Finding book clubs in Nigeria was almost impossible a while back. Now, you can find and join book clubs from the comfort of your home. Way to go!

If you are wondering: “so what are book bookclubs up to?” We’re here to bring you up to date. After all, who doesn’t like gist? No. Not gist about people. I’m talking bookish what-are-you-currently-reading kind of gist. Yes. Now, although the pandemic has basically changed/halted A LOT of things, reading is still a favourite pastime book lovers can afford to engage in. Which is why I am bringing you the latest gist on bookclubs’ reads for the month of June.

Let’s see if any book you’ve read made the list.

Kawe Africa

Piece & Pieces by Paul Ugbede

This collection of short stories gives a stark narration of forgotten parts of modern society and speaks to the oratory nature of how Nigerian stories are told.

Paul Ugbede’s ability for story telling has been celebrated in plays with over ten productions to sell out audiences. In this his first collection of short stories he has mirrored society in a real and telling way. 

The Portharcourt Bookclub

The Son of the House by Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia

In the Nigerian city of Enugu, young Nwabulu, a housemaid since the age of ten, dreams of becoming a typist as she endures her employers’ endless chores. She is tall and beautiful and in love with a rich man’s son. Educated and privileged, Julie is a modern woman. Living on her own, she is happy to collect the gold jewellery lovestruck Eugene brings her, but has no intention of becoming his second wife. When a kidnapping forces Nwabulu and Julie into a dank room years later, the two women relate the stories of their lives as they await their fate. Pulsing with vitality and intense human drama, Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia’s debut is set against four decades of vibrant Nigeria, celebrating the resilience of women as they navigate and transform what remains a man’s world.

Epiphany Bookclub

Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue

Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant living in Harlem, has come to the United States to provide a better life for himself, his wife, Neni, and their six-year-old son. In the fall of 2007, Jende can hardly believe his luck when he lands a job as a chauffeur for Clark Edwards, a senior executive at Lehman Brothers. Clark demands punctuality, discretion, and loyalty—and Jende is eager to please. Clark’s wife, Cindy, even offers Neni temporary work at the Edwardses’ summer home in the Hamptons. With these opportunities, Jende and Neni can at last gain a foothold in America and imagine a brighter future. 

However, the world of great power and privilege conceals troubling secrets, and soon Jende and Neni notice cracks in their employers’ façades. 

When the financial world is rocked by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the Jongas are desperate to keep Jende’s job—even as their marriage threatens to fall apart. As all four lives are dramatically upended, Jende and Neni are forced to make an impossible choice. 

My Bookclub NG

Risk & Return by Yomi Jumibewon

In a casual conversational voice, the author–Yomi Jemibewon, gives an honest, often hilarious and sometimes sobering account of what it feels like to chase a dream under highly uncertain circumstances. His anecdotes and reflections about navigating an unfamiliar, sometimes unforgiving, African business environment — as an idealistic returnee, an eager entrepreneur, or a young family man — will help readers navigate the challenging and sometimes terrifying times that a person experiences when embarking on a big life change. 

For those readers with a special passion for Africa, his story just might inspire action to join the wave of people collaborating to galvanize positive change in Africa.

Avid Readers Bookclub

Angala: A Tale of the Niger Delta by Godson Etokakpan

Book Hangout Bookclub

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Won’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

In Quiet, Susan Cain argues that we dramatically undervalue introverts and shows how much we lose in doing so. She charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal throughout the twentieth century and explores how deeply it has come to permeate our culture. She also introduces us to successful introverts—from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions. Passionately argued, superbly researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.

There you have it! Care to share your current read?

If you’d like to find or join a book club in Nigeria, click here.

See you again in July.😃