African Diaspora Reading Challenge Update

In my last post I indicated I would participate in the Brown Girl Speaks African Diaspora Reading Challenge so today I am listing a partial list of the books I plan to read for this challenge.
However before listing my planned readings I thought it would be helpful to list the rules of the challenge, so here they are:


The guidelines:

• This challenge will run from January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010
• Crossovers are allowed
• Fiction and nonfiction hard copies or e-books from any genre (no audiobooks)
• Participants should visit different geographical regions in their reading (i.e. not all African American or Afro-Brit or Haitian or any one group representing the diaspora)
• Levels of Participation:
• Novice: commitment to read four (4) books
• Versed: commitment to read eight (8) books
• Scholar: commitment to read twelve (12) books

Initially, my plan was to join at the level of versed, but I have upped the anty to scholar. Why you ask? Well as part of my annual book club reading list at least one of the recommended readings is listed so that leaves me with eleven other works to choose from. While our group reads six books a year that would also leave at least one or two of them open for addition to my challenge list.


Most importantly, I usually find myself reading at least two books at a time, so a challenge of 12 should be a no-brainer. Finally, as I stated earlier, part of my motivation aside from increasing the scope of my reading is to use this challenge as a means to keep me writing on a regular basis.

So without further rambling my list of African Diaspora Reading Challenge books are:


Purple Hibiscus by Chimamande Ngozi Adichie is set in Enugu, Nigeria and is the story of 15-year-old Kambili and her life in an abusive household.


Let the Lion Eat the Straw by Ellease Southerland is the story of Abeba Williams. Seeking a way out of poverty, Abeba's mother leaves her in the care of Mamma Hamblesham as she looks for success in NY. Mamma and Abeba bond and develop a routine that is shattered when Abeba's mother returns to take her to the big city.


A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid offers the reader a view of Kincaid's homeland Antigua from poverty and corruption to the breath taking beauty of this small Caribbean island.


The Great Negro Plot by Mat Johnson is an historic fiction account of the Negro uprising in New York City in 1741.

These works are listed in no certain order, but I can say that Let the Lion Eat Straw will be the final book, because it is the last book scheduled for my book club and that meeting is in December 2010. The Great Negro Plot is also a book club read and I believe it is scheduled for early summer.

I'm really excited about the challenge and the opportunity to widen my reading horizon. Won't you join us? If you are interested click here for details.