September is all about fresh starts, and if you’re looking for life advice, this month’s book picks are full of it. Whether you want it with a dose of humor (Charles Dickens), from someone who is living the dream (Eghosa Imasuen) or from a fictional character who totally gets you, there’s at least one book on this list that will make you think about your life in a new way.
If you're looking for intrigue, mystery and a bit of science fiction, the books of September have it all.
1. Girl at War by Sara Nović
This book documents the subject of war and its effect on children. The novel follows Ana Jurić, a 10-year-old girl surviving in the midst of the Yugoslav Wars. What makes young Ana’s story unique is that it’s not concerned with unmasking the horrors of war, as many have repeatedly done. Instead, this book is an exploration of how humans grow, prosper and move on from unthinkable times.
2. Fine Boys by Eghosa Imasuen
Fine boys presents the everyday life of a Nigerian university student against the backdrop of the pro- democracy riots of the 80s and ‘90s, the lost hopes of June 12th, and the terror of the Abacha years.
3. Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman
A collection of tales from the awesome storyteller Neil Gaiman, ranging from horror to science fiction to fairy tales to verse. They include “adventure story,” Gaiman’s rumination on death, and “a calendar of tales,” short takes inspired by his replies to fan tweets.
4. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
At least it is very important i include at least one classic to this list. This book tells the quintessential story of the French Revolution, love, and longing.
5. The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta
The Joys of Motherhood tells the tragic story of the life of a Nigerian woman, Nnu Ego. The book takes us on a journey with Nnu Ego as we participate in her struggle between understanding and accepting the new ways of her people or clinging to her traditional values. This book provides excellent insight to the effects of colonialism on native Nigerians.
However, the author additionally highlights how the ‘joys of motherhood’ also include anxiety, obligation, and pain.
6. Very Good Lives by J.K Rowling
This book is the J.K. Rowling's commencement address at Harvard University in 2008 where she talked about two topics: the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination.
The book is small, as it is a speech, but it is beautifully written and put together. Alongside JK's inspiring and thought-provoking words there are illustrations and doodles that add so much to the reading experience.
7. Daughters who walk this path by Yejide Kilanko
Daughters who walk this path, tells the story of Morayo, a young woman with a burden too heavy for her young body and too hurtful for her gentle soul.
Although this book is an intimate story of Morayo and those around her, the novel is also more than that. Kilanko adds just enough of the political and societal trends and tensions into the narrative, to make us appreciate the challenges faced by young people, especially women, in modern-day Nigeria.
8. The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
The Argonauts is a genre-bending memoir, a work of “autotheory” offering fresh, fierce, and timely thinking about desire, identity, and the limitations and possibilities of love and language. It charts the birth of a child and the state of her relationships, with her partner and parents.
You would most definitely love the occasional vivid glimpses into the lives and thoughts of supporting characters.
Read: 8 young badass women of African Literature you should be crushing on
9. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
This book caught my attention after it was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. This book tells an epic story about love and friendship in the twenty-first century, It is a gripping chronicle of suffering and survival.
A Little Life is a powerful, disturbing novel. It's full of pain, desperation, and a sense of isolating sadness that sucks the reader into some very dark places. It's also the best book you can ever read.
10. The Hairdresser of Harare by Tendai Huchu
This isn't nonfiction and isn't filled with dark themes in general. It tells the story of two hairdressers in Harare, Zimbabwe and societal prejudices.
The Hairdresser of Harare has a Nollywood feel to it and that was refreshing to see in literature form. Mr. Huchu incorporates the topics of racism, poverty, and prejudice in a very circumspect and interesting manner.
Don't forget to share the hot books that you think people should buy, beg or borrow this month in the comments or share them with me on Twitter or Instagram