Barack Obama, a voracious reader who regularly recommended books while president, continues to do so out of office.
As he prepared for a trip to Africa, Obama shared a reading list on Facebook Friday. The books all relate to Africa — “a continent of wonderful diversity, thriving culture, and remarkable stories,” he wrote — and show his depth of curiosity and his interest in both fiction and nonfiction.
Among the six titles are the classic Chinua Achebe novel “Things Fall Apart” (1958) and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 2013 bestseller “Americanah.”
“Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a true classic of world literature.
“This novel paints a picture of traditional society wrestling with the arrival of foreign influence, from Christian missionaries to British colonialism.
“A masterpiece that has inspired generations of writers in Nigeria, across Africa and around the world.
“Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: From one of the world’s great contemporary writers comes the story of two Nigerians making their way in the U.S. and the UK, raising universal questions of race and belonging, the overseas experience for the African diaspora and the search for identity and a home’’.
The other books suggested by the former U.S. leader included “A Grain of Wheat” by Ngugi wa Thiong’o and “Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela.
