I agree that Heart of Darkness is really about Africa in the racist imagination of colonialist Europe, and not about Africa in a factual sense. However, I think it's worth pointing out that it is generally understood to be an anti-colonialist book.

Either way, European colonialist attitudes towards Africa have played a sadly important role in shaping Africa as we know it today. So while you may find Conrad's depiction offensive (fair enough), I think it's still worth reading, if only to deconstruct it. It's still an important literary work about Africa, however you look at it.

Nega Mezlekia is a worthy author to add to this list.

Chanda's Secrets
It's for young adults, but moving and honest.

Millicent wrote: "I'm disheartened that the number two book on this list is Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Africa was an arbitrary setting for Conrad, chosen out of racist convenience (darkness!) and because colonial ..."


COMPLETELY agree with you! I am fairly upset that Heart of Darkness ranks as #2 on this list... it's a prime example novel of colonial discourse effect and I don't think it should be featured on this list... perhaps another one, but not for this. :(

I believe I would LOVE books about Africa. Alas, I have read some of the books above. I studied in university last year about Africa and I really loved it, I guess that is when my passion for Africa grew. I would also love to learn about my granparents' history, they are African.
A really good list, I should have thought about it.

Millicent wrote: "I'm disheartened that the number two book on this list is Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Africa was an arbitrary setting for Conrad, chosen out of racist convenience (darkness!) and because colonial ..."

In what way was Africa an arbitrary setting for this book? Conrad wrote this based on his own experience traveling in the Belgian Congo. I agree that his portrayal of Africans is pretty aggressively racist, but keep in mind that Conrad was just a product of his own time. You can't expect open-mindedness from a European living under the omnipresent spectre of British imperialism at the turn of the century.

I think it's an incredibly important book simply because it brought attention in Europe to the atrocities that were being committed in central Africa.

I think "I am Nujood" (last page) should be deleted - she is from Yemen, which is not considered part of Africa as far as I am aware.

"Reading Lolita in Tehran"- Iran is not Africa.

The Liquidator by a GR author has 8 ratings and yet 32 voters, almost none of whom voted for any other book.

I smell socks...

In the Great African Reads group, we are trying to find (or create) lists of books for each African country and region.

Here's an updated list of lists, including the countries that still need someone to make a Listopia for them.

Massa Makan Diabaté from Mali could be added.

As of this writing, only three of authors in the top ten are African, and only two are Black African. If you think a white British or American person has written THE book about some part of Africa, please read more African authors. I know I'm just yelling into the void here, but...ffs.

Most of the books on this list are ABOUT Africa. One should not conflate African literature with literature ABOUT Africa.

Beth wrote: "As of this writing, only three of authors in the top ten are African, and only two are Black African. If you think a white British or American person has written THE book about some part of Africa,..."

Not yelling into the void, it's the most important comment on this list.

What about the book "African Kaiser" by Robert Gaudi?

It is a book about Paul von-Lettow Vorbeck and the war in German Southeast Africa during the Great War

Author Tim Butcher sent me a message because he is concerned about his books disappearing from the lists, and this is one of them. He says his book Blood River was on this list with 322 votes when it vanished. I'm not seeing any documentation here about its removal; I know some librarians don't leave a note when they remove titles. Can anyone fill me in on this? Ordinarily he would be talking to GR employees, but with the pandemic he's having difficulty getting through, so he decided to ask a volunteer (me.) He says another one of his books, Chasing the Devil, was on the list at 193 votes. Then, poof. I haven't read his work, but the scope of his problem (disappeared from over 50 lists, he says) is not a small one, and it's affecting his ability to make a living. Does he have enemies out here? I've never heard of such a thing. Please advise.

Donna wrote: "Author Tim Butcher sent me a message because he is concerned about his books disappearing from the lists, and this is one of them. He says his book Blood River was on this list with 322 votes when ..."

Not sure, but I've read both of those books and they are pretty good.

Donna wrote: "Author Tim Butcher sent me a message because he is concerned about his books disappearing from the lists, and this is one of them. He says his book Blood River was on this list with 322 votes when ..."

I had in my notes that Blood River was number one on this list. I just noticed that it is gone, and not on the next two pages either ( 101-300). It needs to be replaced I think.
The only list it comes up under the search function in is "2012 Endeavour Award Submissions".

Just a word to thank those who contributed to this thread about vanishing books. I am grateful to the Good Samaritan who restored - unprompted - one of my books to this list. Having lost the original votes, I feel like I landed on a snake and slid back down to the start. I just wanted to better understand why this happened and work towards it not happening again to me or any author. With thanks to all who contribute to this site. Cheers, Tim Butcher, author etc