Africa's 100 Best Literary Books of the 20th Century (and more)
The 20th century witnessed a remarkable upsurge in literary activity on the African continent. It is for this reason that, at the beginning of the 21st century, the Zimbabwe International Book Fair launched the international compilation of "Africa's 100 Best Books" in collaboration with the African Publishers Network (APNET), the Pan-African Booksellers Association (PABA), African writers' associations, book development councils, and library associations. The project also received significant input from renowned Kenyan scholar, Professor Ali Mazrui.
Below is a list of the 100 books (and authors) that were selected. They are arranged in three categories: Literature for Children, Creative Writing, and Scholarship/Non-Fiction. For source and further details on this project, go to the Columbia University Libraries (African Studies) website.
In addition to the texts listed below, The Africa Society has added a list of other writers and their works that didn’t make it on the list, but are very skilled nonetheless. We have also cited a bio-bibliography text from which details can be sourced on African writers and their works in general, as well as a list of texts on the African oral tradition (folktales).
