5 books you should have read in 2013
Chimamanda's new novel Americanah, is a story of love and race, centred around a young man and woman from Nigeria who face difficult choices and challenges in the countries they come to call home. Photo/FILE
What you need to know:
- From memoirs, autobiographies, fiction, non-fiction, literary enthusiasts were spoilt for choice in 2013.
The world's literary scene in 2013 was literally bursting at the seams with the launch of one book after the other.
From memoirs, autobiographies, fiction, non-fiction, literary enthusiasts were spoilt for choice.
This article articulates the writer's take on the must-reads for 2013.
LEAN IN BY SHERYL SANDBERG
This humorous, witty book by Facebook’s Chief Operations Officer is a 2012 publication that sparked conversations across the globe about a woman’s place in the corporate world.
Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook speaks during a panel discussion at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) meeting on September 24, 2013 in New York City. Photo/AFP
The book is a clarion call for women to stop sitting by the ‘corporate’ tables and instead lean in.
A worthy read for anyone seeking individual growth.
AMERICANAHBY CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE.
Chimamanda’s new novel Americanah is a story of love and race, centred around a young man and woman from Nigeria who face difficult choices and challenges in the countries they come to call home.
The writer touches on race, identity, love in fluid transition of one subject to the next, confidently and expertly tearing down the ‘uncomfortable truths’ in this thoroughly researched book.
AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED BY KHALED HOSSEINI
This is his third novel. Unlike his previous novels, this does not focus on a single character.
Each chapter’s story is told by a different character.
The book is centred around the relationship between ten –year old Abdullah and his three-year-old sister Pari, topped by their father’s decision to sell the daughter to a childless couple.
WE NEED NEW NAMESBY NOVIOLET BULAWAYO
This 2013 novel was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for literature. If she had won, she would have been the first African woman to take home the award.
Bulawayo also won the 2011 Caine Prize for African Writing for her short story Hitting Budapest about a gang of street children in a Zimbabwean shantytown.
Zimbabwean author Noviolet Bulawayo poses with her book "We Need New Names" during a photo call for shortlisted Man Booker Prize 2013 authors at the Southbank Centre in London, on October 13, 2013, ahead of announcing the winner on October 15. Photo/FILE
We Need New Names tells the story of a young girl called Darling who is only ten years old girl trying to traverse the world as she journeys from Zimbabwe to America.
She travels to the famous ‘land of opportunity’ only to find out that this is not the case. Reality hits her: that the opportunities are very few.
DUST BY YVONNE AWUOR
Launched in December 2013 by Kwani? Trust,Kenyan based literary network ,Dust is a novel about a splintered family in Kenya and the struggle around it—a story of power, deceit and survival, grief and madness, unrequited love, sacrifice and perseverance.
According to the other, one of the reasons that inspired her to write this is the 2007 post-election violence and rampant mob justice, among other injustices.
What is on your reading list currently?
