Books I Read April 6th, 2025

Read some real heat this week. Also made excellent apple butter, though that's not really germane to the following.

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa by Stephen Buoro – A modern day Arturo Bandini in rural Nigerian grapples with the immense disconnect between his potential and the impoverished and violent reality which surrounds him. One of the interesting things about the headlong dive I've taken into African fiction in the last few months is that it's forced me to rely to a a far greater degree than normal on listicles and book awards, meaning that much of what I've read is clearly governed by literary trends, to a greater degree at least than my normal selection of obscure 70's east German novelettes. All of which is to say, do your best to ignore the title—I can say from personal experience that every editor alive seems to be pushing 'The Numbered Things of Namey McPersonson' on each new acquisition—this is an excellent, if uneven, debut novel, scathing in its honesty and intimacy, if marred a bit by an excess of tragedy in the narrative. I'll keep an eye out for the next thing.

Savage Seasons by Kettly Mars – A desperate mother in 60's Port-au-Prince makes a deal with the devil, selling herself to one of Duvalier's henchman in exchange for protection for her and her family. Masterful. This is some hot-hot-heat. Even anticipating the conclusion it is a thrilling and disturbing ride, as well as a profound exploration of the corrupting effects of dictatorship on society. Excellent. Really glad I stumbled across it.

Memoirs of a Porcupine by Alain Mabanckou – A familiar narrates the life of his demonic master in a nightmarish satire of native religious beliefs. The most fruitful method I've found of discovering new (to me) writers is to follow up closely anytime an unknown author is name-checked in a work I'm enjoying. Credit to Fiston Mwanza Mujila for introducing me to this masterful and disturbing work. This is my favorite sort of thing to read—a linguistically innovative but narratively coherent novel from an unfamiliar area exploring the complexity of a human reality which is largely foreign to me. Excellent.

Girls at War and Other Stories by Chinua Achebe – A selection of small masterpieces, encompassing charming rural fairy-tales and complex explorations of life in behind the Biafran blockade. Excellent.