A look at the 16 African literature books to be discussed at Africa's biggest literary event

16:36 - 09 November 2015

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Africa's biggest cultural and literary event is here

This year's festival intends to discuss some of Africa's biggest books in an honest, open and constructive way.

The Ake Arts & Book Festival, one of Africa's biggest literary event is here!

It is worthy to note that this year's festival which will host 81 authors intends to discuss some of Africa's biggest books in an honest, open and constructive way.

The 16 books to be discussed include:

Beneath the Lions Gaze by Maaza Mengiste

Named one of the 10 best contemporary African books by The Guardian. Maaza Mengiste’s first novel, “Beneath the Lion’s Gaze,” opens in 1974 during the last days of Haile Selassie’s six-decade rule.

Naija No Dey Carry Last by Pius Adesanmi

Described as the “Nigerian God of Satire”, Mr. Adesanmi, a professor of English and African Studies in Naija No Dey Carry Last, described his reflections on Nigeria in the past decades. Brittle paper described it as a book that calls for introspection and progression towards national development

This House is not for Sale by EC Osondu

Described as an original novel from a master storyteller and award-winning author. This House is no for sale paints a vivid, fully imagined portrait of an extraordinary African family and the house that holds them together.

Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasie

Nominated as one of Granta′s 20 Best Young British Writers, Taiye Selasie debut book tells a very beautiful and sad story about a family torn apart which once again brought to the fore, the importance of fathers in our society.

READ: 'Ghana must go' by Taiye Selasi [Book Review]

Butterfly Fish by Irenosie Okojie

This book is a very beautiful and colourful debut novel from a Nigerian-born English writer. It weaves life in modern day London with regal nineteenth-century Nigeria and visits both countries in the 1960s and 1970s. It also weaves realism with a kind of magical realism to create a wonderfully readable story.

The Secret History of Las Vegas by Chris Abani

The Secret History of Las vegas is a gritty, riveting, and wholly original murder,horror, mystery book from PEN/Hemingway Award-winning author and 2015 Edgar Awards winner Chris Abani.

Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor

Written by Award winning author Lagoon is a science fiction novel that describes aliens descending upon Lagos. This is a perfect blend of science fiction and fantasy and fairy tales and mythology and urban legends and media reporting and every other way that we tell stories,

Oil on Water by Helon Habila

Written by one of Africa's best writer, Helon Habila who was formerly a journalist centers Oil on Water, on the kidnapping of a British oil magnate's wife in Nigeria. It also tells the story of a pairof brilliant journalist who attempt to crack the story against a dangerous background.

Head Scarves and Hymens by Mona Elthahawy

Written by one the most brilliant and controversial journalist from the middle east,Headscarves and Hymens is a plea for outrage and action. Mona Eltahawy is advocating, literally, a sexual revolution in the Middle East. She touches on issues such as voting, employment and access to education.

Black Ass by Igonni Barret

Winner of the BBC World Service short story competition, Igonni Barret tells the story of Furo Wariboko, a 33-year-old unemployed man from Lagos, who awakes one day and finds himself transformed into an “oyibo”, or white man.