ARCHITECTURE (GHANA/DIASPORA)
Adjaye: Works 2007-2015: Houses, Pavilions, Installations, Buildings edited by Peter Allison, 2022
R1770 from Jonathan Ball
Beautifully photographed and presented, with pithy descriptions of each of the almost 50 projects featured, Adjaye: Works 2007-2015 tracks the output during those years of Africa’s preeminent contemporary architect, David Adjaye. Born in Tanzania of Ghanaian descent and now based in London, Adjaye’s work runs the gamut from temporary pavilions to houses, galleries, offices and libraries. His brilliant deployment of materials, which repeatedly adds a reflexive and almost spiritual dimension to his projects, is especially well documented here. RA
ESSAYS/MEMOIR (KENYA)
How to Write About Africa by Binyavanga Wainaina, 2022
R405 from The Book Lounge
“How to write about Africa” is Kenyan writer Binyavanga Wainaina’s most famous essay, a satirical tour de force that made fun of western perceptions and portrayals of African realities, and also reasserted that agency for African writers. So it’s fitting that this collection of his writings, posthumously published after his sadly early demise aged just 48, bears the same title. But these essays are much richer than the titular piece’s writing back against the empire. They’re lovely, at times uncertain stories about the intricate details that made up Wainaina’s rich experiences – from vivid, visceral explorations of food, to meditations on politics, sexuality and culture. CR
CONTEMPORARY FICTION (KENYA)
The Havoc of Choice by Wanjiru Koinange, 2022
R240 from The Book Lounge
This is a sensitive retelling of the horrific violence that took place following the Kenyan elections of 2007. The story is narrated through the perspectives of a prominent family, together with their staff. In this debut novel, Wanjiru Koinange highlights the political and tribal environment of Kenya and explores themes of class, loss and corruption. A story well told. BM
