Hey everyone!
Summer is basically over (this year, the first day of Fall is Wednesday – September 23rd) and real life is back in full effect :(. In my last challenge update I stated that I planned on reading at least 15 books this year. As the summer rolled along I realized that I would surpass this goal, so I challenged myself to read 20 books this year…. and I ended up surpassing that as well! During the summer I read 9 books; some were light reads, others were more on the heavy side. I enjoyed most of my summer reads to the point where my reading-tank is quite full… and I may be experiencing a reading slump!
Books I read during the summer:
May 23rd 2015: The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae
June 4th 2015: The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma
June 10th 2015: The Color Purple by Alice Walker
June 28th 2015: We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
July 8th 2015: Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat
July 12th 2015: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (re-read)
July 22nd 2015: Pig Tails ‘n Breadfruit by Austin Clarke
August 5th 2015: The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis
Aug 11th 2015: Matigari by Ngugi wa Thiong’o
Reviews for the rest of the books will be posted as the months go by!
I’m slowly reading my 22nd book of the year – Interpreter of Maladies by Indian-American author, Jhumpa Lahiri. I’m a mood-reader so I’m currently in the mood to enjoy a non-African literature novel this month, and so far, I like Lahiri’s work! I’m quite behind on the Lahiri bandwagon, but oh well! I recently found her books (Interpreter of Maladies and The Namesake) at a used bookshop in Accra called Ghana Book Trust. There were so many gems in that bookshop and I ended up buying 15 books! Majority of the books I purchased are from my favorite genres (African Lit, African-American/ Black Lit, Caribbean Lit) and are classics. They were cheap too – 3 Ghana cedis (GHC) per book! Check them out below:
[Books not shown in the picture above that I also bought are: The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, To Be Young, Gifted and Black by Lorraine Hansberry and When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago]
Lots of good books added to my bookshelf :). Have you read any of them?
African Book Addict! 
Donald Goines is one my favorite urban fiction authors. I couldn’t see the title of the one you have in the picture. But I own and read Dopefiend and White Man’s Justice, Black Man’s Grief. I’ve read a few others as well and would like to get his biography.
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Hey Zezee! Wow, you’ve read a lot of Goines. I only heard of him earlier this year. When it comes to Urban fiction writers, I can only swear by Sister Souljah! Oh the title is ‘Cry Revenge’. I hope I like it! What about Goines’ writing or storylines make him your fave urban fiction writer though?
Thanks for stopping by Zezee 🙂
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Oh yes, I like Sista Souljah too and also Omar Tyree. With Donald Goines, it’s not the writing style I like but the grittiness of the story. He tells it simply, doesn’t hold back.
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Good to know! Now I know what to expect when I read ‘Cry Revenge’. Thanks Zezee 🙂
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That’s a good haul, and I’ve enjoyed some of your choices too:)
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Hi Lisa! Good to know you’ve read some of the books I picked up. Which ones did you like the most?
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Oh waw!!!! You managed to read quite a few books so far! My aim was 12 (1 per month), and I think I might be close so I’ll try and speed up and get to 15 ish since I’ve been reading a few magazines in between (the ones that are edited like books since they’re released seasonally). If I count those I definitely made it to 15 lol (cheating, I know lol). I’m a mood reader too! After a long stint of personal development and finance books all I want to read now are poetry and stories (novels). “My Year Of Meats” sounds interesting. Might check that out!
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Hey Filomena! Yeah, I tend to binge read during the summer, hence the 9 books I’ve been able to read. Yes! I always want to read more stories too, after studying for a long time, so I feel ya on your want to read poetry and novels after all the finance stuff! A book a month is decent. I planned on reading 12 books last year (a book a month too!), but I ended up reading 15. You’ll surely surpass your goal by the end of the year. And even if you don’t, it doesn’t matter (who is counting though?) hahaa. Esp if you’re busy with real life!
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Well done! Awesome books. I’m missing Ngugi wa Thiong’o during my year of reading women. My favourite books this summer were Sarah Phillips by Andrea Lee, The Summer We Got Free by Mia McKenzie, From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and their Tellers by Marina Warner, Dust by Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, Sunlight on a Broken Column by Attia Hosain, Art on my Mind by bell hooks, I Do Not Come To You By Chance by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, The Translator by Leila Aboulela, The Hearing Trumpet by Leonora Carrington, The Spider King’s Daughter by Chibundu Onuzo, Zami: a New Spelling of my Name by Audre Lorde and The Four-Gated City by Doris Lessing = )
Currently reading Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal by Jeanette Winterson
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Ayyy Zanna!! You’ve read some AWESOME books this summer, I love the list of your faves! I wonder if I can ever dedicate a year to reading books written by only women. That would be a challenge for me! I’ve heard good things about ‘From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and their Tellers’ by Marina Warner ; I haven’t read ‘Dust’ by Owuor yet – was it interesting? Something about the blurb of that book screamed ‘dry’ after I read it 😦 ; Have you written reviews for bell hook’s book ‘Art of the Mind’ and ‘Zami: A New Spelling of my Name’ by Lorde? I’ll check your blog to see! I always want to read more of hooks work! ; I own Nwaubani’s book, but haven’t read it yet. I should get on that ; The Spider King’s Daughter by Onuzo was brilliant, don’t you think? ; Doris Lessing is an author I need to explore. So many great books Zanna! I’m going to peruse your blog to see some of those reviews. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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= ) = )
My blog is a few months behind – here’s my review of Zami
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/705795757
and here’s Art on my Mind
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/862275673
The only thing dry about Dust is the extremely arid landscape of the setting – it’s juicy otherwise, but not for everyone. review here
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/814191637
I forgot to mention Baby No Eyes by Patricia Grace – loved it = )
I joined a group reading the 5 volume Children of Violence epic by Doris Lessing, and I’m really glad I did. It must be one of the greatest bildungsroman in English.
The books written by men that I want to read have admittedly been stacking up somewhat, so next year I’ll have to try to maintain balance rather than allowing it to become a year of men! I plan to make 2017 a year of reading Writers of Colour. In 2019 I’ll probably try all women again, it’s been awesome = )
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Great! Thanks for the links, will check out the reviews. And I love that you already have your reading goals set for 2017 and 2019. Awesome 🙂
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That’s a lot of books this year lol. Great job! I read “Interpreter of Maladies” and I really, really liked it. I was unable to review it for my blog cause I was burnt out that school semester. I hope to read more titles by Jhumpa Lahiri. One of these days I’ll pick up a novel by JM Coetzee
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Hey Osondu :). Yeah, I’m enjoying Lahiri’s work so far! And I totally understand what you mean by being burnt out on school work lol. I’m in dental school and I def don’t get enough time in the semester to leisure read (I usually binge-read during Christmas break and Summer breaks :(). I look forward to reading a Coetzee review from you!
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