While few books & poems from Angola are published online as well as translated into English, the Angolan authors that can be found are hypnotic as you can see from this description of a thunderstorm breaking over a musseque (i.e., a sprawling slum or shantytown):
“When the first big thunderclap burst above the musseque, shivering the weak walls of mud and wattle and loosening boards, cardboard, and straw mats, everyone closed their eyes, frightened by the blue brilliance of the lightning born in the sky, a great spider web of fire.“ - From Luuanda by José Luandino Vieira
You’ll notice this month that we only have included 5 books on which to vote instead of our customary 6 & that all the books are written by just 2 authors. This is because after days of intense searching, we only found 2 authors with those 5 books which meet our club requirements (i.e., native Angolan authors, books about Angola, & available as both ebooks/paperbacks). Well, to be fair, we actually found a 6th book which is likely written by an Angolan since the author is a general in the Angolan army. However, reviews have noted that instead of it being an Angolan historical book, it’s actually Angolan army propaganda which is not something we feel comfortable suggesting to the book club. But we’re happy to have the 5 books we have included especially since they all have great reviews. Special thanks to Leslie Tchaikovsky & Carol Weldon for suggesting 2 of the books included in the final list. Before we get to the vote, first…
A Musical Interlude
While researching Angola, I was astonished to find some fantastic, upbeat music from Angola during a particularly bloody time in the country’s war for independence. This collection of Angolan music included here from Luanda (the capital of the country) is so engagingly funky that I’ve been listening (& shimmying) to it every day while I cook. I highly recommend it! And since it’s available to stream online for free if you’re an Amazon Prime member, why not try it? Tracks #13 Fuma (Smokes), #14 Passeio por Luanda (Stroll through Luanda), & #17 Pica O Dedo (Scratch Your Finger) are my favorites.
THE VOTING
You can vote from now until Sat., March. 23 11PM ET. (That's NYC time. See this converted to your local time below.)
To participate:
1. Review the books.
2. Then, click here to vote.
We'll publish the anonymous results afterwards so you can get the book in advance.