Post-Colonial Novels

Awhile ago, when complaining about The Help, I said I'd post a list of recommended books about non-white people, written by non-white people. But then I accidentally deleted it and was too discouraged to remake it.

But this past summer I ran into my old English teacher and promised I'd send her a list of some of my faves, which I finally just did. So I figured I'd add it here. It's not as long as the original list I'd made, but these are the books that come first to mind, that I guess I most enjoyed.

Also--Goodreads just published a list of 5 best Chinese novels as recommended by a Chinese author, so these are probably good reads if that's the country that interests you.


A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
This tends to make people's "best books of all time" list. It's about four people during the Emergency period under Indira Gandhi, whose storylines eventually intertwine. It's very touching. Sad, but not horrifyingly sad--the characters retain a lot of optimism. Mistry's Indian-Canadian.


The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver (the one book on this list by a white person)

About a missionary family living in a remote part of the Belgian Congo just as it's decolonizing. Great book, except the last couple chapters which are unnecessary. Both the top one and this were Oprah picks, which convinced me all the backlash about her book club was just stupid.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz
A more recent book, and so good. About a young overweight fantasy-loving geek who loves women, but they're not interested in him. And the curse on his family. They're Dominican-Americans, so part of the book takes place in the Dominican, and part in the Dominican-American community. This one's funny, and creatively narrated.

I Do Not Come to You By Chance - Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani
Not the best book on this list, but written by a Nigerian, who's still in Nigeria, about Nigeria--which can be hard to find! It's about a young man who gets swept up in the world of the people who run those email scams. The first half gets slow, but the second half is just so interesting, to get this perspective on these scammers.

Yacoubian Building - Alaa-Al-Aswany
Was a big hit in Egypt (by an Egyptian), about various Egyptian characters living in this building. I was only really drawn to one of the characters, so wasn't my fave--but when a book's a big hit and controversy in its home country, then it's worth a read.

Girls of Riyadh - Rajaa Alsanea
I had trouble getting into it at first, but then really enjoyed. Written by a young Saudi woman, about four young Saudi women. So... you get to hear about this part of society from an insider for once, rather than westerner impressions. It also caused a stink in its home country.

The Aya series of graphic novels - Marguerite Abouet
About a girl named Aya and her friends, in a village in the Ivory Coast. Super entertaining. (The author is from the Ivory Coast, and moved to France when she was 12.) Most have been translated into English.

I'll add to this A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, but it's a longo one. But so good I'm tempted to re-read it. Also about various people in India, only whereas the Balance people are poor, these ones are middle class. It's less about the Crushing Poverty and more about romance, and inter-faith relations, and politics.