100 Notable African Books of 2023

 

A Little Light

Nthikeng Mohlele

Fiction – Short Stories

March 1, 2023 | 153 pages

Jacana Media

The eighth book by celebrated South African author Nthikeng Mohlele is a daring, imaginative, and thoughtful collection of stories, marking another milestone in his rich and brilliant career.

BUY

A Soft Landing

Wisani Mushwana

Fiction-Novel

May 1, 2023 | 256 pages

Kwela

In Wisani Mushwana’s debut, a man’s humdrum life in Cape Town takes a turn when he returns to his rural Limpopo hometown, Mbambamencisi, to care for his ailing mother while confronting old traumas.

BUY

A Spell of Good Things

Ayobami Adebayo

Fiction-Novel

February 7, 2023 | 352 pages

Canongate Books | Knopf

Ayobami Adebayo’s second novel earned her a spot on the Booker Prize Longlist! The novel truthfully exposes the unhappy lives of the haves and the have-nots, capturing the worlds of two families – one rich and one poor – and their unexpected connections.

BUY

Ada’s Room

Sharon Dodua Otoo

Fiction-Novel

March 28, 2023 | 352 pages

Riverhead Books

In this mesmerizing tale of reincarnation, three women named Ada – a 15th-century West African mother, a math prodigy in Victorian England, and a captive in a concentration camp – are linked by a spirit, a mysterious bead, and a shared history of violence.

BUY

Anansi’s Gold

Yepoka Yeebo

Nonfiction – Essays

August 1, 2023 | 400 pages

Bloomsbury USA

British-Ghanaian journalist Yepoka Yeebo delivers an unparalleled account of the legendary John Ackah Blay-Miezah, a pioneer of advance fee fraud notorious for swindling heads of state and international moguls in the post-independence decades.

BUY

And Suddenly the Flowers Withered

João Melo

Fiction – Short Stories

September 24, 2023 | 176 pages

Europa Editions

João Melo’s writing strikes a delicate balance between the strange and the absurd, earning comparisons to Borges and Ishiguro. In this collection, he subtly captures the daily lives of Luandans with an alluring, understated style.

BUY

And Then He Sang a Lullaby

Ani Kayode Somtochukwu

Fiction-Novel

June 6, 2023 | 304 pages

Roxane Gay Books

This tale of queer love is hauntingly beautiful. August and Segun, two gay Nigerian men, discover love at university, but they must navigate the shadows of institutional and interpersonal homophobia.

BUY

Azucar

Nii Ayikwei Parkes

Fiction-Novel

June 8, 2023 | 172 pages

Peepal Tree Press

Nii Ayikwei Parkes’ second novel tells the story of a Ghanaian crop scientist in a fictional Caribbean country and his beautiful but ill-fated romance driven by his deep connection to music and the land.

BUY

Bad Diaspora Poems

Momtaza Mehri

Poetry

July 6, 2023 | 115 pages

Jonathan Cape

Forward Prize winner Momtaza Mehri ‘s debut poetry collection is a raw and incisive look at the migrant experience and its generational complexities through the lens of Somalia’s history.

BUY

Beyond the Door of No Return

(Trans.) Sam Taylor | David Diop

Fiction-Novel

September 19, 2023 | 256 pages

Farrar Straus and Giroux

One of the few works of African historical fiction set in the 18th century, Diop’s book offers a fictionalized account of Michel Adanson, a French botanist and his obsession with a Senegalese woman.

BUY

Birds of Nabaa

(Trans.) Raphael Cohen | Abdallah Uld Mohamadi Bah

Fiction-Novel

October 10, 2023 | 192 pages

Banipal Publishing

Birds of Nabaa unfolds along the physical and spiritual journeys of a narrator whose hometown in Mauritania is facing desertification. The story is beautifully rendered, rich with poetic and musical elements.

BUY

Black Foam

Haji Jabir

Fiction-Novel

February 7, 2023 | 224 pages

Amazon Crossing

In this spellbinding novel by Eritrean novelist Haji Jabir, a character is on the run from his past and journeys across North Africa and Israel, trying to assimilate into different worlds through disguise and guile, but prejudice follows him everywhere he goes.

BUY

Black Ghosts

Noo Saro-Wiwa

Nonfiction – Essays

November 2, 2023 | 238 pages

Canongate Books

11 years after her critically acclaimed Looking for Transwonderland, Noo Saro Wiwa returns with Black Ghosts – an eye-opening account detailing the untold stories of Africans living in China.

BUY

Black Girl from Pyongyang

Monica Macias

Nonfiction – Memoir

March 1, 2023 | 304 pages

Duckworth

In 1979, 7-year-old Monica Macias was sent to North Korea by her father, Equatorial Guinea’s first president. This book is her story of growing up with North Korean president Kim Il Sung as her guardian.

BUY

Black Racist Bitch

Thandiwe Ntshinga

Nonfiction – Essays

August 25, 2023

Tafelberg

Inspired by a viral Tiktok video that sparked a heated conversation about whiteness, Thandiwe Ntshinga’s debut book is a searing intersectional analysis of race through the lens of South Africa’s history and contemporary experience.

BUY

Bloomer

Anne Schlebusch

Fiction-Novel

February 1, 2023 | 292 pages

Modjaji Books

Set in Cape Town, this warm and humorous novel follows a group of spirited 70-year-olds as they create a safe, convivial space in their seniors living complex during the pandemic.

BUY

Breaking the Silence

(Editor) Patricia Jabbeh Wesley

Poetry – Anthology

March 1, 2023 | 302 pages

University of Nebraska Press

Liberian poet and literature professor Patricia Jabbeh Wesley presents this magisterial collection of Liberian poetry from the 1800s to the present, exploring the challenges, conflicts, and triumphs that have defined Liberia’s history.

BUY

Burnt Eucalyptus Wood

Ennatu Domingo

Nonfiction – Memoir

July 18, 2023 | 176 pages

Indigo Press

Burnt Eucalyptus Wood details the adoption experience of Ethiopian writer Ennatu Domingo at age seven. Offering an honest account, it navigates themes of loss, identity, racism, and language.

BUY

Caged Ocean Dub

Dare Segun Falowo

Fiction – Short Stories

June 16, 2023 | 273 pages

Android Press

Dare Segun Falowo’s short story collection is a stunning debut. He blends a poetic style with a vivid imagination rooted in mythology, urban legend, and folklore to create stories that are spellbinding.

BUY

Call and Response

Gothataone Moeng

Fiction – Short Stories

February 7, 2023 | 304 pages

Viking

Motswana author Gothataone Moeng’s collection includes beautifully crafted stories about the lives of ordinary women as they navigate relationships, tradition, and caretaking in contemporary Botswana.

BUY

Daughter in Exile

Bisi Adjapon

Fiction-Novel

January 31, 2023 | 400 pages

HarperVia

Lola’s blissful life in Senegal takes a turn when she moves to America. A hopeful journey with her lover soon becomes a struggle for belonging in a nation marked by racism and tough immigration laws.

BUY

Dazzling

Chikodili Emelumadu

Fiction-Novel

February 16, 2023 | 352 pages

Hachette | The Overlook Press

This fast-paced, gripping fantasy tale draws inspiration from the legendary Igbo Leopard cults. Ozoemena, a girl at a boarding school, goes looking for answers when her classmates mysteriously disappear.

BUY

Digging Stars

Novuyo Rosa Tshuma

Fiction-Novel

September 12, 2023 | 288 pages

W. W. Norton & Company

Novuyo Tshuma explores the wonders of indigenous astronomy and Bantu mathematics in this novel about a Zimbabwean scientist haunted by questions about her father’s past.

BUY

Don’t Answer When They Call Your Name

Ukamaka Olisakwe

Fiction-Novel

May 16, 2023 | 144 pages

Masobe Books

Rooted in Igbo mythology, the novel tells the story of an Aja, a child chosen by the Oracle and has to be sent into the forest to appease a ruthless deity for past sins. Ukamaka Olisakwe creates an enchanting forest world for the brave, young protagonist Adanne.

BUY

Dreamer

Tanya Junghans

Fiction-Novel

June 1, 2023 | 225 pages

Blackbird Books

Tanya Junghans draws from Zulu mythology to craft this trans-dimensional tale centered on a young woman’s journey to becoming a Dreamer – a hero among a mystical race entrusted with protecting the Milky Way galaxy from destruction.

BUY

Drinking from Graveyard Wells

Yvette Lisa Ndlovu

Fiction – Short Stories

March 7, 2023 | 160 pages

University Press of Kentucky

Zimbabwean author Yvette Lisa Ndlovu stuns with this collection of page-turning stories inspired by Shona cosmology, folklore, and indigenous knowledge. The fictional worlds are refreshingly fantastical as they are captivating.

BUY

Edge of Here

Kelechi Okafor

Fiction – Short Stories

September 14, 2023 | 256 pages

Trapeze Books

Kelechi Okafor writes beautiful stories about contemporary Black womanhood, drawing from ancient times to the modern era. Her collection is a stunning blend of speculative fiction and romance at its finest.

BUY

Expert in All Styles

I. O. Echeruo

Fiction – Short Stories

April 18, 2023 | 248 pages

Farafina Books

In his debut collection, Nigerian writer I. O. Echeruo presents a dazzling assortment of tales gathered over a decade and exploring themes of power, religion, romance, and a broad tapestry of Nigerian life.

BUY

Forged by Blood

Ehigbor Okosun

Fiction-Novel

August 8, 2023 | 400 pages

HarperVoyager | Voyager

Ehigbor Okosun’s debut novel is a Nigerian mythology-inspired epic fantasy. It follows Dèmi, a young woman with blood magic, seeking vengeance for her mother’s murder amidst a tyrannical regime.

BUY

Gaslight

Femi Kayode

Fiction – Crime

November 21, 2023 | 384 pages

Mulholland Books

A Nigerian mega-church on the outskirts of Lagos sets the scene for Femi Kayode’s second novel in the Phillip Taiwo series. The story follows the adventures of a psychological investigator tackling cases that are a bit too thorny for the police.

BUY

Ghost Season

Fatin Abbas

Fiction-Novel

January 10, 2023 | 320 pages

W. W. Norton & Company

In the first few pages of Fatin Abbas’ debut, set in Sudan, the reader is greeted with a burnt corpse. What follows is a powerful exploration of conflict, community, and belonging.

BUY

Hangman

Maya Binyam

Fiction-Novel

August 8, 2023 | 208 pages

Farrar Straus and Giroux

To the unnamed character in Maya Binyam’s debut, everything is off-kilter after he returns to his home country where no one recognizes him. The novel’s atmosphere is surreal and laced with social critique.

BUY

History of Ash

(Trans.) Alexander E. Elinson | Khadija Marouazi

Fiction-Novel

August 1, 2023 | 224 pages

Hoopoe

Khadija Marouazi’s debut novel is a gut-wrenching account of imprisonment and torture. It follows the lives of Leila and Mouline as they narrate the atrocities that marked the history of Morocco in the ’70s and ’80s.

BUY

House Woman

Adorah Nworah

Fiction-Novel

June 6, 2023 | 314 pages

The Unnamed Press

Adohra Nworah’s debut is a captivating psychological thriller about a Nigerian woman who arrives in Texas with dreams of a blissful marriage, but her aspirations take a chilling turn as her in-laws reveal a much darker and sinister plan for her.

BUY

I Am Still With You

Emmanuel Iduma

Nonfiction – Memoir

February 21, 2023 | 240 pages

Algonquin Books

Stories about disappearances are always haunting. Emmanuel Iduma explores the silences he encounters within his family and the larger culture as he searches for answers about the fate of his uncle, who never returned from Nigeria’s Biafra War.

BUY

I Am the Mau

Chemutai Glasheen

Fiction – Short Stories

August 1, 2023 | 256 pages

Fremantle Press

Kenyan author Chemutai Glasheen is a brilliant storyteller, evident in this collection where human rights issues are woven into gripping narratives that provide fresh perspectives on the age-old battle between the oppressed and the oppressor.

BUY

In the Belly of the Congo

(Trans.) Amy B. Reid | Blaise Ndala

Fiction-Novel

February 7, 2023 | 432 pages

Other Press | Simon and Schuster

This story about a missing princess and the descendant who tries to investigate her disappearance exposes Brussels’ 1958 human zoo, an exhibition that features Congolese families under the gaze of Europeans.

BUY

Innards

Magogodi oaMphela Makhene

Fiction – Short Stories

June 6, 2023 | 224 pages

W. W. Norton & Company

Magogodi oaMphela Makhene’s short story collection is an ode to Soweto, one of Africa’s most celebrated urban communities. The stories expose the legacies of apartheid and the history of resistance and resilience that led to its demise.

BUY

Langabi

Christopher Mlalazi

Fiction-Novel

July 1, 2023 | 432 pages

Jacana Media | Mother

Zimbabwean author Christopher Mlalazi’s book is the first offering from Jacana’s speculative fiction imprint. It debuts the Blademakers of the Langabi series, where an ironworking family strives to defend their world against creatures and tyrannical royals.

BUY

Last Seen in Lapaz

Kwei Quartey

Fiction – Crime

February 7, 2023 | 360 pages

Soho Crime

Ghana’s crime story Czar Kwei Quartey is back! When a sex-trafficker is murdered, PI Emma Djan, on her third assignment, is tasked with locating his missing girlfriend, the daughter of a diplomat.

BUY

Like Thunder

Nnedi Okorafor

Fiction – Speculative

November 28, 2023 | 303 pages

DAW

In the gripping conclusion of the Desert Magician’s duology, Okorafor takes us to a future Earth, in the year 2077, through a cast of electrifying characters seeking to save a world in the brink of destruction.

BUY

Lost Libraries, Burnt Archives

(Editor) Julia Rensing | (Editor) Sindi-Leigh McBride

Fiction – Anthology

February 28, 2023 | 252 pages

University of Basel Center for African Studies

In 2021, University of Cape Town’s African Studies library was burned to the ground. This collection features South African writers reflecting on the tragedy and the aftermath of losing an archive.

BUY

Love Offers No Safety

(Editor) Jude Dibia | (Editor) Olumide F Makanjuola

Nonfiction – Anthology

August 29, 2023 | 140 pages

Cassava Republic

Cassava Republic makes history yet again with this culture-shifting anthology. Love Offers No Safety features Nigerian writers critiquing toxic forms of masculinity and homophobia in Nigerian society.

BUY

Lucky Girl

Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu

Fiction-Novel

May 2, 2023 | 336 pages

Dial Press Trade Paperback

Unruly Soila defies family expectations by relocating from Nairobi to New York in search of freedom. Her journey reveals the harsh realities of places like New York City and the self-discovery that emerges.

BUY

Maame

Jessica George

Fiction-Novel

January 31, 2023 | 320 pages

St. Martin’s Press

A mega-bestseller and one of the biggest hits of the year, George’s debut is a tender story about a Ghanaian woman, who having devoted her life to caring for her sick father and shouldering her family’s burdens, finds herself struggling to live fully.

BUY

Mama’s Sleeping Scarf

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Nwa Grace-James

Fiction – Children’s Book

September 5, 2023 | 32 pages

Knopf

Mama’s Sleeping Scarf is Chimamanda Adichie’s first foray into children’s literature. It tells the story of a girl named Chino and the beauty of everyday life in Lagos. The illustrations are by Joelle Avelino, a Congolese and Angolan artist based in London.

BUY

Mass for Shut-Ins

Mary-Alice Daniel

Poetry

March 21, 2023 | 120 pages

Yale University Press

Mary-Alice Daniel’s debut collection in the prestigious Yale Young Poets series is a blend of religious registers and a touch of irreverence. Her work is a thought-provoking exploration of religion, death, and other profound themes.

BUY

Mothersound

(Editor) Wole Talabi

Fiction – Anthology

November 21, 2023 | 436 pages

Android Press

Mothersound is the first ever anthology based on an African story-verse. These 14 stories are built around the Sauúti, a five-planet system orbiting a binary star, rooted in African mythologies, languages, and cultures.

BUY

Mtama Road

Linda Musita

Fiction – Short Stories

August 4, 2023

Down River Road

Nairobi-based writer Linda Musita’s debut features seven short stories set on the city’s famous Mtama Road, exploring Nairobi through the perspectives of young characters.

BUY

My Everyday Lagos

Yewande Komolafe

Nonfiction – Cookbook

October 24, 2023 | 288 pages

Ten Speed Press

Yewande Komolafe, New York Times cooking editor, pens a culinary love letter to Lagos, Africa’s most populous and enigmatic city. Her cookbook features 75 recipes, complemented by reflections on Nigerian cuisine and her personal journey.

BUY

Nightbloom

Peace Adzo Medie

Fiction-Novel

June 13, 2023 | 352 pages

Algonquin Books

Peace Adzo Medie returns with a new novel that explores the complexities of intimate relationships, this time focusing on female friendship. The story follows two Ghanaian women whose relationship unravels following an incident.

BUY

No Edges

(Editor) Sarah Coolidge

Fiction – Anthology

April 11, 2023 | 144 pages

Two Lines Press

The first ever collection of Swahili short stories in English translation, No Edges introduces eight writers from Tanzania and Kenya, who use rhythmic language to depict their vivid Africanfuturist visions of society.

BUY

No One Dies Yet

Kobby Ben Ben

Fiction-Novel

August 31, 2023 | 384 pages

Europa Editions

Three American men visit Accra for the Year of Return, but their trip takes a dark turn. Kobby Ben Ben’s highly anticipated thriller explores the tensions between African and Diaspora worlds, while highlighting Ghana’s queer communities.

BUY

Nomenclatures of Invisibility

Mahtem Shiferraw

Poetry

April 25, 2023 | 88 pages

BOA Editions

Ethiopian-Eritrean poet Mahtem Shifferaw explores the complex and layered experiences of migration. If the many borders we cross leave marks, she shows ways to embrace the complexities of being perpetually in transit.

BUY

Onyeka and the Rise of the Rebels

Tola Okogwu

Fiction – Children’s Book

May 30, 2023 | 288 pages

Margaret K. McElderry Books

In the second installment of Tọlá Okogwu middle-grade series, Onyeka, the girl with the superpower hair, and her companions forms a band of rebels to defeat the nefarious power behind the Academy of the Sun.

BUY

Other Names, Other Places

Ola Mustapha

Fiction-Novel

August 15, 2023 | 304 pages

Fairlight Books

This novel is about a British-Tunisian woman named Nessie whose disjointed childhood memories, mysterious past, and self-sabotage make this immigrant tale truly unique and compelling.

BUY

Raising Boys Who Do Better

Uju Asika

Nonfiction – Essays

June 1, 2023 | 288 pages

DK

Following the success of Bringing Up Race, Uju Asika returns with this must-read book for parents who want to raise their boys to become compassionate men in the era of #MeToo. Asika discusses toxic masculinity, racism, sexism, consent, and mental health.

BUY

Relations

(Editor) Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond

Fiction – Anthology

January 17, 2023 | 464 pages

HarperVia

Edited by the luminous Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, the collection features 32 African writers exploring connections that link humans with each other despite language, identity, class, and gender differences.

BUY

Riambel

Priya Hein

Fiction-Novel

May 30, 2023 | 160 pages

Indigo Press

Priya Hein’s debut shines light on the marginalized Creole community in Mauritius, historically obscured by slavery and the tourism industry. 15-year-old Noemie resists the legacy of violence that dooms her family to servitude.

BUY

River Spirit

Leila Aboulela

Fiction-Novel

March 7, 2023 | 400 pages

Grove Press

Blending Islamic faith, anticolonial struggle, and romance, Leila Aboulela’s political drama transports us to late 19th century Sudan and the conflict between a self-proclaimed Sudanese messiah and his war against the British.

BUY

Rootless

Krystle Zara Appiah

Fiction-Novel

March 14, 2023 | 368 pages

Ballantine

One of the biggest titles of the year, Rootless unfolds around Esi leaving her husband and daughter in London to return to Ghana. As she yearns for more than motherhood and marriage, her rejection of traditional roles causes disruptions in her world.

BUY

Rotten Evidence

(Trans.) Katharine Halls | Ahmed Naji

Nonfiction – Memoir

October 17, 2023 | 263 pages

McSweeney’s

In 2016, Egyptian journalist Ahmed Naji was sentenced to jail for alleged violation of public modesty in his novel, USING LIFE, due to references to sex and drugs. This memoir documents the highly publicized trial and his 10-month prison experience.

BUY

Saltwater Demands a Psalm

Kweku Abimbola

Poetry

April 4, 2023 | 96 pages

Graywolf Press

Ghanaian poet Kweku Abimbola’s collection explores the interconnectedness of Black life and worlds. Inspired by traditional Akan dirges, these poems invoke Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, and Tamir Rice, commemorating the lives lost due to police brutality.

BUY

Sand Roses

Hamza Koudri

Fiction-Novel

November 1, 2023 | 332 pages

Holland House Books

Algerian author Hamza Koudri is brilliant in his debut about two sisters, Fahima and Salima, who arrive in Bousada with big dreams only to be haunted by the colonial French authority for killing a policeman.

BUY

Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem

Rosanne A. Brown

Fiction – Children’s Book

September 12, 2023 | 304 pages

Rick Riordan Presents

Ghanaian-American fantasy author Roseanne A. Brown stuns in this middle grade book about magic-wielding preteens set in the Smithsonian Museum. Serwa is on a mission to free her mother, while coming to terms with the fact that she is half-vampire.

BUY

Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon

Wole Talabi

Fiction-Novel

August 8, 2023 | 320 pages

DAW

One of the year’s most anticipated novels, Shigidi lived up to the hype. Wole Talabi’s African cosmological take on the art heist genre is an action-packed and sex-fueled adventure story about Yoruba gods.

BUY

Shubeik Lubeik

Deena Mohamed

Fiction – Graphic Novel

January 10, 2023 | 528 pages

Pantheon

Egyptian graphic designer Deena Mohamed’s graphic novel follows the lives of three characters who struggle to fulfill their desires in a world where wishes are bought and sold and the best wishes are reserved for the rich and powerful.

BUY

Sister Nature

Jess De Boer

Nonfiction – Essays

June 20, 2023 | 259 pages

Jacaranda Books

A Kenyan farmer of Dutch descent, Jess de Boers advocates for a regenerative relationship to land and community by spotlighting the experience of Northern Kenyan farmers pioneering new approaches to sustainable farming.

BUY

Small by Small

Ike Anya

Nonfiction – Memoir

October 15, 2023 | 304 pages

Sandstone Press Ltd

A gripping memoir about a Nigerian doctor’s experience with the country’s medical system in the 1990s — one of the nation’s bleakest and most perplexing decades. Anya’s blend of humor and sharp insights is irresistible!

BUY

Small Worlds

Caleb Azumah Nelson

Fiction-Novel

July 18, 2023 | 253 pages

Grove Press | Viking

Spanning three summers across London and Accra, Small Worlds–an instant bestseller–centers on the protagonist Stephen, his relationship with his father, and his struggle to come to terms with family expectations.

BUY

Something Evergreen Called Life

(Trans.) Yasmine Seale | Rania Mamoun

Poetry

March 1, 2023 | 117 pages

Action Books

This soulful collection of poetry captures the difficulties of being exiled to a different country during the pandemic. Sudanese author Raina Mamoun explores the loss of home and hardships of isolation while fighting against power.

BUY

Tales of Tangier

(Trans.) Jonas Elbousty | Mohamed Choukri

Fiction – Short Stories

May 16, 2023 | 264 pages

Yale University Press

All 31 stories written by one of Morocco’s most celebrated writers are available in this new volume in the popular and capture the wild and dreamy, sordid and beautiful faces of Tangier, one of Africa’s most enigmatic cities.

BUY

Tesserae

(Editor) Marian Christie | (Editor) Samantha Rumbidzai Vazhure

Poetry – Anthology

September 22, 2023 | 274 pages

Carnelian Heart Publishing

Vazhure and Christie present a culture-shifting anthology that celebrates contemporary Zimbabwean women’s poetry. The collection is a breathtaking display of literary talent in one of Africa’s richest literary traditions.

BUY

The Animals of My Earth School

Mildred Kiconco Barya

Poetry

April 10, 2023 | 96 pages

Terrapin Books

A luminous ode to nonhuman creatures, these verses blend playful and solemn tones. Ugandan poet Mildred Kiconco Barya places the lives animals at the core of profound reflections on life, the body, and collective experiences.

BUY

The Beauty Hunters

Adil Babikir

Nonfiction – Scholarly

April 1, 2023 | 160 pages

University of Nebraska Press

Adil Babikir introduces poet al-Ḥārdallo to English readers, bringing into the spotlight the life of a brilliant poet whose work offers a glimpse into the world of Sudanese Bedouin poetry.

BUY

The Daughters of Izdihar

Hadeer Elsbai

Fiction-Novel

January 10, 2023 | 384 pages

HarperVoyager

Nehal and Georgina have very little in common. In fact, they should be sworn enemies. But their struggle to harness their growing magical power make them an unlikely pair in the fight against a power threatening to destroy their world.

BUY

The Drinker of Horizons

Mia Couto

Fiction-Novel

March 14, 2023 | 256 pages

Farrar Straus and Giroux

Mia Couto’s Sands of the Emperor trilogy, an epic account of Mozambique’s history, comes to an end with this soulful love story between a Mozambican woman and a Portuguese sergeant.

BUY

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa

Stephen Buoro

Fiction-Novel

April 18, 2023 | 336 pages

Bloomsbury UK | Bloomsbury USA

For precocious 15-year-old, Andrew Aziza, everything is a math equation, including life, poetry, Nigerian life, and Africa’s problems. This deeply philosophical novel shows him navigating the complexities that come with being young, gifted, and frustrated with the world.

BUY

The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale

Aya Khalil

Fiction – Children’s Book

August 1, 2023 | 32 pages

Tilbury House

Aya Khalil’s widely loved book captures the climate of unease and resistance against the current wave of book banning in American society through the inspiring tale of an Egyptian girl rallying her community to stand up against censorship.

BUY

The History of a Difficult Child

Mihret Sibhat

Fiction-Novel

June 27, 2023 | 400 pages

Viking

The child narrator in this powerful debut is alluring, truthful, and unforgettable in their narration of the upheavals of 1980s Ethiopia from the perspective of a wealthy family struggling under the weight of an increasingly despotic government.

BUY

The House of the Coptic Woman

(Trans.) Peter Daniel | Ashraf El-Ashmawi

Fiction-Novel

October 10, 2023 | 224 pages

Hoopoe

Ashraf El-Ashmawi offers a magnetic story about a rural Egyptian town where tensions between Copts and Muslims take a dark and sinister turn as murders, arsons, and alleged suicides reach a crescendo.

BUY

The Institute for Creative Dying

Jarred James Thompson

Fiction-Novel

February 1, 2023 | 390 pages

Afritondo

In a Johannesburg suburb, five dying strangers live in a mansion under the care of stewards, who offer an alternative end-of-life experience centered on mind-altering drugs. Thompson’s debut is a bold exploration of mortality.

BUY

The List

Yomi Adegoke

Fiction-Novel

October 3, 2023 | 336 pages

Fourth Estate | William Morrow

In London, a black celebrity couple is on the brink of ‘I do’ until the man’s name pops up on a #MeToo list, turning the wedding countdown into a wild encounter with the court of social media.

BUY

The Middle Daughter

Chika Unigwe

Fiction-Novel

April 4, 2023 | 310 pages

Canongate Books | Dzanc Books

The Middle Daughter brilliantly reimagines the Hades and Persephone tale, centering on Nani, a Nigerian woman entrapped by a charismatic preacher husband who unveils his true, sinister nature.

BUY

The Private Apartments

Idman Nur Omar

Fiction – Short Stories

May 2, 2023 | 192 pages

Astoria | House of Anansi Press

Omar’s debut is a collection of stories about Somali women in the diaspora living captivating lives, challenging boundaries, and striving to safeguard the beauty of their most intimate dreams and desires.

BUY

The Putin Files

Wole Soyinka

Nonfiction – Essays

July 7, 2023 | 174 pages

Bookcraft

In the 11th book of Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka’s Interventions series, a meticulous examination of the Russia-Ukraine war is undertaken in the context of Africa’s politics and its historical encounters with war and conflict.

BUY

The Race to Be Myself

Caster Semenya

Nonfiction – Memoir

October 1, 2023 | 309 pages

W. W. Norton & Company

In 2009, South African athlete Caster Semenya became the center of a heated debate about gender in sports. Her memoir is a beautiful and inspiring story of resilience and defiance against a powerful institution and the court of public opinion.

BUY

The Stone Breakers

(Trans.) Sara Hanaburgh | Emmanuel Dongala

Fiction-Novel

September 5, 2023 | 355 pages

Schaffner Press

Congolese author Emmanuel Dongala is brilliant in Stone Breaker. The novel follows the compelling journey of 16 women working in a quarry, breaking stones. Together, they stage an uprising, demanding fair treatment and better wages.

BUY

The Sun Sets in Singapore

Kehinde Fadipe

Fiction-Novel

October 31, 2023 | 352 pages

Dialogue Books | Grand Central Publishing

Actress and writer Kehinde Fadipe debuts a sizzling novel that entwines the lives of three successful Nigerian women with a captivating handsome stranger against the alluring backdrop of Singapore.

BUY

The Widow Who Died With Flowers In Her Mouth

Obinna Udenwe

Fiction – Short Stories

February 7, 2023 | 352 pages

Masobe Books

In his third book, award-winning Nigerian author Obinna Udenwe maintains his irreverent storytelling, capturing African life through stories of individuals challenging societal norms on sex and love.

BUY

Three Egg Dilemma

Morabo Morojele

Fiction-Novel

May 1, 2023 | 258 pages

Jacana Media

17 years after his critically acclaimed debut, Morabo Morojele returns with a novel centered on a man named Example, living in a Lesotho township with friends like Sticks, Latrine, Eyebrows, and a mysterious creature. The story portrays a world in turmoil.

BUY

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Insha Allah

Sara Cheikh

Nonfiction – Memoir

June 20, 2023 | 224 pages

Feral House

On Sara Cheikh’s first visit to see her family at a Western Saharan refugee camp after 20 years, she is unexpectedly held back due to border closures and the increasing panic around COVID-19. The memoir details the ensuing adventures.

BUY

Tremor

Teju Cole

Fiction-Novel

October 17, 2023 | 256 pages

Random House

If you missed the philosophical musings in Teju Cole’s Open City, get ready to fall in love with Tremor. An enigmatic Nigerian photography professor, who has a keen eye, moves through space in usual ways and reflects on the dark and bloody echoes of history.

BUY

Twilight of Torment: II. Heritage

(Trans.) Gila Walker | Léonora Miano

Fiction-Novel

June 21, 2023 | 292 pages

Seagull Books

The second book in Léonora Miano’s Twilight of Torment series explores the dark roots of toxic masculinity through the story of a man who severely beats his girlfriend, nearly killing her.

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Voice of the Two Shores

(Trans.) Lawrence Schimel | Agnes Agboton

Poetry

March 6, 2023 | 200 pages

Flipped Eye Publishing

Originally published in Gun, Agboton’s native language from the Republic of Benin, this poetry collection is a profound meditation on death, exile, and displacement, deeply rooted in West African Indigenous knowledge.

BUY

Warrior of the Wind

Suyi Davies Okungbowa

Fiction-Novel

November 21, 2023 | 496 pages

Orbit

The second book in the Nameless Republic series follows Danso and Lilong as they flee the Red Emperor Esheme. In this sequel to Son of the Storm, Okungbowa expands his intricate West African-inspired world.

BUY

Wedged Between Man and God

(Editor) Claire Ba | (Editor) Unoma Azuah

Nonfiction – Anthology

August 21, 2023 | 299 pages

Cookingpot Publishing

Edited by Unoma Azuah and Claire Ba, this anthology is presented in French and English. It celebrates queer women’s experience in West Africa, while confronting the marginalization of queer communities in Africa.

BUY

What Napoleon Could Not Do

DK Nnuro

Fiction-Novel

February 7, 2023 | 368 pages

Riverhead Books

DK Nnuro’s debut earned a coveted spot on President Obama’s reading list. It tells the story of two Ghanaian siblings and how their lives are shaped by the dream of making a life in the US.

BUY

When We Were Fireflies

Abubakar Adam Ibrahim

Fiction-Novel

April 1, 2023 | 420 pages

Masobe Books

Yarima Lalo, an artist in Abuja, discovers he has died twice before and goes in search of answers. Abubakar Ibrahim’s hypnotic tale blends magic, philosophical questioning, and the possibility of life-changing awakening.

BUY

Whites Can Dance Too

Kalaf Epalanga

Fiction-Novel

June 15, 2023 | 256 pages

Faber Books

The protagonist, also named Kalaf Epalanga, travels across borders with little more than the power of this music, Kuduro, a kind of Angola techno. His luck runs out trying to enter Norway for a festival without a passport.

BUY

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