My first book from Africa, Death Before Dying by Deon Meyer (South Africa) was written in Africaans. I read the English-language version, translated by Madeline van Biljohn.
It would be interesting to see how close Africaans is to Dutch. I can read children´s books in Dutch, and when I read S.A. literature, I usually recognize their special vocabulary (kopje, ja, baas) via Dutch.
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller was a memoir of a small English girl growing up during the fight for independence in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe.
The author was raised in Africa and still lives there. I'm counting this as my Africa read but my personal goal is to read another story from Africa told by an African native.
Just finished my Africa book: Malla Nunn's A Beautiful Place to Die, addictive, read it in two days. This challenge is a great way to explore different cultures! Ursula (Drama).
Perhaps surprisingly, Africa was actually the first continent I finished, reading both PC Doherty's THE ANUBIS SLAYINGS (Ancient Egypt) and Michael Stanley's A DEADLY TRADE (Botswana)in the first few weeks of 2010. Now I've just got to get off my butt and post some reviews :-)
I just finished South African crime writer Jassy Mackenzie's first Jade de Jong investigations series about a private investigator in Johannesburg, South African. I really enjoyed it and decided that I needed to add a third title to this category.
A friend suggested Tahar Ben Jelloun's novel The Sand Child. It's a mesmerizing tale of a father who has seven girls and wants a boy to be his heir. Islamic law in Morocco of the 1950s precludes leaving his property to a daughter. He decides that his eighth child will be a boy—irrespective of biology. It's haunting. Thanks for the challenge. It's a wonderful way to expand horizons.
I'm halfway through the challenge. My Africa book was "Ways of Dying" by South African author and playwright Zakes Mda. Great read, highly recommended.
14 comments:
My first book from Africa, Death Before Dying by Deon Meyer (South Africa) was written in Africaans. I read the English-language version, translated by Madeline van Biljohn.
It would be interesting to see how close Africaans is to Dutch. I can read children´s books in Dutch, and when I read S.A. literature, I usually recognize their special vocabulary (kopje, ja, baas) via Dutch.
I've done my Africa review: Aya by Marguerite Abouet and Clemenet Oubrerie (a graphic novel)
http://helensbookblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/review-aya-abouet-and-oubrerie.html
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller was a memoir of a small English girl growing up during the fight for independence in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe.
The author was raised in Africa and still lives there. I'm counting this as my Africa read but my personal goal is to read another story from Africa told by an African native.
Completed my African read for the challenge-South Africa
My Son's Story by Nadide Gordimer
Margot: I like your goal.
Mel: Congratulations! I have not read any African novels yet, but I have the first on my shelf.
Nadine Gordimer is a terrific writer, by the way.
Remember to review the book this time. I think Bloody Harvest is the first South African based novel I have read.
Just finished my Africa book: Malla Nunn's A Beautiful Place to Die, addictive, read it in two days.
This challenge is a great way to explore different cultures!
Ursula (Drama).
Well the author of Little Bee is British, but the story is one of Africa....
Perhaps surprisingly, Africa was actually the first continent I finished, reading both PC Doherty's THE ANUBIS SLAYINGS (Ancient Egypt) and Michael Stanley's A DEADLY TRADE (Botswana)in the first few weeks of 2010. Now I've just got to get off my butt and post some reviews :-)
I just finished South African crime writer Jassy Mackenzie's first Jade de Jong investigations series about a private investigator in Johannesburg, South African. I really enjoyed it and decided that I needed to add a third title to this category.
A friend suggested Tahar Ben Jelloun's novel The Sand Child. It's a mesmerizing tale of a father who has seven girls and wants a boy to be his heir. Islamic law in Morocco of the 1950s precludes leaving his property to a daughter. He decides that his eighth child will be a boy—irrespective of biology. It's haunting.
Thanks for the challenge. It's a wonderful way to expand horizons.
Linda (Frances)
I'm halfway through the challenge. My Africa book was "Ways of Dying" by South African author and playwright Zakes Mda. Great read, highly recommended.
Thank you for the recommendations!
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