Obama recommends ‘Things Fall Apart’, ‘Americanah’ for summer reading

Barack Obama, the former president of United States of America, has recommended Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’ and Chimamanda Adichie’s ‘Americanah’ among six books to read over the summer.

Obama shared six all-African authored books on Twitter, ahead of his first visit to Africa since leaving office on January 20, 2017.

He is scheduled to visit Kenya and South Africa.

“Over the years since, I’ve often drawn inspiration from Africa’s extraordinary literary tradition. As I prepare for this trip, I wanted to share a list of books that I’d recommend for summer reading, including some from a number of Africa’s best writers and thinkers,” he wrote on Facebook.

“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 US 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’’.

Some of the other books suggested by the former US leader are ‘A Grain of Wheat’ by Ngugi wa Thiong’o and ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ by Nelson Mandela.

He also announced the launch of a civic leadership programme by the Obama Foundation after selecting 200 rising leaders from 44 African countries, holding on July 14 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

“In South Africa, the Obama Foundation will convene 200 extraordinary young leaders from across the continent and I’ll deliver a speech to mark the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth.”