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This guide was created by Kimberly Rooney and Emilie Songolo and is managed by Kimberly Rooney. For questions contact kcrooney@wisc.edu.
Books - The UW-Madison libraries holds hundreds of thousands of Africa-related printed volumes in its collection. The most effective way to discover these invaluable monographs, anthologies, and other print material is to use the libraries' catalog search function and seek them out on the shelves in the library. Who knows what else you may find amongst the stacks!
Africa's 100 Best Books of the 20th Century
Over the last hundred years African writers have written of their lives, experiences, culture, history and myth; they have written in diverse forms, styles and in many languages. They have been published widely on the African continent, in Europe, the Americas and Asia. They have written in English, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Swahili, and in many other indigenous languages. And they have written with extraordinary originality, flair and great integrity. Nonetheless their work as a corpus deriving from the African continent remains largely unknown and uncelebrated.
To mark the beginning of the 21st century, and encouraged by Professor Ali Mazrui, the Zimbabwe International Book Fair launched the international compilation of "Africa's 100 Best Books." This project was organized in collaboration with the African Publishers Network (APNET), the Pan-African Booksellers Association (PABA), African writers' associations, book development councils, and library associations.
Creative Writing
- Sosu's Call by Meshack Asare (Illustrator)ISBN: 9781929132218Publication Date: 2006-07-01Ghana
Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Available for in-library use - Arrow of God by Chinua AchebeCall Number: PZ4 A17 ArISBN: 9780385014809Publication Date: 2016-08-16Nigeria
Memorial Library - Things Fall Apart by Chinua AchebeCall Number: PR9387.9 A3 T53ISBN: 9780435900014Publication Date: 1985-07-01Nigeria
Memorial Library - O testamento do Sr. Napumoceno da Silva Araújo : romance by Germano AlmeidaPublication Date: 1989Cape Verde
- Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born Beautiful by Ayi Kwei ArmahCall Number: PR9379.9 A7 B4 1969ISBN: 9780435900434Publication Date: 1986-09-01Ghana
Memorial Library - (L)'étrange destin de Wangrin; ou, Les roueries d'un interprète africain by Amadou Hampaté BâCall Number: DT533 W35 B3Publication Date: 1973Mali
Memorial Library - Une si longue lettre by Mariama BâCall Number: PQ3989.2 B23 S5ISBN: 2723604306Publication Date: 1980Senegal
Memorial Library - La nuit sacrée : roman by Tahar Ben JellounCall Number: PQ3989.2 J4 N8 1987Publication Date: 1987Morocco
Memorial Library - Le pauvre Christ de Bomba, roman by Mongo BetiCall Number: PQ3989.2 B45 P3Publication Date: 1956Cameroon
Memorial Library - A dry white season by André BrinkCall Number: PZ4 B8583 DrPublication Date: 1979South Africa
Memorial Library - Riwan, ou, Le chemin de sable : roman by Ken BugulCall Number: PQ3989.2 B78 R58 1999Publication Date: 1999Senegal
Memorial Library - The last harmattan of Alusine Dunbar by Syl Cheney-CokerCall Number: PR9393.9 C5 L37 1990Publication Date: 1990Sierra Leone
Memorial Library - Le passé simple: roman by Driss ChraïbiCall Number: PQ3989 C5 P3Publication Date: 1954Morocco
Memorial Library - Life & times of Michael K by J. M. CoetzeeCall Number: PR9369.3 C58 L5 1984Publication Date: 1984South Africa
Memorial Library - Terra sonâmbula : romance by Mia CoutoCall Number: PQ9939 C68 T47 1992Publication Date: 1992Mozambique
Memorial Library - Karingana ua Karingana by José CraveirinhaCall Number: PQ9939 C73 K3 1974Publication Date: 1974Mozambique
Memorial Library - Climbié by Bernard Binlin DadiéCall Number: PQ3989 D28 C55Publication Date: 1956Côte d'Ivoire
Memorial Library - Nervous conditions by Tsitsi DangarembgaCall Number: PR9390.9 D36 N47 1989Publication Date: 1989Zimbabwe
Memorial Library - La Grande maison by Mohammed DibCall Number: PQ3989 D52 G7 1952Publication Date: 1952Algeria
Memorial Library - Le métier à tisser; roman by Mohammed DibCall Number: PQ3989 D52 M4 1957Publication Date: 1957Algeria
Memorial Library - L'Incendie, roman by Mohammed DibCall Number: PQ3989 D52 I5 1954Publication Date: 1954Algeria
Memorial Library - Les Contes d'Amadou-Koumba by Birago DiopCall Number: GR350 D5 1969Publication Date: 1969Senegal
Memorial Library - Murambi : le livre des ossements : roman by Boubacar Boris DiopCall Number: PQ3989.2 D553 M87 2000Publication Date: 2000Senegal
Memorial Library - L'amour, la fantasia by Assia DjebarCall Number: PQ3982.2 D57 A8 1995Publication Date: 1995Algeria
Memorial Library - The joys of motherhood by Buchi EmechetaCall Number: PZ4 E525 Jo 1979bPublication Date: 1979Nigeria
Memorial Library - Ogboju ode ninu igbo irunmale by D.O. FagunwaCall Number: PL8822 F41Publication Date: 1959Nigeria
Memorial Library - Maps by Nuruddin FarahCall Number: PR9396.9 F3 M3 2000Publication Date: 2000Somalia
Memorial Library - The Blood Knot by Athol FugardCall Number: PR9369 F78 B4Publication Date: 1963South Africa
Memorial Library - Zayni Barakat by Gamal al-GhitaniCall Number: PJ7826 H5 Z3913 1988Publication Date: 1988Egypt
Memorial Library - Burger's daughter by Nadine GordimerCall Number: PZ4 G66 Bu 1979Publication Date: 1979South Africa
Memorial Library - A Question of Power by Bessie HeadCall Number: PZ4 H4323 Qe 1974Publication Date: 1974South Africa
Memorial Library - Nos matamos o cão tinhoso by Lourenço MarquesCall Number: PQ9909.2 H6 N6Publication Date: 1964Mozambique
Memorial Library - Bones by Chenjerai HoveCall Number: PR9390.9 H68 B6 1990Publication Date: 1990Zimbabwe
Memorial Library - Abyssinian chronicles by Moses IsegawaCall Number: PT5881.19 S24 A2413 2000Publication Date: 2000Uganda
Memorial Library - Ingqumbo yeminyanya by A.C. JordanCall Number: PL8324 J6Publication Date: 1965South Africa
Memorial Library - Poppie Nongena by Elsa JoubertCall Number: PT6592.2 O78 S913 1985Publication Date: 1985South Africa
Memorial Library - L'aventure ambiguë by Cheikh Hamidou KaneCall Number: PQ3989.2.K3 A98 2011Publication Date: 1961Senegal
Memorial Library - Ualalapi by Ungulani Ba Ka KhosaCall Number: PQ9939 K48 U2 1990Publication Date: 1990Mozambique
Memorial Library - Les soleils des indépendances by Ahmadou KouroumaCall Number: PQ3989.2 K58 S6Publication Date: 1970Côte d'Ivoire
Memorial Library - Living, Loving and Lying Awake at Night by Sindiwe MagonaCall Number: PR9369.3 M335 L58 1992Publication Date: 1991South Africa
Memorial Library - The Cairo trilogy by Naguib MahfouzCall Number: PJ7846 A46 C35 2001Publication Date: 2001Egypt
Memorial Library - House of Hunger by Dambudzo MarecheraCall Number: PZ4 M3259 HoPublication Date: 1978Zimbabwe
Memorial Library - Chaka by Thomas MofoloCall Number: PL8689.9 M57 C5 1936Publication Date: 1936Lesotho
Memorial Library - Un attieké pour Elgass by Tierno MonénemboCall Number: PQ3989.2 M58 A88 1993Publication Date: 1993Guinea
Memorial Library - Indaba, My Children by Vusamazulu Credo MutwaCall Number: GR360 B2 M85 1985Publication Date: 1985South Africa
Memorial Library - Caitaani Mutharaba-ini by Ngũgĩ wa ThiongʾoCall Number: PL8379.9 N4 C3 1980Publication Date: 1980Kenya
Memorial Library - A Grain of Wheat by Ngũgĩ wa ThiongʼoCall Number: PZ4 N5688 GrPublication Date: 1967Kenya
Memorial Library - Soundjata ou l'épopée mandingue by Djibril Tamsir NianeCall Number: GR360 G78 N5Publication Date: 1960Senegal
Memorial Library - Inkinsela yaseMgungundlovu by Ibhalwe ngu Sibusiso NyembeziCall Number: PL8844 N9453 I5 1961Publication Date: 1961South Africa
Memorial Library - Labrynths by Chistopher OkigboCall Number: PR6065 K5 L3 1971Publication Date: 1971Nigeria
Memorial Library - The Famished Road by Ben OkriCall Number: PR9387.9 O394 F255 1991Publication Date: 1991Nigeria
Memorial Library - Le vieux nègre et la médaille by Ferdinand OyonoCall Number: PQ3989 O9 V53Publication Date: 1956Cameroon
Memorial Library - Song of Lawino by Okot p'BitekCall Number: PL8041.9 B5 S6 1984Publication Date: 1984Uganda
Memorial Library - A geração da utopia by PepetelaCall Number: PQ9929 P46 G45 1992Publication Date: 1992Angola
Memorial Library - Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El SaadawiCall Number: PJ7862 A3 W6 1983Publication Date: 1983Egypt
Memorial Library - Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb SalihCall Number: PZ4 S163 SePublication Date: 1969Sudan
Memorial Library - Le jeune homme de sable by Williams SassineCall Number: PQ3989.2 S26 J4Publication Date: 1979Guinea
Memorial Library - Les bouts de bois de Dieu by Ousmane SembeneCall Number: PQ3989 S46 B68 1984Publication Date: 1984Senegal
Memorial Library - Oeuvre poétique by Léopold Sédar SenghorCall Number: PQ3989.S47 A17 2006Publication Date: 1990Senegal
Memorial Library - Utenzi wa vita vya uhuru by Shaaban RobertCall Number: PL8704 R59 1967Publication Date: 1967Tanzania
Memorial Library - La vie et demie by Sony Labou TansiCall Number: PQ3989.2.S64 V54 1979Publication Date: 1979Congo
Memorial Library - La grève des battus by Aminata Sow FallCall Number: PQ3989.2 F177 G713 1981Publication Date: 1981Senegal
Memorial Library - Death and the king's horseman by Wole SoyinkaCall Number: PR9387.9 S6 D4 2003Publication Date: 2003Nigeria
Memorial Library - Le mauvais sang - feu de brousse - à triche-coeur by Tchicaya U Tam'siCall Number: PQ3989.2 T35 M3Publication Date: 1970Congo
Memorial Library - The Palm-wine Drinkard by Amos TutuolaCall Number: PZ4 T968 Pal 1961Publication Date: 1961Nigeria
Memorial Library - Butterfly Burning by Yvonne VeraCall Number: PR9390.9 V47 B88 1998Publication Date: 1988Zimbabwe
Memorial Library - Nós os do Makulusu by José Luandino VieiraCall Number: PQ9929.2 V5 N6 1985Publication Date: 1985Angola
Memorial Library - Amal'eZulu by B. Wallet VilakaziCall Number: PL8844 V5 I5 1944Publication Date: 1944South Africa
Memorial Library - Nedjma by Kateb YacineCall Number: PQ3989.2 Y28 N4 1956Publication Date: 1956Algeria
Memorial Library
Scholarship/Non-Fiction
- Accumulation on a world scale; a critique of the theory of underdevelopment by Amir SaminCall Number: HG3881 A5613Publication Date: 1974Egypt
Memorial Library - Male daughters, female husbands : gender and sex in an African society by Ifi AmadiumeCall Number: DT515.45.I33 A47 2015Publication Date: 1987Nigeria
Memorial Library - In my Father's house : Africa in the philosophy of culture by Kwame Anthony AppiahCall Number: DT352.4 A66 1992Publication Date: 1992Ghana
Memorial Library - Unity and struggle : speeches and writings by Amilcar CabralCall Number: DT613.75 C335Publication Date: 1979Guinea-Bissau
Memorial Library - Kiswahili : past, present, and future horizons by Rocha ChimerahCall Number: PL8701 C46 1998Publication Date: 1998Kenya
Memorial Library - Antériorité des civilisations nègres: mythe ou vérité historique? by Cheikh Anta DiopCall Number: GN645 D49Publication Date: 1967Senegal
Memorial Library - Cutting the rose : female genital mutilation : the practice and its prevention by Efua DorkenooCall Number: GN484 D6 1994Publication Date: 1994Ghana
Memorial Library - Ethiopia unbound: studies in race emancipation by J. E. Casely HayfordCall Number: HT1523 H39 2003Publication Date: 2003Ghana
Memorial Library - Sur la philosophie africaine : critique de l'ethnophilosophie by Paulin J. HountondjiCall Number: B5305 H68 1977Publication Date: 1977Benin
Memorial Library - The history of the Yorubas : from the earliest times to the beginning of the British protectorate by Samuel JohnsonCall Number: DT513 J6Publication Date: 1956Nigeria
Memorial Library - Facing Mount Kenya : the tribal life of the Gikuyu by Jomo KenyattaCall Number: DT434 E2 K45Publication Date: 1938Kenya
Memorial Library - Histoire de l'Afrique noire, d'hier à demain by Joseph Ki-ZerboCall Number: DT20 K5Publication Date: 1972Burkina Faso
Memorial Library - Country of my skull by Antjie KrogCall Number: DT1757 K76 1998Publication Date: 1998South Africa
Memorial Library - Beyond the masks : race, gender and subjectivity by Amina MamaCall Number: GN645 M32 1995Publication Date: 1995Nigeria
Memorial Library - Citizen and subject : contemporary Africa and the legacy of late colonialism by Mahmood MamdaniCall Number: JV246 M35 1996Publication Date: 1996Uganda
Memorial Library - Long walk to freedom : the autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson MandelaCall Number: DT1949 M35 A28 1994Publication Date: 1994South Africa
Memorial Library - Die Siel van die Mier : The soul of the white ant by Eugène N. MaraisCall Number: OWX M32 EPublication Date: 1937South Africa
Memorial Library - Portrait du colonisé, précédé de portrait du colonisateur by Albert MemmiCall Number: JV51 M4 1966Publication Date: 1966Tunisia
Memorial Library - The Struggle for Mozambique by Eduardo MondlaneCall Number: DT459 M66 1969Publication Date: 1969Mozambique
Memorial Library - Down Second Avenue by Ezekiel MphahleleCall Number: DT776 M68 A3 1965Publication Date: 1965South Africa
Memorial Library - The invention of Africa : gnosis, philosophy, and the order of knowledge by V.Y. MudimbeCall Number: B5310 M84 1988Publication Date: 1988Democratic Republic of the Congo
Memorial Library - Ghana: The Autobiography of Kwame Nkrumah by Kwame NkrumahCall Number: DT511 N55Publication Date: 1957Ghana
Memorial Library - Native life in South Africa, before and since the European war and the Boer rebellion by Sol T. PlaatjeCall Number: DT763 P65 1969Publication Date: 1969South Africa
Memorial Library - Aké : the years of childhood by Wole SoyinkaCall Number: PR9387.9 S6 Z462 1981Publication Date: 1981Nigeria
Memorial Library - The seed is mine : the life of Kas Maine, a South African sharecropper, 1894-1985 by Charles Van OnselenCall Number: DT1949 M33 V36 1996Publication Date: 1996South Africa
Memorial Library
How to Search for Books
- Use the Books tab on the Libraries Webpage.
- In the search box, type the your keywords.
- You don't need to use punctuation marks or capitals.
- Select Anywhere from the drop-down menu below the search box.
- Click Search.
- Notice the list on the left of the screen of ways to refine your results.
- Click the titles of items in the result list that fit your topic best.
- To help you choose, consider the following:
- Title of item: does it seem relevant to your topic?
- Name of author: is it someone in the field you recognize?
- Date of publication: how current is the book? (A book about medicine from the 1970s will be way out of date!)
- To find more books like this one,
- Click the book's title to open the record.
- Scroll down to the heading Subjects.
- Click a subject that is relevant to your topic. A list of similar subjects displays.
- Click the one you're interested in to see all the books at UW-Madison related to that subject.
- Write down the book's location and call number.
- You'll need both to find it on the shelf!
- Go to the appropriate library and pick up the book.
- To find your call number on the shelves, ask a librarian for help or find a stack guide when you arrive.