The Dark Child
About the book
An autobiographical account of growing up in Koroussa in colonial Guinea.
Original title: L’Enfant noir
Africa · A READING GUIDE
Guinea
Camara Laye pairs a childhood memoir with a European’s allegorical journey through an African kingdom. Tierno Monénembo challenges colonial ambition in Fouta Djallon and voices a teenage survivor of Rwanda’s genocide. Williams Sassine turns to Portuguese colonial violence in Mozambique. These Guinean writers describe both their homeland and wider continental experiences.
WHERE TO START
- The Dark ChildCamara Laye
- The King of KahelTierno Monénembo
- WirriyamuWilliams Sassine
Books to begin with
An editorial selection · not rankedNo matches. Try another language or search term.
The Radiance of the King
About the book
A white castaway journeys through an African kingdom, gradually losing his sense of superiority.
Original title: Le Regard du roi
The King of Kahel
About the book
A novel based on Olivier de Sanderval’s life examines colonial ambitions in Fouta Djallon.
Original title: Le Roi de Kahel
The Oldest Orphan
About the book
Faustin, a teenager on death row in Kigali, recounts his survival of genocide.
Original title: L’Aîné des orphelins
Wirriyamu
About the book
A poet’s and a man with albinism’s lives unfold in the shadow of the massacre at Mozambique’s Wiriyamu.
The Guardian of the Word
About the book
A literary rendering of oral tradition and the memory of the Mali Empire.
The Black Terrorist
About the book
A novel recalling an African participant in the French Resistance.
Context and sources
Sources on authors and their connections to this country. Specific edition details appear beside each book. Polish and English originals are not labelled as translations.
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