6 revolutionary books by African writers

Writers all around the world have written several books to begin a revolution while others have written revolutionary stories using fiction. This list of revolution books written by African writers includes both fiction and non-fiction books.

In celebration of the World's Book Day, Business Insider SSA chronicles some of the best selling revolutionary books written by African writers.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart comprehensively imagines how the Nigerian Igbo community functioned prior to colonialism.

The divisions in this community accompany the tragic fall of the hero, Okonkwo, whose heroic but rash stand against colonialism ends in a lonely suicide.

Achebe’s wisdom is sufficient to move readers beyond recriminations or historical blame, since the Igbo community adapts to accommodate Christianity and new forms of colonial governance.

Achebe’s African philosophy of balance the book works towards a millennial partnership with Western modernity.

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adichie

Half of a Yellow Sun tells a story in Nigeria prior to and during the Nigerian Civil War (1967–70). This book by Chimamanda Ngozi Adicihie jumps between events that took place during the early and late 1960s, when the war took place, and extends until the end of the war.

The effect of the civil war is narrated by Adichie through the dynamic relationships of five people’s lives including twin daughters of an influential businessman, a professor, a British citizen, and a houseboy.

After Biafra's declaration of secession, the lives of the main characters drastically changed and were torn apart by the brutality of the civil war and decisions in their personal lives.

The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta

Buchi Emecheta explains necessity for a woman to be fertile, and above all to give birth to sons in Joys of Motherhood.

The book tells the tragic story of Nnu-Ego, daughter of Nwokocha Agbadi and Ona, who had a bad fate with childbearing.

This novel explores the life of a Nigerian woman, Nnu Ego. Nnu’s life centres on her children and through them, she gains the respect of her community.

Emecheta reveals and celebrates the pleasures derived from fulfilling responsibilities related to family matters in child bearing, mothering, and nurturing activities among women in this book.

Through Nnu Ego’s journey, Emecheta forces readers to consider the dilemmas associated with adopting new ideas and practices against the inclination to cleave to tradition.

Traditional tribal values and customs begin to shift with increasing colonial presence and influence, pushing Ego to challenge accepted notions of "mother", "wife", and "woman".

Petals of Blood by Ngugi wa Thiong'o

Kenya's Ngugi wa Thiong'o writes on African socialism in his revolutionary book, Petals of Blood.

The book reaches beyond its native Kenya to embrace the wider black histories of the Caribbean and the US.

Ngugi draws together four village outcasts – a teacher, an ex-Mau Mau soldier, a student teacher and a barmaid – the novel intertwines the characters’ memories and life-experiences to construct a shared communal past.

The African writer accumulates a deep communal history of colonial, multi-national capitalist, and post-Independence theft.

Charting the development and decline of a single village from Edenic pastoral to apocalyptic disorder, the book likens the endlessly regenerating African socialist struggle to the Biblical resurrection.

The Beautyful Ones are Not Yet Born by Ayi Kwei Armah

Ghana's Ayi Kwei Armah reflects on the existential predicament of one honest man, a lone moral beacon in the corrupt last days of the Ghana’s Nkrumah regime in the book The Beautyful Ones are Not Yet Born.

Armah paints an unnamed character enduring slights from his political friends and chastisement from his wife amid the greed of all who chase the “gleam” of possessions and wealth.

The man becomes the ironic saviour of those who have attempted to corrupt him when the Nkrumah government eventually falls.

Armah further revealed the unnamed character's moral purposes after he became vindicated for a moment and anticipated a future in which the “Beautyful Ones” will one day be born.

The Green Book by Muammar Gaddafi

Former Libyan ruler, Muammar Gaddafi rejects both capitalism and representative democracy in his book, The Green Book.

The Green Book consists of three parts namely:The Solution of the Problem of Democracy: The Authority of the People; The Solution of the Economic Problem: Socialism and The Social Basis of the Third International Theory.

Gaddafi's The Green Book proposes a type of direct democracy overseen by the General People's Committee which allows direct political participation for all adult citizens.

The book states that "Freedom of expression is the natural right of every person, even if they choose to behave irrationally, to express his or her insanity."

The book also states that freedom of speech is based upon public ownership of book publishers, newspapers, television, and radio stations, on the grounds that private ownership would be undemocratic.

In the book Gaddafi wrote about abolishing money saying "The final step is when the new socialist society reaches the stage where profit and money disappear.

"It is through transforming society into a fully productive society, and through reaching in production a level where the material needs of the members of society are satisfied. On that final stage, profit will automatically disappear and there will be no need for money."