Maaza Mengiste is a writer, photographer and teacher of creative fiction at Wesleyan University. Her 2010 debut novel, Beneath the Lion's Gaze, depicts the bloody revolution in 1970s Ethiopia, and was named one of the 10 Best Contemporary African Books by the Guardian. Her second novel The Shadow King, portraying the Italo-Ethiopian war of the 1930s, was shortlisted for the prestigious Booker prize in 2020.

This is Maaza Mengiste’s reading list:

• Ama Ata Aidoo, Our Sister Killjoy
• Maya Binyam, Hangman
• Mihret Sibhat, The History of a Difficult Child
• Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions

In this podcastseries the House of Literature in Oslo, Norway invites writers and thinkers to talk about their work, what they read and present their readinglist from the African continent and diaspora.

Host in this episode Åshild Lappegård Lahn

Editing and production by the House of Literature

Music by Ibou Cissokho

The House of Literature’s project to promote African literature is supported by NORAD.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.