Books by Wole Soyinka
“The Nobel laureate’s first novel in almost fifty years is billed by the publisher as ‘at once a literary hoot, a crafty whodunit, and a scathing indictment of Nigeria’s political elite’, which features stolen body parts, Yoruba royalty and a murdered engineer.” Read more...
Cal Flyn, Five Books Editor
“This is one of Wole Soyinka’s earlier memoirs. He chose a moment in his childhood, from when he was four to when he was 11 and he represented that. He wrote in the voice of an adult – Wole Soyinka, and he was able to capture the magic of childhood and his growing up and the complexity that he faced in a changing culture, the emerging Western culture encroaching on the traditional African culture…He uses particular tropes such as family, commerce, etc, to develop this theme of change. So, for example, using an institution like religion. His mother is called Wild Christian in the book, which exemplifies her total commitment to her religious belief…One other thing he uses very well is the Second World War. The book is set in the 1930s and 1940s, and, without overtly mentioning the war, you still have references to Hitler and the soldiers passing through the village.” Read more...
Helon Habila, Novelist
Interviews where books by Wole Soyinka were recommended
The best books on Nigeria, recommended by Helon Habila
The award-winning Nigerian writer, Helon Habila, picks his favourite books about Nigeria.
Books by Nobel Prize in Literature Winners, recommended by Five Books Interviewees
The Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded annually since 1901 and remains one of the most prestigious prizes a writer can aspire to. It’s also been consistently international, with many novelists and writers from around the globe winning the award for books written in an array of languages. Not all are accessible, and picking out which ones to read can be a tough call. To help, here’s our list of books by winners of the Nobel literature prize that have been recommended on Five Books.
Notable Novels of Fall 2021, recommended by Cal Flyn
Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn offers a round-up of the notable novels that need to be on your literary radar in Fall 2021, including the hotly anticipated new book from Sally Rooney—set to dominate bestseller lists in the coming weeks—as well as eagerly awaited follow-ups from Richard Osman and Elizabeth Strout, and a return to more traditional fiction from Karl Ove Knausgård.
