Whenever you buy a book from our online store, we may make a small commission which supports our work. Visit our online store here.
West Africa is one of the most populous regions in Africa, with 16 countries and an estimated population of 465 million as of 2025. This means there are millions of stories and experiences, which can be an exciting prospect for anyone looking to explore the region. As the region’s political and economic union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), marks its 50th anniversary, there is no better way to prepare for a trip across West Africa than to read some of its most evocative books.
In our latest book recommendation, we have compiled a list of seven books you need to read before travelling across West Africa. From the evocative memoir of a former child soldier to a thrilling poetry collection that explore queer identities in Nigeria, the region’s most populous country, the books on this list are your essential introduction to the political and social landscape of West Africa.
Read our recommendations below.
a long way gone
author: Ishmael beah
Genre: non-fiction
country: Sierra leone
Sierra Leonean author and human rights activist Ishmael Beah’s 2007 memoir is an evocative firsthand account of life as a child soldier in a West African country. It highlights the damaging effect of political unrest on the most vulnerable of citizens—children—underscoring the importance of political stability in West Africa and the larger African continent.
The book traces Beah’s transformation from an innocent boy who loves rap music and school to a childhood soldier forced to commit terrible acts of violence under the influence of drugs, fear, and military manipulation. Beah is only 12 years old when war reaches is little Sierra Leonean village, separating him from his family. He spends the next couple of months wandering through forests and war-torn towns, until he is recruited by the government army and trained to kill.
After years as a soldier, Beah is rescued by the United Nations Children’s Fund and placed in a rehabilitation centre where he meets and is adopted by his uncle. Although this memoir offers a harrowing look at how war strips children of their humanity, it also reveals the possibility of recovery and redemption.
no one dies yet
AUTHOR: kobby ben ben
GENRE: fiction
No One Dies Yet is Ghanaian author Kobby Ben Ben’s brilliant debut novel about identity, sexuality and cultural tensions in present-day Ghana. Set during the 2019 ‘Year of Return,’ which marked 400 years since the first enslaved Africans were taken to America, the story follows three gay Black Americans, who travel to Ghana to reconnect with their ancestral roots and explore the country’s underground queer scene.
The three men have two local guides: Kobby, a flamboyant aspiring crime novelist; and Nana, a religious man who is suspicious about the visitors. As the group navigates the complexities of identity and belonging, a series of grisly murders adds an element of suspense and intrigue to the story. The novel challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about cultural norms, colonial legacies, and the complexities of queer identity in Africa.
in the nude
authOR: logan february
GENRE: poetry
country: nigeria
Nigerian poet Logan February’s striking poetry collection In the Nude is one of the first to explore the theme of queerness in Africa. In this book, February takes readers through a journey of vulnerability and self-discovery, presenting a fluid, powerful voice that challenges conventions.
Navigating the complexities of queer identities in a hostile society, the poems in this collection are replete with metaphors of the body, desire, transformation and liberation, frequently blending personal memory with myth, dream-like imagery, and sharp social commentary. The result is a refreshingly experimental collection that boldly and tenderly celebrates the process of becoming.
Cassava Republic Press is proud to announce the launch of their inaugural $20,000 Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize dedicated to exceptional works by Black women. Deadline: 30th June 2024. Learn more here.
she would be king
AUTHOR: Wayétu Moore
GENRE: fiction
country: liberia
She Would Be King is a stunning debut novel that blends magical realism with historical fiction to reimagine the founding of Liberia. The story follows three protagonists—Gbessa, June Dey, and Norman Aragon—each endowed with supernatural abilities that symbolize the enduring scars of slavery.
Gbessa, born on a day deemed cursed by her village, is immortal and cast out to live alone in the wilderness. June Dey, born on a plantation in Virginia, is unusually strong, making him impervious to harm. Norman Aragon, the son of a Maroon slave and a British colonizer, can become invisible at will. All three meet in Liberia, where they confront the complexities of identity, belonging, and the challenges of forging a new nation. Through its rich storytelling and vivid characters, She Would Be King offers a rich exploration of the intersections of myth, history, and identity.
the african child
Author: camara laye
Genre: fiction
country: Guinea
Guinean author Camara Laye’s classic, The African Child, is an autobiographical novel about a little boy, Baba, growing up in Guinea. Originally published in French as L’Enfant noir in 1953, the book is celebrated for its lyrical prose and rich portrayal of traditional African life. Through the eyes of the young narrator, Laye recounts his upbringing in a close-knit Malinké community, where customs, rituals, and spirituality shape daily existence.
The narrative centres around the strong influence of family, particularly Laye’s father, a respected blacksmith with mystical powers, and his mother, whose quiet strength and love ground him. The novel details ceremonies such as circumcision, religious observances, and rites of passage, offering readers an intimate view of indigenous culture untouched by Western influence. By paying tribute to a vanishing way of life, this book offers a powerful testament to the richness of African heritage and the personal cost of colonialism and modernization.
The Most Secret Memory of Men
AUTHOR: mohamed mbougar sarr
GENRE: fiction
country: senegal
Senegalese author Mohamed Mbougar Sarr’s The Most Secret Memory of Men is a genre-defying literary novel that explores the complexities of writing and identity, as well as the erasure of African voices on the global literary stage. Winner of the 2021 Prix Goncourt, it intertwines a contemporary narrative with historical intrigue, drawing inspiration from the real-life scandal surrounding Malian author Yambo Ouologuem.
Crossing continents, from Europe to Australia to Africa, the story follows a young Senegalese writer, Diégane Latyr Faye, living in present-day Paris. When Diégane chances upon a copy of a 1938 novel titled The Labyrinth of Inhumanity, the groundbreaking novel of the elusive T.C. Elimane, he becomes drawn into a search that is both literary and existential. The story he chases spans continents and decades, winding through a labyrinth of literary and political histories.
in the company of men
authOR: Véronique Tadjo
GENRE: fiction
Country: Côte d’Ivoire
In In the Company of Men, Véronique Tadjo takes the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa as her subject, giving us a multifaceted narrative that has something to say about humans, animals and the environment. The story begins with two boys who, after hunting and consuming bats, succumb to a mysterious illness—later identified as Ebola. Their death sets off a chain reaction, leading to widespread panic and loss.
To give an authentic, compelling sense of the epidemic, Tadjo employs different perspectives: those of a dedicated doctor treating patients while protected only by a plastic suit; a student volunteering as a gravedigger when universities shut down; a grandmother caring for an orphaned child, and even that of an ancient Baobab tree watching them all while mourning the state of the environment⎈
