I love to read literature set in Africa, so it’s  my hope that you will find some great new reads.  Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive by any means.  The books listed here are a result of my call for entries as well as some filling in of a few books that I hated to see not included.  Each book has a link over to the Book Blogs Google Custom Search Engine so you can get even more opinions.

Also, I know that there are some other great books out there (even I didn’t list all the African books I’ve reviewed), so I have included a Mr. Linky at the end of this post.  If you have a book review that is African in nature that was not included, I’d love for you to link it up so we have even more books listed!

A meme!  If you have a blog, I have included a meme at the end of this post so you can discuss African books on your own blog and link over to the carnival.  Feel free to participate, regardless of whether or not you have a book review listed here.  I would love to know your thoughts!

If you don’t have a blog, I’d love to hear in the comments which books you’ve read and which ones caught your eye.

Botswana

• The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith reviewed by Heather at The Maiden’s Court.  The first of 10 books that focus on the life of Precious Ramotswe and her fledgling detective agency.  “One of the most interesting things about this book is that you learn so much about African culture and the beauty of the nature. Africa doesn’t usually end up in best selling fiction very often.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Whatever You Do, Don’t Run: The Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide by Peter Allison reviewed by Alyce at At Home with Books.  The memoir of a well-known safari guide Alyce says, “If you have ever wondered what it would be like to go on safari in Africa, then I would recommend this memoir. It was so much fun to read that I still find myself chuckling at some of the stories a couple of weeks after reading it.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Burundi

• The Violets of Usambara by Mary Soderstrom reviewed by Melanie by The Indextrious Reader.  “This novel is a short one, and is the tale of a couple whose lives are at the cusp of change. Thomas Brossard is a former government minister who is out of work due to a change in government. His wife Louise, always the driving force in his life, has suggested he go to Africa with a Catholic charity . . . . This a very adult book in its quiet and understated narrative style.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Congo

• Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad reviewed by J.T at Bibliofreak.  At a short 72 pages, J.T says, “This is possibly the most symbolic book I’ve ever read, and still one of my favorites.  It’s a novella, but don’t let the short length fool you–its not a light read.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver reviewed by Tracie at YuleTime Reading.  “About a Baptist minister who brings his family to Africa to act as missionaries in the 1950’s . . . [it] is a haunting tale that follows the lives of five women until the end of their days. The multiple layers of this novel make it an intensely interesting read. From the clash of two cultures, to the politics of the Congo, to the bond every mother knows with her child, this is definitely a must read that will stay with you long after you close the last page.”  
  • The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver was also reviewed by Caitlin at Chaotic Compendiums who had a critical eye.  “Despite these criticisms, this is a book worth reading, if only for the very last chapter which is in the voice of my favorite character, Ruth May. That along with many moments of beautiful physical description scattered throughout the book make it a worthwhile read, if one that is sometimes incredibly frustrating.”
  • Also reviewed by J.T at Bibliofreak, more book blogger reviews.

• King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa by Adam Hochschild reviewed by Rhapsody in Books.  “Hochschild is to be commended for trying to bring this true horror story back to life. There is still a need to learn from the dangers of power and greed. As he concludes, “At the time of the Congo controversy a hundred years ago, the idea of full human rights, political, social, and economic, was a profound threat to the established order of most countries on earth. It still is today”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Egypt

• The Beggar by Naguib Mahfouz reviewed by Rose City Reader.  “This novella takes on the biggest “political” issue of all – the meaning of life. Omar’s tale is a metaphor for the “midlife crisis” of modern Egypt, 17 years after its 1952 revolution, as both Omar and the country search for meaning after achieving worldly success.”
  • More book blogger reviews.
    
• The View from Garden City by Carolyn Baugh reviewed by Swapna at S. Krishna’s Books.  “At its core,[it's] a novel about women, beautifully written and enhanced by the amazingly detailed descriptions of life in modern Cairo. Baugh doesn’t preach or have any sort of nefarious intentions but leaves the reader to make up his or her own mind about the message of the novel and of each of the stories”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Ethiopia

• Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese reviewed by Chris at Book-a-Rama.  About the lives of mirror twins born of the illicit affair between a surgeon and a nun, “The setting of Ethiopia is exotic, interesting and beautiful. Every character is well created, you can’t help but love them (except for one or two). The story is both entertaining and engaging. I enjoyed so much of the book, but… it was a massive book  [. . .] but there was something about it that just didn’t float my boat the way it did for other reviewers who thought it was awesome.”
  • Also reviewed by SuziQoregon at Whimpulsive who said that it read more like a memoir than fiction and she got emotionally involved in the book.
  • Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese was also reviewed by Hannah at Word Lily.  “I was, at turns, sort of dreading, expecting that the best of the book had passed and the rest would be downhill; and irresistibly, hopefully, pulled along. The characters are remarkably resilient through hardship and pain. I’ve read books with a stronger sense of place, but this setting did indeed draw me in. This book has a little of everything.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Of Beetles & Angels, A Boy’s Remarkable Journey From a Refugee Camp to Harvard by Mawi Asgedom reviewed by Natasha at Maw Books. “There are some great discussion questions in the back, and even Ethiopian recipes.  This book gives a great insight into the struggles of new immigrants adjusting to a new culture and mourning for loss of home.  Asgedom’s story is inspiring”

Ghana

• Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey reviewed by Dawn at She is Too Fond of Books.  A murder mystery set against the modern and traditional ways of African culture, Dawn said,  “When I read a mystery I don’t try to solve the case, I allow the author to do the work by unraveling the tangle of clues for me.  Quartey left some breadcrumbs that, in retropect, might have led me in the right direction if I had put any energy into it; but I prefer the leisurely pace of solving it on Dawson’s timetable, piecing the clues together through his eyes.  It was a very satisfying mystery.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

Kenya

• 14 Cows for America reviewed by Alison at  A Novel Idea.  Alison says, “The artwork in the book is breathtaking and the story almost lyrical. It is a picture book with great depth. This is a story that will remain on my shelf for life. This is a story of compassion that I will take off the shelf and remind my children of regularly.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Burn My Heart by Beverley Naidoo reviewed by Terry at The Reading Tub A historical fiction novel set in the 1950’s in Kenya, Terry says that Burn by Heart is exceptional and a wonderfully crafted story and “it’s a book meant for readers pre-teen through adult. It is destined to open some wonderfully thoughtful, candid discussions that are as relevant today as they would have been in 1951.”    Terry has additional information about the book on the Reading Tub website as well.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Also check out this list of Kenyan book recommendations compiled from Rebecca at Lost in Books.

Liberia

• When God Says Go by Lorry Lutz reviewed by Debbie at Genre Reviewer.  “This book is a biography of an amazing black American woman who worked as a missionary in the jungles of Liberia from 1913 to 1972. The story briefly covers her parent’s lives as slaves, her childhood, and her education. It also briefly describes the founding of Liberia and the history of Christianity there.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Malawi

• The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamka and Bryan Mealer reviewed by Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea.  A memoir which is one of those rare stories you won’t want to miss, Diane says, “One of the most inspiring books that I have read in a long time, I’m pretty sure this book will touch most readers deeply, like it did to me. I know this story will stay with me for a long time to come.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• The Heaven Shop by Deborah Ellis reviewed by Natasha at Maw Books.  “Binti’s journey is one that you’ll want to take.  I loved watching her transformation from a proud, selfish child, being humbled as a orphan, and rising above her circumstances to help those around her.  I highly recommend The Heaven Shop for great insight on such a troubling subject [AIDS].

Mali

• Monique and the Mango Rains:  Two Years with a Midwife in Mali by Kris Halloway reviewed by Lisa at Books on the Brain.  A wonderful memoir, “themes in the book include family relationships, poverty, religious differences, the place of women in African society, hunger, malnutrition, power struggles, parenting, birth control, marriage, childbirth, volunteerism, and community. Holloway is respectful of the people and their culture and never has that too-frequent American way of being condescending.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

Mozambique

• Secrets in the Fire by Henning Mankell reviewed by Andromeda at A Wrung Sponge.  “I cried all the way through. It’s a heartbreaking story based on the life of a real girl living in Mozambique. While running to the fields to work with her mother and sister she stepped off the path once and landed on a land mine. Her sister was killed and she almost died. She lost both of her legs”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Nigeria

• Amadi’s Snowman by Katia Novet Saint-Lot reviewed by Maw Books.  A picture book about literacy and new cultures, it “is an excellent addition to the multi-cultural library, or any library, for that fact.”

• Half of a Yellow-Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reviewed by Susan at Pages Turned.  Susan says, “Adichie depicts the early days of Nigeria’s independence, the massacre of thousands of Igbo living in the Muslim north in 1966, and the Biafran War that followed as the Igbo attempt to form their own country. From personal loyalties and estrangements to air raids and famine in the refuge camps, Adichie hones in on the telling details that will keep me mulling over this book for a long time to come.”  I found that I had left a comment on this review when she first posted it saying that I wanted to read it.  And I did!
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Little Bee by Chris Cleave reviewed by Heather at Age 30+ . . . A Lifetime of Books.  Heather says that it’s better to not know anything about this book.  So I’m going to trust here and not say anything here either.  But wow, that cover!  It just screams read me!
  • Also reviewed by SuziQoregon at Whimpulsive who said, “Wow – this book impressed me a lot. The writing is the kind where I could have easily marked a sentence or paragraph on nearly every page. I really think that at some point I want to go back and re-read this one slowly just to be able to appreciate the many gems.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reviewed by Heather at Book Addiction who says “What I loved about Purple Hibiscus is that Kambili is just like any other teen stuck in a family situation that isn’t the greatest.  She has to deal with her oppressive, abusive father, and with her passive mother, and with navigating her way through life while trying to follow the rules her father (and her church) has set for her.”
  • Also reviewed by Mee at Books of Mee who said that the book reminded her of the book The Color Purple.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe reviewed by Trixie at Reading and Writing About It.  “I thought it was fascinating to see the clash between traditional African society and the influence of British rule” in this book about Okonkwo and British colinization.
  • More book blogger reviews.

Rwanda

• As We Forgive: Stories of Reconciliation from Rwanda by Catherine Claire Larson reviewed by Debbie at Genre Reviews.  A new release, “This book tells seven personal stories of experiences during the genocide, its aftermath, and how they came to forgiveness. These accounts are intense, vivid, and powerful. The people in these stories came from different areas and had different experiences, giving the reader a good idea of what happened during the genocide and afterward. The book is worth reading for these stories alone.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin reviewed by Amanda at The Zen Leaf who compared it slightly in it’s subject matter to Deogratias (below).  She said, “I had to abandon Deogratias because it was too gruesome. Too graphically violent. I was scared I’d get the same thing here, but Baking Cakes was nothing like that. It was tactful in every sense of the word. It didn’t gloss over the things that happened in Rwanda, but it did approach the subject in a polite and non-gruesome way. I really appreciated that.”
  • Tam at Bailey’s and Books said, “interesting, at least to me, side note: In Gaile Parkin’s bio on the back of my ARC copy it notes, “Many of the stories told by characters in Baking Cakes in Kigali are based on or inspired by stories she was told during her work in Rwanda.” Not knowing much about Rwanda, to me, these stories in the book were both inspiring and important to know.”
  • Rebecca at Rebecca Reads also says that although it’s not a light read, “It shares a message of both tragedy (the story of the survivors [Rwandan genocide] and hope, for its ending message is that we can move on: there is a purpose to life, even after a horrendous tragedy.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Deogratias: A Tale of Rwanda by J.P Stassen reviewed by Nymeth at Things Mean a Lot.  I LOVE the fact that we have a graphic novel included in this carnival.  She says, “I should start by warning you that I cried for something like half an hour after I finished this book, and that I’ve been thinking about it often ever since.”  If that’s not enough to make you click over to read the review she also says, “I’m the last person you’d catch telling others that they have some sort of moral obligation to read a book that will upset them. And yes, Deogratias is upsetting and relentlessly dark and depressing. It shows humans at their very worst, and no, there are no acts of kindness to counterbalance that. So, you know. I’m sure you all know your limits as readers enough to be able to tell whether or not this would be too much for you.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Emmanuel Kolini: The Unlikely Archbishop of Rwanda reviewed by Heather at Age 30+ A Lifetime of Books.  Kolini takes up his post as Archbishop in the wake of the 1994 genocide. “This book is a brief biography of Kolini’s life, an overview of the ethnic conflicts in Rwandan history, and the story of how these two came together.”  Heather has some good and not so good things to say about the book.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Left to Tell:  Discovering God Admist the Genocide in Rwanda by Immaculee Ilibagiza reviewed by The Book Nook Club.  “What I felt most profoundly while reading this was that you choose how you feel about what life hands you, whatever your religious beliefs may be.  This woman chose to be thankful for what she had, not bitter over what she had lost. She chose to forgive in the face of hatred. Her attitude of tolerance and love is inspiring.  I would highly recommend it.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Also check out this list of book recommendations about the Rwandan Genocide.

Sierra Leone

• A Long Way Gone:  Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah reviewed by J.T at Bibliofreak.  “There has been some controversy over whether or not all of Beah’s claims really happened.  A newspaper said last year that none of it could have happened to one person and that there was a discrepancy about his dates.  Beah stands by his story, and you know what?  So do I.  Just because it seems unimaginable doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.”
  • Rebecca at Lost in Books listened to this one on audio and said, “It was so heartbreaking at times I had to pause the CD and catch my breath. The descriptions of the people being murdered and even of Ishmael climbing the coconut tree when he was starving were so vivid I felt like I was actually there. The pictures in my mind were so crisp and clear.”
  • Also reviewed by Mee at Books of Mee who said, “The story is told fluidly. I never felt it slow down. It’s a good read from beginning til the end.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• The Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara reviewed by Kathleen at SMS Book Reviews.  A firsthand experience of the civil war in Sierra Leone is chilling: at the age of 12, Mariatu was attacked by young rebel soldiers, who cut off both of her hands. Mariatu’s account of her journey from war victim to UNICEF Special Representative inspires awe and hope.  “The book doesn’t only address the war that went on in Sierra Leone and the casulaties of that war. It also addresses what little has happened to help those still in the country.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Also check out this list of Sierra Leone book recommendations compiled from Rebecca at Lost in Books.

South Africa

• 92 Queens Road by Dianne Case reviewed by Chele at Hungry Readers.  A Middle Grade fiction book set in the ’60’s during apartheid , this book  “shows the experiences of young Kathy and her family under the system of laws. Throughout the text, six-year-old Kathy searches for her place in her young country and comes to grips with her lack of a father and status as a “coloured” person.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Beethoven Was One-Sixteenth Black by Nadine Gordimer reviewed by Rose City Reader.  A collection of short stories which is a “worthwhile collection of stories and a good introduction to Gordimer’s sophisticated writing. ”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee reviewed by Mee at Books of Mee.  The racial tension in South Africa is the topic of this book and Mee says, “As most racism, it usually occurs in more ‘uneducated’ places by ‘uneducated’ people. Not in the city where everybody is supposed to be smart and sophisticated, no. It happens in the corners of the town, in back suburbs, behind bushes and shadows. I should know. I experienced extreme racism for many years of my teenage life — the problem that is unconsciously stuck with you to the bone, the matter of ‘my people’ against ‘your people’ — all too familiar elements that made me queasy.
  
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Fish Notes and Star Songs by Diane Hofmeyr reviewed by Chele at Hungry Readers.  Fish Notes and Star Songs is a Young Adult novel that Chele says would make a great pairing with Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak.  “With some references to some African history and wildlife, [the book] explores themes of loss, empowerment, spirituality and of language and names, their significance and power.  While some people would argue that this story is a fantasy, others will see it as realistic with dimensions of spirituality.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• The Life and Times of Michael K. by J.M. Coetzee reviewed by Rose City Reader.  A Booker Winner from a Nobel laureatem, Rose City Reader said, “Despite the credentials, I did not like this book and I do not see the point of it.”  I personally didn’t like the one Coetzee book I’ve read so I was glad to see I’m not the only one have Coetzee trouble.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales by Nelson Mandela reviewed by Marta at Marta’s Meanderings.  “The audiobook brings his vision full circle, as these timeless tales return to the oral tradition to be heard around the world.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Out of Bounds:  Seven Stories of Conflict and Hope by Beverley Naidoo reviewed by Chele at Hungry Readers.  Consisting of seven short stories this book for middle grade readers “explore different events and conditions of Apartheid through South African children’s perspectives.  With varying degrees of hope, the protagonists face difficult choices and risk when deciding on what they believe about Apartheid depending on their various class and racial backgrounds.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Reading, Writing and Leaving Home: Life on the Page by Lynn Freed reviewed by Susan at Pages Turned.  Lynn Freed is a fiction author who grew up in South Africa before moving to the states and sets her fiction in South Africa.  Reading, Writing and Leaving Home is her story.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• The Scent of Oranges by Joan Zawatzky reviewed by Brooke at The Bluestocking Guide.  “I really enjoyed this book.  It was so sad, yet so poignant.  So many lives were ruined all because people judged others by the color of their skin and not by the type of person that they were.  The sad thing is that even though Apartheid ended problems remain.  There hasn’t been a happily ever after.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Sudan

• The Devil Came on Horseback: Bearing Witness to the Genocide in Darfur by Brian Steidle reviewed by Ramya at Ramya’s Bookshelf.  “It is hard to imagine that this book is actually a memoir- that events described here are not figments of imagination from a psychotically deranged brain. They are actual events appening in a different part of the world. People are starving, getting killed mercilessly, getting raped, being turned out of their homes right as I type this review. It is really hard to imagine that everything said in the book is true.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Not On Our Watch, The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast reviewed by Becky at Becky’s Book Reviews.  “This book does three things essentially a) relates the authors first hand accounts of trying to help, a behind-the-scenes look at activism b) provides basic information about the political, social, cultural situations in Darfur and surrounding regions placing everything into context and c) gives tips on how ordinary people–Americans for the most part–can do their part to help.”
  Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Slave: My True Story by Mende Nazar reviewed by Heather at Book Addiction.  An amazing memoir,  Heather says, “I truly don’t have much else to say other than – Slave is absolutely a must-read.  I can’t emphasize that enough.  What a powerful, inspiring story.  I’m so glad I picked this book up and I truly believe you should too.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Tears of the Desert by Halima Bashir reviewed by Tracie at YuleTime Reading.  Tracie summarizes this amazing book (believe me, I know, I raved about it myself after I read it) as “follows Halima Bashir through her childhood in a remote African village, to her education at University, through her practicing of medicine and eventually to her escape from Darfur.  During her life, war and genocide loom over her as she tries desperately to avoid the conflict even though she see’s the affect of the war on her people in her work.  Eventually the war finds her and she must pay a horrible price for the help she has given her people.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• The Translator:  A Tribesman’s Memoir of Darfur by Daoud Hari reviewed by Debbie at Genre Reviewer.  “Daoud Hari tells his story in a very simple but a profoundly moving way. This is not a “fun” book, but it is an eye-opener to the reasons behind the conflict and is a first-hand look at what is really occurring in this area.”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• What is the What by Dave Eggers excerpt shared  by Susan at Pages Turned.  A very poignant passage from an amazing book (which I also reviewed).  It’s one that I personally can’t recommend enough and even had both of my parents read so I was thrilled to see Susan share it with us as well.
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• Also check out this list of book recommendations about the Darfur genocide.

Uganda

• First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria by Eve Waite- Brown reviewed by Jen at Devourer of Books.  The memoir of a Peace Corps worker in Uganda, Jen says, “I seriously very highly recommend this book, whether you’re an idealist who wants to go out and make the world better, someone who wishes they had the cajones to follow love and their ideals to third world countries, or someone who likes an entertaining story; in other words, basically everyone!”
  • Also reviewed by Maw Books, more book blogger reviews.

• The Ghosts of Eden by Andrew Sharp reviewed by Jackie at Farm Lane Books Blog.  About two very different boys growing up in Uganda, Jackie says, “I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to read about African culture, without battling with symbolism or the endless horrors of war. It is a beautifully written story, and I think it has just become my favourite book with an African setting.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Zambia

• Sikulu & Harabe by the Zambezi River: An African Version of the Good Samaritan Story written by Kunle Oguneye and Illustrated by Bruce McCorkindale reviewed by Terry at The Reading Tub.   Her reviews says, “I highly recommend Sikulu & Harambe by the Zambezi River.  It is storytelling at its best, with the lessons build into the story but still completely evident. The crayon-styled illustrations might lead you to think this is a book for only the youngest audiences. Preschoolers and Kindergartners will love this book, but so will kids up to third grade. The story itself and the lessons it offers will engage newly independent readers and offer a wonderful complement to the study of folklore and culture.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

Zimbabwe

• The Boy Next Door by Irene Sabatini reviewed by Debbie at Genre Reviewer.  “An engrossing novel that starts out as a mystery of sorts (did Ian really do it?) in which curiosity about her neighbor leads to friendship and then love. But it’s not an easy love.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• When a Crocodile Eats the Sun by Peter Godwin reviewed by Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness.  “Godwin parallels this deeply personal memoir with the reporting he did about the destruction of the Republic of Zimbabwe under President Robert Mugabe.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

General/Multiple Countries

• Another Man’s War:  The True Story of One Man’s Battle to Save Children in the Sudan by Sam Childers reviewed by Debbie at Genre Reviewer.  A memoir that tells the story of Sam Childers and of the children of southern Sudan and northern Uganda, Debbie says, “I’d recommend this book, especially to those who like incredible-but-true missionary stories, to soldiers who are Christians, and to those interested in what’s being done to help the children in southern Sudan and northern Uganda”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Chanda’s Secrets by Allan Stratton reviewed by Chele at The Hungry Readers.  A Young Adult novel set in an imaginary African country, “Chanda manages preparing the funeral for her youngest sister, helping a best friend about whom rumors circulate, supporting a weakening mother, and watching many deal with a disease that affects many but remains stigmatized and unnamed.  Chanda juggles her secrets with a mix of fear, love and denial.  At the source of them all is AIDS, the unnamed killer.”
  • Also reviewed by Kathleen at SMS Book Reviews who says it was heartbreaking and “This is one of those books that is so good you don’t know what to say.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Copper Sun by Sharon Draper reviewed by Melissa at One Librarian’s Book Reviews.  The story of a girl taken from her home village in Africa by Slave Traders to America, Melissa says, “This book was haunting and awful and beautiful all wrapped up in one. Amari’s survival through the brutalities and hardships she faces as a slave is just amazing. Throughout the book, I wondered how people could survive these horrors. The answer testifies to the tenacity of the human spirit – hope.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• The Marsh Lions:  The Story of an African Pride by Brian Jackman and Jonathan Scott reviewed by Jeane at Dog Ear Diary. This book “is more than just a book about lions. It’s about the whole panorama of African wildlife living around the Musiara Marsh, on the borders of Kenya and Tanzania. It’s the product of five years that Jonathan Scott spent photographing animals in the Masai Mara, keeping detailed notes about their behavior and interactions. He later collaborated with Jackman to have the book written and published.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Middle Passage by Charles Johnson reviewed by J.T at Bibliofreak.  “This is a magical realism metaphor-laced book.  It’s gonna run away with you.  You might not love it.  I can’t say that I loved it.  But I did really like it.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• No Room in the Ark by Alan Moorehead reviewed by Jeane at Dog Ear Diary.  “This book describes the author’s various safaris to view wildlife in Africa during the 1950’s. I really enjoyed reading his vivid descriptions of the weather, landscape and animals- especially incidents where he came into closer contact with the wildlife. One night a hyena snuck into his tent and ate his leather boots right from under his cot!”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Papa , Do You Love Me? by  Barbara M. Joose reviewed by Brian at Book Dads.  A picture book for the younger crowd, “The warm earth tones of the illustrations perfectly complement the text and evoke images of the Serengeti, a Glossary at the end of the book explains about the Masaai culture.  Papa, Do You Love Me shows children that all fathers unconditionally love their children, no matter where (or how) they live.”
  • More book blogger reviews.

• Say You’re One of Them by Uwem Akpan reviewed by Kathy at Bermudaonion.  Oprah’s newest book selection isn’t a fast read with it’s diaolouge written in often times difficult to dicipher dialect.  But Kathy says, “This book isn’t a fast read, but I think it’s an important one.  The title of the book comes from the fact that children in Africa sometimes have to deny their identity and say they’re one of “them” (another tribe or religion) in order to survive.  You will be a different person after you’ve read this book.” 
  • Teddy from So Many Precious Books, So Little Time reviews one of the short stories titled An Ex-Mas Feast.
  • More book blogger reviews.

• West with the Night by Beryl Markham reviewed by Jeane at Dog Ear Diary.  “I can’t say which I preferred, reading about the horses and African wildlife, or reading about her flights in a small plane- both were engrossing and captivating. And have you ever had the thrill of coming across a character in a book, who was friends with one you knew in a different book entirely?”
  • More book blogger reviews.

What Now?

If you have a blog, I’d love to have you answer the following questions in your own post or come up with your own thing.  Participation is open to all.  If you don’t have a blog feel free to answer them in the comments:

1. Do you read a lot of books that have an African focus?  If so, why do you enjoy them?
2. Have you reviewed any books with an African theme?  If so, feel free to highlight them.
3. What are you looking forward to reading next?  Anything on your radar?
4. If you haven’t read a lot of books with an African focus, what are some books that you’d like to read?
5. Are there any book titles showcased in this carnival that sounds interesting to you or that you’ve read?

Link your meme post in the Mr. Linky so we can visit:

Have More Book Reviews?

If you have a blog and have book reviews (no matter how old) with an African focus we’d love to know about them too!  Link your book reviews to the Mr. Linky in the following format:  Book Title (country).

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Copyright 2010. Maw Books Blog

Maw Books has an affiliate relationship with several bookstores, including Indiebound, Powell’s, and Amazon . When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, Maw Books earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog. There is no cost to you.

What I found fascinating about The Secret Keeper is that the author Paul Harris is also a journalist who covered the war in Sierra Leone.  I wanted to know how much of his personal experience played into the writing of this book and was thrilled to be able to ask Paul some of those questions.  Please welcome Paul to the Maw Books Blog . . .

Maw Books:  How and why did you become a journalist? Can you briefly share a few highlights from your career?

Paul Harris: I always wanted to be a journalist and I think I have been lucky to have had that ambition from a young age. When I was about 9 years old I started a newspaper at my school (it lasted one edition!). So it was simply a matter of doing student journalism, getting a journalism qualification and then battling to get a job. The reasons why I  wanted to be a journalist are a mix. Every journalist (I would hope) wants to change the world a little bit for the better. But every honest journalist should admit that it’s a chance to have an awful lot of fun, see some exotic places and get to see your name in print. My main highlight would be covering the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa. It was a panel set up by archbishop Desmond Tutu to examine apartheid era crimes by all sides. It was a privilege to watch a nation try to heal itself like that, with all the moral compromises and complexities that that involved.

Maw Books:  Starting a newspaper at nine?  It’s no surprise you became a journalist!  You spent a month in Sierra Leone covering the civil war.  It is obviously this experience that drove you to write The Secret Keeper.  But you’ve also covered many other conflicts across Africa and elsewhere. Why did you choose this story over any of the other stories that you could have told?

Paul Harris: I think Sierra Leone held the most fascination because for me it was the most extreme experience.  More so than two months embedded with the military during the invasion of Iraq or other conflicts which I just dipped in and out of.  In Sierra Leone I was operating alone, in a strange country amid utter chaos.  It was a heady mixture of excitement and fear.  It was also the conflict that put a full stop on my African experience. I decided to leave shortly after.

Maw Books:  I can only imagine the things you must have seen and heard.  Why write a novel in the first place?  Is it something that you have always wanted to do or have been interested in?  What led you to turn from journalism writing to novel writing?

Paul Harris: I always wrote fiction, especially when I was a child. I fell in love with Tolkien and spent many hours writing my own stories set in fantasy worlds (writing a fantasy book is still a secret ambition of mine). Then, after I had left Africa, I decided to take my desire to write a novel seriously and followed the dictum: write what you know. So I began the process of taking some of my own experiences as a setting and starting to work what sort of themes I wanted to explore.

Maw Books:  Was it easy or difficult to switch to a different style of writing for The Secret Keeper from your journalism writing?

Paul Harris: It was very liberating actually. Fiction is an opportunity to play around and say exactly what you want. Journalism has rules to stop that sort of thing.

Maw Books:  I imagine being an war correspondent stationed abroad can be very frustrating when faced with the ignorance of others who either have little to no interest in the stories that you are risking your life to bring to them.  Do you think you can reach a new demographic with a novel (as opposed to journalism writing), to those who may not be aware of some of the current conflicts around the world?

Paul Harris: Definitely. The best fiction can bring the most obscure parts of the world to people’s attention and reach people that don’t consume too much news or have become disillusioned with it. I imagine that Khaled Hosseini has done more to bring Afghanistan alive for people than a thousand news stories.  Perhaps, hopefully, what happens is someone will read the fiction and then be inspired to find out more about the reality.

Maw Books:  I must admit that Hosseini spurred my desire to read more books that take place in Afghanistan, which I’m lucky to say I have.  What do you hope the reader learns, if anything, after reading The Secret Keeper?

Paul Harris: I think, at heart, it’s a story about moral complexity. That very few things are black and white. Good people do bad things, bad people do good  things. Everything is a shade of grey.

Maw Books:  What was the personal emotional impact on you from your experience in Sierra Leone?  How does covering war stories change you?  And how do you suppress this emotion in your journalism writing?

Paul Harris: It was pretty intense. I thought I was fine but after I left (and was incredibly relieved to get out) I noticed that I was behaving in certain strange ways: edgy, short-tempered, constantly nervous. I remember walking through a Nairobi street when a car exhaust backfired several times and it set my heart racing so much I thought I was about to have a panic attack.  But I think for most journalists the impact of covering conflicts will be as varied as the person. Some very fine friends make their whole careers out of it. Some of them thrive, others become very damaged. For me, it gave me a great sense of perspective and the preciousness of life and a feeling that war truly is the greatest folly of mankind. As for suppressing the emotion in writing, I think the simple rules of writing journalism will keep a lot of it out. But also a little bit of emotion – and breaking those rules – is generally a good thing. There is no such things as true objectivity, especially about tragedy, and nor should there be.

Maw Books:  Was the experience of writing The Secret Keeper cathartic in any way?  A way for you to release some of the emotions that you felt while in Sierra Leone or any other war torn country?

Paul Harris: I think it was. It felt good to get it out on the page, probably more than I realized I needed.

Maw Books:  After witnessing so much real-life drama how do you recreate that drama in The Secret Keeper?  How are real life emotions different than emotions as written on a page?

Paul Harris: What a fascinating question. I think (I hope) that I tried to recreate that drama as accurately as possible and give my characters emotions that would ring true. I think authors should aim to recreate authenticity. Because readers are not fools and will spot a fake. So I guess it is up to the readers to say if I have succeeded or not.

Maw Books:  How have the real life people you met in Sierra Leone influenced the characters/personalities in your book?

Paul Harris: A lot, but not all. The romance between Danny and Maria was inspired by an affair that a colleague and a local aid worker were having.  Kam, Danny’s driver and fixer, was based entirely on my driver in real life. Ali was inspired by a guy I met on a helicopter trip.  I did not even speak to him, but he just looked so… shady and yet totally at home in his environment. I just extrapolated him from there. The scenes in the hotel bar were all taken from real life. That place was a real “Star Wars” bar that everyone went to every night. Covering a conflict like that at leaves gives one a vast amount of exotic source material.

Maw Books:  I thought Kam was quite the character!  How much (if any) of you is there in Danny?  Is there anything specifically that happened to him that is based upon your real life experiences?

Paul Harris: I think inevitably there is a lot there. A friend pointed out that there is very little physical description of Danny in the book and I guess that is because in my mind’s eye he was basically me. There are several specific incidents inspired by real life events: the shooting outside the RUF leader’s house, the trip to Bo and the fire fight up country towards the end of the book. Mining those events for fictional purposes did feel a little surreal at times.

Maw Books: Knowing what your author photo looked like I have to admit that I kept picturing Danny as you.  And what fascinating experiences!  Was there a particular scene that you knew you had to write about?  That never changed from the moment you conceived it?

Paul Harris: Weirdly, the last sentence was pretty much the first sentence that came to my mind. Writing the book felt like a journey to get to that point and though it took lots of turns and twists, I felt I never really lost sight of it.

Maw Books:  What surprised you most about your book and/or characters as you were writing? Did anything turn out radically different than you’d originally thought it would?

Paul Harris: This is a tough one. I had an unusual experience writing the character of Danny’s girlfriend, Rachel. I wanted her to be a sympathetic, good person.  But at the end of the first draft my editor said she didn’t really care for her at all, saying she came over as negative and complaining. With that in mind I went back and reread those bits of the book with a fresh eye and was astonished to discover she was right. I had written her in print in a way completely different than what I thought I had. So I went back and rewrote her parts to do her more justice.

Maw Books:  While I was reading The Secret Keeper I kept visualizing the story as a movie playing out in my head.  If The Secret Keeper were a movie, who would you cast as your characters?

Paul Harris: That’s a fun question. A lot of people say it feels very cinematic. Perhaps Penelope Cruz as Maria. As Danny is inspired by some of my own experiences, I think modesty forbids me making any suggestions. I’ll leave it to readers’ imaginations. They are likely to be more honest than mine.

Maw Books:  I could totally see Penelope Cruz as Maria.  Good choice!  Can you briefly share with us what you think the current state of Sierra Leone is and what you think is in it’s future?

Paul Harris: Sierra Leone – I am delighted to say – is doing well. It is still desperately poor and has huge needs, but the war is over and has been for almost a decade now. Progress is slow but with such a history any sort of progress is to be celebrated. The same can be said of much of the rest of the region where equally devastated countries, like Liberia, are also recovering and stable. It is good news in a troubled world.

Maw Books:  I was haunted with the blank stares and listless ex-child soldiers as you wrote about them in the book.  Maria, works for an orphanage that took in ex-child soldiers in an attempt to rehabilitate them and place them into homes.  Will you share with us some of your experiences with child soldiers in Sierra Leone? Is enough being done for them?  What, in your opinion, needs to be done?

Paul Harris: My experiences were mostly limited to meeting them at  roadblocks and trying to negotiate my way through them. It is incredibly scary and also incredibly sad, to meet such young children, armed with machine guns, drunk and high and dangerous, and yet fundamentally still children who respond to a laugh and a smile. It is a problem that felt almost impossible to solve and I am no expert. But they need all the help and understanding they can get to help them recover from traumatising experiences that we can never imagine and yet not lose sight of the fact that they remain children.  Like everything else in Sierra Leone, resources are small and the need is great.  But, at the very least, no more child soldiers are being created.

Maw Books:  I have a special interest in Sudan.  You have spent some time in Sudan.  Can you briefly share a little bit about some of the stories that you covered there?

Paul Harris: I spent some time traveling with Christian missionaries who were buying back black African Sudanese who had been captured in slave raids by Arab Sudanese. I know that sounds incredibly medieval but the South of Sudan back in the 90s was just that kind of place. It is a different world.  I also covered a lovely story on a sort of ‘Olympics’ that aid groups organized in the area for local kids who had little else to enjoy in tough childhoods defined by the ongoing civil war. I loved south Sudan.  People were generous and kind and it really felt like going back in time.  My favourite moment was sleeping in a south Sudanese village, deep in the bush and being awoken by terrible screams and shouts. In the middle of a war zone, you could imagine all sorts of horrors. But the next morning we discovered one of the village elders had had too much to drink and his wife had kicked him out of their hut. It was their argument we had heard.  As someone who fundamentally believes that every human being is basically the same, it was a good lesson in the universality of human experience!

Maw Books:  I’ve read a bit about the slave trade in South Sudan.  It’s just so crazy!  And now for a few more “lighter” questions.  What’s the last book you finished and what’s on your nightstand right now?

Paul Harris: The last book I read was the excellent Columbine by Dave Cullen. I have not got anything on my night stand just yet as I am about to start doing research for a new book and am going to draw up a long non-fiction reading list based around US politics to kick things off.

Maw Books:  What is the best writing advice you have ever received and in turn the best writing advice that you could give?

Paul Harris: The best advice I got was write what you know. It was a great help in giving me the focus to write a book after several false starts over the years on less solid ground. My advice would simply be: a writer writes.  So many people say they have books in them, but never finish what they start.  You have to persevere. To the end. It sounds blindingly obvious, but the main reason most people don’t get published is because they don’t write a book.

Maw Books:  That makes perfect sense.  If you could have dinner with any five people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?

Paul Harris:

Jesus Christ (just to solve the mystery of who he actually was)
Archbishop Desmond Tutu (the most ‘good’ person I have ever met) Aristophanes (great sense of humour)
JRR Tolkien (he created an entire world inside his head)
Mae West (she would make it a proper party)

Maw Books:  Speaking of dinner, a question that I ask of every single author I interview is to share with us a recipe that I will later make and blog about.  Do you have a favorite from your world travels that you would care to share with us?

Paul Harris: Food during a lot of my travels has not been that good (two months of military rations in Iraq!). But here is a dish from Cape Town in South Africa, with its origins in the Cape Malay community, people descended from Malaysian slaves brought over by the Dutch in the 17th Century.  It is called Bobotie and is a bit (only a bit) like a moussaka.

Link to Bobotie recipe.

Maw Books:  Seriously, sounds delicious.  I’m going to try to get everything I need for it.  So what are you doing right now?  Do you have any more books in your future?

Paul Harris: I am just starting a second book. Set against the backdrop of an American presidential campaign. I covered the 2004 and 2008 elections and want to capture some of that amazing excitement and drama. As I said earlier: write what you know.

Maw Books:  Anything else you would like to share with the Maw Books readers?

Paul Harris: Just to say thanks for reading and commenting.  The experience of doing this sort of thing online is a lot of fun and also blogs like Maw Books are so important these days. For readers and for authors.  We’re entering a whole new world together.

Giveaway: I was able to pick up a second copy of The Secret Keeper that I would love to pass on to you.  To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me what you found the most interesting from this interview with Paul Harris.  If you would like to double  your chances of winning, also leave a comment responding to my book review of The Secret Keeper.  Giveaway is open world-wide and I’ll pick a winner on May 27th.

Links of interest:  The Secret Keeper website.  Maw Books review of The Secret Keeper.
Genre:  Mystery/thriller.
Publisher:  Dutton Adult.  April 2nd, 2009
Hardcover, 336 pages.  ISBN: 0525951024
The Secret Keeper is available from your independent bookstore, Powell’s, Barnes and Noble and Amazon.
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Copyright 2010. Maw Books Blog

Maw Books has an affiliate relationship with several bookstores, including Indiebound, Powell’s, and Amazon . When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, Maw Books earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog. There is no cost to you.