Sunday 9 March 2014

Reading African Writers Series

Here is another undeclared challenge of mine, to read all  novels in African Writers Series. The AWS founded in 1962 with Late Chinua Achebe as editor, are books written by African Writers published under Heinemann. Click here and here for more info.
There are around 300 published AWS so far, however, I have only read 13 of them. Below are they. The numbers in brackets are their corresponded number in the AWS, the ones without, I am not sure of. 
  1. The River Between, 1965, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o (17)
  2. Beyond the Horizon, 1995, Amma Darko
  3. Dew in the Morning, 1982, Shimmer Chinodya
  4. Head Above Water, 1986, Buchi Emecheta
  5. Anthills of the Savannah, 1987, Chinua Achebe 
  6. Unwinding Thread,1994, Women in Africa (Charlotte H. Bruner)
  7. Things Fall Apart, 1958, Chinua Achebe (1)
  8. No Longer at Ease, 1960, Chinua Achebe (3)
  9. Arrow Of God, 1965, Chinua Achebe (16)
  10. The Concubine, 1966, Elechi Amadi (25)
  11. Houseboy, 1960, Ferdinand Oyono (29)
  12. A Man of the People, 1966, Chinua Achebe (31)
  13. The Joys of Motherhood, 1979, Buchi Emecheta (65)
  14. A Question of Power, 1974, Bessie Head (149)
  15. So Long A Letter, 1979, Mariama Bâ (248)
  16. Heroes, 1986, Festus Iyayi
  17. Striving For The Wind, 1990, Meja Mwangi
  18. Kehinde, 1994, Buchi Emecheta
  19. Neighbours, 1995, Lília Momplé
  20. The Purple Violet of Oshaantu, 2001, Neshani Andreas
  21. Women are Different, 1986,  Flora Nwapa
  22. Never Again, 1975, Flora Nwapa
  23. One is Enough, 1981, Flora Nwapa
  24. The Clothes of Nakedness. 1998, Benjamin Kwakye
  25. The Mourned One, 1975, Stanlake Samkange (169)
What about you? Are you interested in reading novels in the AWS? What is your opinion about it? 

15 comments:

  1. I think that's an excellent (and challenging!) challenge idea. I have no intention of reading all of them, but I do want to read many of them!

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  2. AWS is a great series for older titles, but not all of them are available - unfortunately!

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    Replies
    1. African classic reads are mostly in the AWS. That is unfortunate though not all of then are avalable any more.

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  3. I think I have read more.

    @Accrabooksandthings, yes. Some are out of publication.

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    Replies
    1. Nana I am sure you have read a lot more, Join me in the challange.

      Delete
  4. It's a wonderful challenge you've set yourself Mary. I read quite a number in the past and still reading those that I can lay hands on now. Good luck.

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    Replies
    1. This is one challenge I Will take my time to accomplish. Hopefully.

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  5. Dear Mary,
    A great attempt to read all of the AWS!
    "So long a letter" is number 248.
    Yours,
    semper

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi,
      Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the help. Actually, I am not sure that I am gong to sucede with my attempt to read all of them. Though, poetry is not included. All the same, I am gong to give it a try.
      By the way, an impressive blog you have out there.

      Delete
  6. Dear Mary,
    I forgot to include my own website.
    semperaliquidnoviafricamadferre.wordpress.com

    semper

    ReplyDelete
  7. Saah! I can't believe I've read only three in this list. shame on me.I believe Nana has swallowed the whole thing. Mary 13! you tried. but i bi new school oh abi? these old books hard for see am na mayne

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    Replies
    1. Yeah Nana is one aggressive reader. I am sure he has read most of them.

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  8. Dear people, some good advice, that Bessie Head's novel in this list will confuse your head. that book is too difficult. LOL. so no touch am. Better na "When Rain clouds Gather". that one is sweet and comprehensible "cycles away quickly"

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    Replies
    1. I could not agree more, it was not an easy read. Though, I must also add that it is one fine novel for the beautiful mind.

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