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African Literary Canon

This is a compilation of 150 must-read books from the African literary canon. It was put together through a combination of existing lists (including APNET's 'Africa's 100 Best Books of the 20th century) and a review of literary prizes. It includes authors from both sub-Saharan Africa and northern Africa.
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A Dry White Season
A Dry White Season
1
A Grain of Wheat
A Grain of Wheat
2
A Question of Power
A Question of Power
3
Chaka the Zulu
Chaka the Zulu
4
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Half of a Yellow Sun
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Half of a Yellow Sun
5
Coconut
Coconut
6
Fantasia: An Algerian Calvacade by Assia Djebar
Fantasia: An Algerian Calvacade by Assia Djebar
7
Foreign Gods, Inc.
Foreign Gods, Inc.
8
Good Morning Comrades (Angola)
Good Morning Comrades (Angola)
9
July's People (Nadine Gordimer)
July's People
10
Nadine Gordimer
Neighbours: A Story of a Murder by Lília Momplé
Neighbours: A Story of a Murder by Lília Momplé
11
Sleepwalking Land
Sleepwalking Land
12
So Long a Letter (Mariama Bâ)
So Long a Letter
13
Mariama Bâ
Song of Lawino and Song of Ocol by Okot P'bitek
Song of Lawino and Song of Ocol by Okot P'bitek
14
The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
15
The Book of Chameleons
The Book of Chameleons
16
The Famished Road
The Famished Road
17
The Grass Is Singing (Doris Lessing)
The Grass Is Singing
18
Doris Lessing
The Hairdresser of Harare (Zimbabwe)
The Hairdresser of Harare (Zimbabwe)
19
The Heart of Redness
The Heart of Redness
20
The Last Will & Testament of Senhor Da Silva Araújo (Cape Verde)
The Last Will & Testament of Senhor Da Silva Araújo (Cape Verde)
21
The Map of Love
The Map of Love
22
The Memory of Love
The Memory of Love
23
The Poor Christ of Bomba (Cameroon)
The Poor Christ of Bomba (Cameroon)
24
Waiting for the Barbarians (J.M. Coetzee)
Waiting for the Barbarians
25
J.M. Coetzee
We Need New Names (Noviolet Bulawayo)
We Need New Names
26
Noviolet Bulawayo
Weep Not Child
Weep Not Child
27
Woman at Point Zero (Nawal El Saadawi)
Woman at Point Zero
28
Nawal El Saadawi
Zayni Barakat
Zayni Barakat
29
In the United States of Africa (Abdourahman Waberi)
In the United States of Africa
30
Abdourahman Waberi
I Do Not Come to You by Chance (Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani)
I Do Not Come to You by Chance
31
Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani
Allah Is Not Obliged (Ahmadou Kourouma)
Allah Is Not Obliged
32
Ahmadou Kourouma
The Suns of Independence (Ahmadou Kourouma)
The Suns of Independence
33
Ahmadou Kourouma
Memoirs of a Porcupine (Alain Mabanckou)
Memoirs of a Porcupine
34
Alain Mabanckou
Cry the Beloved Country (Alan Paton)
Cry the Beloved Country
35
Alan Paton
Walk in the Night and Other Stories (Alex La Guma)
Walk in the Night and Other Stories
36
Alex La Guma
Distant View of a Minaret (Alifa Rifat)
Distant View of a Minaret
37
Alifa Rifat
Our Sister Killjoy (Ama Ada Aidoo)
Our Sister Killjoy
38
Ama Ada Aidoo
African Love Stories: An Anthology (Ama Ata Aidoo)
African Love Stories: An Anthology
39
Ama Ata Aidoo
Changes: A Love Story (Ama Ata Aidoo)
Changes: A Love Story
40
Ama Ata Aidoo
Page 1 of 4
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