The year 2019 so far has been quite a busy year in African literary space, and the authors and publishers being the busiest – or so it seems. New books have been released from our favourite authors, with many more expected to be released.
In this post, we take a look at some recently released titles and upcoming books you should look forward to.
Upcoming Titles
Travellers by Helon Habila.
Release Date: June 2019.
Publisher: W. W. Norton.
The story is an imaginative exploration of the African diaspora in Europe, which tells the plight of contemporary African refugees as the core of its narrative. Travelers is a life-changing encounter with those who have been uprooted by war or aspiration, fear or hope.
The novel is an extensive, poignant exploration of loss and of connection, Travelers engraves an unforgettable journey in pursuit of love and home.
Manchester Happened by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
Release Date: May 2019.
Publisher: Oneworld Publications
The novel is a collection of short stories. It set in Manchester and Kampala, the stories weave an interesting narrative around the experiences of immigration and human relationships, and makes an important contribution to one of the most pressing societal and political issues of the day.
A Small Silence by Jumoke Verissimo
Release Date: July, 2019.
Publisher: Cassava Republic
A Small Silence is an intimate and evocative debut charges us to look again at the alienating effects of trauma and the power of solitude and darkness to ignite the imagination.
Imprisoned for ten years for his rage against society, activist and retired academic Prof resolves to live a life of darkness after his release from prison. He stays in his apartment, pushing away friends and family, and embraces his status as an urban legend in the neighbourhood until a knock at the door shakes his new existence.
Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
Release Date: December, 2019.
Publisher: MacMillian USA.
Children of Virtue and Vengeance is the sequel to the author’s New York Times-bestselling debut Children of Blood and Bone, the first book in the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy.
Broken Places & Outer Spaces: Finding Creativity in the Unexpected by Nnedi Okoroafor
Release Date: June, 2019.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/ TED
A powerful journey from star athlete to sudden paralysis to creative awakening, award-winning science fiction writer Nnedi Okorafor shows that what we think are our limitations have the potential to become our greatest strengths.
A Particular Kind of Black Man by Tope Folarin
Release Date: August, 2019.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster.
A stunning debut novel, from Rhodes Scholar and winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing, Tope Folarin about a Nigerian family living in Utah and their uncomfortable assimilation to American life.
When the Plums are Ripe by Patrice Nganang
Release Date: August, 2019.
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
This novel is the second volume in a magisterial trilogy, the story of Cameroon caught between empires during World War II.
Recently released titles
Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi
Release Date: March, 2019.
Publisher: Picador, Riverhead Books
An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma
Release Date: January, 2019.
Publisher: Little Brown
The Dragonfly Sea by Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor
Release Date: March, 2019.
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
It’s the story of a young woman struggling to find her place–a poignant exploration of fate, mortality, love, and loss.
The Freedom Artist by Ben Okri
Release Date: January, 2019.
Publisher: Head of Zeus.
This is another masterpiece from the Man Booker winning author. It’s a story of an impassioned plea for freedom and justice, set in a world that looks very like ours. A young woman is arrested for asking – ‘Who is the Prisoner?’ This question resonates throughout the novel, and by the end it has become the question every reader has to ask themselves. The answer is at the heart of the story.
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
Release Date: April, 2019.
Publisher: Riverhead Books
This is the first book in a trilogy, which the author has described as an African “Game of Thrones”. It’s a story that draws from African history and mythology and his own rich imagination. The author weaves a breathtaking adventure through a world at once ancient and startlingly modern.
The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste
Release Date: September 2019.
Publisher: W. W. Norton.
The novel is set in 1935 during Mussolini’s invasion of Ethiopia, The Shadow King takes the reader back to the first real conflict of World War II, casting light on the women soldiers who were left out of the historical record.
With the threat of Mussolini’s army looming, an orphan, Hirut struggles to adapt to her new life as a maid in Kidane and his wife Aster’s household. Kidane, an officer in Emperor Haile Selassie’s army, rushes to mobilize his strongest men before the Italians invade.
As the battles begin in earnest, Hirut and other women must care for the wounded. But when Emperor Haile Selassie goes into exile and Ethiopia is about to lose hope, Hirut helps to disguise a gentle peasant as the emperor to keep the fight alive. She becomes his guard, inspiring women to join the war against fascism.
The story explores female power, with Hirut as the fierce, original, and brilliant voice at its heart.
We will keep updating this list, so stay tuned.
