long as I'm able to read. I hope whoever reads this takes the time to read some or all of these books and falls in love with African literature in the same way that I have.