World Book Day Recommendations: “Five Books I Love” — Michael Akuchie

Nigerian poet, Michael Akuchie shares five books he loves for Book O’Clock’s World Book Day Recommendations.

Michael Akuchie is a poet proud of his Igbo-Esan heritage. His debut chapbook, Wreck (December 2020, The Hellebore Press), selected by José Olivarez, received the 2019-2020 Hellebore Poetry Scholarship Award. He reads submissions for Frontier Poetry and Whale Road Review. He tweets @Michael_Akuchie.

Read him:

West African Verse edited by Donatus Nwoga

What I love most about this delightful book is the fact that it contains some of the finest African poems of its period. I fell in love with Okogbule Wonodi, Port Harcourt poet, especially with his enigmatic "August Break." The way Wonodi describes the close of the rainy season, the sights, sounds and ambience, all of this is truly magical. It made me imagine myself scribbling away, building tiny joys in free verse of course, poems.

The Monster Loves His Labyrinth by Charles Simic

I happened to read this gorgeous collection of random thoughts, contained in alluring sentences, during last year’s lockdown period. What I admire most about Simic is his seemingly endless ability to write short sentences that contain a big bright world. After this book, I searched for his poetry and, believe me, I have never turned back in my pursuit to be crushed by Simic in the sweetest possible way.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

A forever classic.
I return to this novel again and again just to breathe in that clear Igbo air. Achebe did something unforgettable with his debut novel and I believe in its boundless elegance.

The Beautyful Ones are not Yet Born by Ayi Kwei Armah

I will never stop loving any book, most especially an African classic, which condemns willfully, the horrible phenom that is corruption. Armah reigns supreme in my heart for this novel which will never forfeit its relevance in my life.

Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky

“You can fuck
anyone—but with whom can you sit
in water?"

The above lines are from "While the Child Sleeps, Sonya Undresses", a very important poem in Kaminsky’s raging poetry collection.
I leave you, dear reader, to equally feel the electricity I encountered upon reading those lines.

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Book O’Clock WBD Recommendations is a series of book recommendations made by African contemporary writers for World Book Day, 2021 and Book O’Clock’s anniversary.