World Book Day Recommendations: Muhammed Akinyemi Recommends Five Books
Nigerian writer, Muhammed Akinyemi recommends five books for World Book Day.
Muhammed Akinyemi is a journalist and writer. He currently works as be Sub-editor of HumAngle.
Read him:
- A Thousand Splendid Suns/The Kite Runner/And The Mountains Echoed by Khalid Hosseini
Although these are three books from the same author, I like to see them as a trilogy in a multiverse. I read these books early in my teen-age and found Khalid’s descriptions very powerful. I would recommend reading Khalid for anyone who wants to know how to stimulate the five sense organs through a good command of diction.
See also: World Book Day Recommendations: ‘Five Books I’m Grateful For & Why’ — Pamilerin Jacob
2. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
A good book does not have to always be elaborate in its plot, sometimes, they have a simple plot but strong character growth. 'The boy' in this book grows through a turbulent wave of experiences seeking answers to fundamental human questions. His growth through the pages is what defines the storytelling of Coelho’s masterpiece.
3. Sapiens/21 Lessons For The 21st Century/Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari
I treat these books as a trilogy too in a multiverse because of how each book flows into the other. Although it is science non-fiction/historical non-fiction, Harari’s simplification of very difficult scientific processes helped me to solidify my resolve that great writing should always be in simple, understandable words. If the Bible (arguable the best-written prose in the world) can be written (and translated) for easy consumption, why not your work?
4. We Won't Fade Into Darkness by T.J. Benson
I was exposed to T.J.’s artistry after reading his short story; Tea. Since then, I have not had enough drinking from his masterful use of words. WWFID is magical surrealism, afro-futurism, wizardry of words and other factors but the reason I will recommend it is because of the hope that the stories give, especially to storytellers. Read it for its power and for its promise of not fading as long as inks run.
5. Soldiers of Fortune by Max Siollun
I did not grow up in the 1960s, 70s, or 80s Nigeria. In fact, I did not start growing up until the '2000s Nigeria’; that was when I started seeing the corrugated roof that has covered this house of dirt that we live in and call a nation. To write about Nigeria as someone who grew up decades after coups, a civil war, and could barely tell what was hot and what was cold when Nigeria transitioned to our current democracy, I needed more than just archived newspapers. Max Siollun’s works have given me the perspectives I could not get in schools. Whatever genre of writing you wish to do, seeing Nigeria through Max’s work(s) is advise you should not take for granted. Know your history so you can tell your story. Max is your plug.
______________________________________
World Book Day Recommendations is a series of recommendations made by African contemporary writers for World Book Day and #365DaysOfBookOclock. See other recommendations here.
