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Accra books and things Weblog (66 unread)

August 28, 2010
16:29
Textbooks, textbooks and more textbooks
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

For those of us working in academic institutions, it is that time of the year again – when students return from their vacations, or their internships, or just hanging about, or vegging out at home. A time of excitement, especially for the ones just starting, and a little apprehension too, on so many fronts. Here [...]
August 15, 2010
17:32
Education: a view from Ghana – Secondary schools and old boy/girl networks
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Last Thursday I went to the launch of Nana Ekua Brew Hammond’s first novel, Powder necklace, at the Silverbird bookshop at the Accra Mall. It was very much a family event – with the MC being the author’s father and the one introducing the author, her mother, plus I suspect there were quite a few [...]
August 14, 2010
17:14
Education: a view from Ghana – Do libraries really play a role?
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Virtually all my working life has been in libraries – or closely associated with them: academic, special, public, cultural, and now academic – if you want to “typecast” them! And all in West Africa – Nigeria, then Ghana. I admit that I have not worked in school libraries, though quite a lot of the work [...]
August 08, 2010
12:25
Encouraging reading in an academic environment
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

A colleague recently wrote about a Reading revolution and how to encourage more reading among Ghanaians. Her ideas are definitely out of the box – at least for Ghana, and all the more appealing because they are different from what usually comes up. At work, we are about to launch a campus-wide reading campaign – [...]
August 05, 2010
2:19
Birt Award for African literature 2009 announced in Accra
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I was aware that the Burt Award for African literature 2009 was going to be officially announced on 4 August here in Accra, at the Ghana Book Trust, but didn’t go to the function. However, this morning, I see that Nana Fredua-Agyeman at ImageNations has already blogged about it. Once again, nothing in the news [...]
August 03, 2010
12:34
Two Ghanaian literary detectives!
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

At the last Accra Book Club meeting, a small group of us – four actually – discussed, among other things, Nii Ayikwei Parkes’ Tail of the blue bird. The group had chosen it – mainly on yours truly’s recommendation, I am proud to say – as a contemporary Ghanaian novel. And that we all [...]
July 29, 2010
3:02
Many topics I could talk about, but haven’t got round to … yet
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Guilt, guilt, guilt … at not posting recently! I come home, relax a bit with a couple of books, but then feel too tired, so end up just checking email, and worse still, playing Spider solitaire! Not terribly constructive I admit! I feel I really should comment about the GhanaBlogging meet-up with Ethan Zuckerman of [...]
July 15, 2010
16:15
GLA/Goethe Institut organise workshop on “Getting published”
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I mention the GLA (Ghana Library Association) in this blog quite a bit, which is not too surprising since I proudly admit to being a librarian/information manager/information provider and book junkie! So since I spent most of today attending a workshop organised by the GLA, with support from the Goethe Institut, I have to mention [...]
July 09, 2010
16:45
“Libraries with a kick” exhibition launched at Goethe Institut in Accra
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

At the beginning of 2010 the Goethe Institut launched its “Libraries with a kick” poster competition – all in an effort to promote the use of libraries and reading, but tied in with the expected interest in the World Cup in South Africa. Over a 1000 entries were received from all over Africa, and finally [...]
July 06, 2010
10:12
Olufemi Terry Wins 2010 Caine Prize for African writing
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

For news about the announcement on the 2010 Caine Prize for African writing, the story on the BBC news website does say most of it. But for more details the best place to go is the actual Caine Prize website, which has links to the full press release, and a copy of the winning story, [...]
June 30, 2010
10:23
Reading “King Leopold’s ghost” on the DRC’S 50th anniversary
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Every once in a while I get a feeling that I am reading a book at a particularly apt time – sometimes consciously, but more often by chance? or is it? I started reading Adam Hochschild’s account of early colonial rule in the Democratic Rrepublic of the Congo (DRC), King Leopold’s ghost, earlier this month [...]
June 24, 2010
4:35
9th Ghana International Book Fair 2010 launched in Accra
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I went to the official launch of the 9th Ghana International Book Fair 2010 at the GNAT Hall in Accra (on 22 June 2010). Although it was a relatively short function – less than an hour and a half – and started only half an hour late, it was in my opinion very much in [...]
June 15, 2010
4:26
2010 Caine Prize shortlisted stories available online
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

For those interested in such matters, and unable to wait for the full collection in book form, do take a look at the five shortlisted stories for the 2010 Caine Prize. Actually the Caine Prize website generally is full of information relating to upcoming and contemporary African literature.
June 11, 2010
16:38
Ferdinand Oyono, Cameroonian author, passes away
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I will not repeat the scanty details of the recent death – on 10 June 2010 – of 81 year old Ferdinand Oyono, the well-known Cameroonian author. I actually heard the news first on the BBC World Service, but couldn’t find any information on the BBC’s website [their search is pretty horrible, I find]. There [...]
June 07, 2010
9:51
Molara Wood’s interview with Ghanaian author Ama Ata Aidoo
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Molara Wood is an arts and culture journalist, based in Lagos, who blogs as Wordsbody . Recently she mentioned doing an interview with Ghanaian author, Ama Ata Aidoo, which she mentioned in a post, the highlight of which, in my opinion, a very nice photo of the not-so-young Ghanaian author. Wood also included a link [...]
June 06, 2010
7:23
“Imported Ghanaian” advice now online!
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I mentioned in an earlier post that Alba Sumprim had a recent column in the Daily Dispatch, a Ghanaian newspaper, about her experience in marketing her book. For budding writers she has now put up some of her material on her website, specifically under A book’s journey. Not quite the whole article that I can see, [...]
June 01, 2010
4:13
“Imported Ghanaian” talks about writing and marketing books
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

The Daily Dispatch is one of the few independent newspapers here in Accra which is known for the quality of its columnists – at least in my opinion. One of those I try not to miss is Alba Kunadu Sumprim’s “The imported Ghanaian” which usually comes out on Tuesdays. Not that long ago she wrote [...]
May 27, 2010
11:22
Belated “discovery” of Ghanaian literary blog “ImageNations”
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I have very belatedly come upon Nana Fredua Agyeman’s blog, ImageNations . All I can say is mea culpa, and my searching skills should have been better. He does focus on literary goings on in Ghana, and Africa. Do take a look. I am.
May 19, 2010
17:06
Comments on post “Where do books for Africa go to die?”
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

My colleague blogger, Fiona Leonard, wrote very recently about a recent visit to the Ghana Book Trust in Accra. The headline “Where do books for Africa go to die?” says it all. The last time I went there – sometime last year – the situation was no different. I was looking for some “light” reading for [...]
6:53
Boakyewaa Glover launches book on 21 May 2010
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Thanks to Kajsa for the alert on Boakyewaa Glover’s forthcoming book launch, which is taking place on Friday 21 May 2010 at African Regent in Accra. Actually, her book, Circles, is already on sale. I have certainly seen copies in Silverbird at Accra Mall; not sure if I have bought it though.
6:37
Binyavanga Wainaina to give reading on 19 May at Legon
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Just heard about the following, which might be of interest to those who are based in Accra. Binyavanga Wainaina, founder of Kwani Trust [kwani.org] and Director of the Chinua Achebe Center for Writers and Artists at Bard College (US), will give a reading and discuss creative process on Wednesday 19 May 2010, from 5-7pm at [...]
May 17, 2010
5:10
Belated link to CODE’S Burt award for African literature Ghana
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I have to admit that I have seen ads in the Ghanaian newspaper for CODE’s Burt award for African literature in Ghana, and I haven’t made any mention of it. Mea culpa! So here is the link to the specific CODE page and I think I should mention that the deadline is 31 May 2010. [...]
May 16, 2010
16:39
Accra Book Club: next set of reads
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I mentioned – in an earlier post – that I would list the next books for the Accra Book Club. All part of my selfless pr role???? Tail of the blue bird, by Nii Ayikwei Parkes a Terry Pratchett evening, with discussion on the Discworld and its recurring characters Pride and prejudice, by Jane Austen [...]
May 15, 2010
17:05
Gina Loring’s poems at Cuppa Cappuccino
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I got an invitation to listen to Gina Loring – a young, contemporary, poet from the US – via an email from Franka Andoh, who runs Cuppa Cappucino. In a way my timing was perfect; though I was late, (the programme actually started on time at 5.30pm as advertised), I came to meet the invited [...]
May 10, 2010
9:04
Missed reading by Nii Ayikwei Parkes
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

On Saturday 8 May I read in the Daily Graphic newspaper that Nii Ayikwei Parkes was giving a reading at one of the local bookshops here in Accra. Unfortunately, I had made another family commitment, so couldn’t make it. I was actually disappointed, because I know Sytris, who were hosting the reading, and I wondered [...]
May 09, 2010
16:05
Talking about “Indian summer” (by Alex von Tunzelmann)
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Seven members of Accra Book Club met on Thursday to talk about Alex von Tunzelmann’s first book, Indian summer: the secret history of the end of an empire . Appropriately enough we met at Heritage Restaurant in Osu, which is one of several Indian restaurants here in Accra. We did ask for a separate room, [...]
April 29, 2010
16:26
Taking a look at Ghana Book Review website
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I just discovered the Ghana Book Review website which seems to be pretty closely related to the Ghana Nsem site. Not a whole lot of information as to who or what are behind either of these sites, which I admit is a little frustrating. Naturally I homed in on the site about books. At the [...]
April 28, 2010
16:50
Are there any Ghanaian librarians blogging out there?
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

All right, I don’t mind being one of a few, but I do wonder whether there are any Ghanaian librarians blogging out there? I have looked, but with not a whole lot of success. That could be my fault – in which case I have some definite issues with my searching skills – but I [...]
April 27, 2010
17:06
iPad or Kindle? Items for a real “wish” list
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

For the last few weeks there has been a small conversation going on about what some of us would really like as our latest gadget. The iPad and the Kindle were the ones which came up among this small group of women based here in Accra. Yet none of us has really interacted with either [...]
April 26, 2010
15:47
I didn’t celebrate World Book and Copyright Day!
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Well, I have to admit that I feel extremely guilty at not doing anything – professionally, or personally – to commemorate World Book and Copyright Day, apart from changing a heading on a website from “World Book Day” to “World Book and Copyright Day” . I did think about it, but unfortunately not sufficiently far [...]
April 18, 2010
15:57
Mamle Kabu shortlisted for Caine Prize
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I read a couple of posts over the last week concerning the Caine Prize, and am finally responding to these, and more specifically to implications that yet another Ghanaian writer has been shortlisted for an international prize. There isn’t anything on the actual Caine Prize website – yet, but I suspect it should be up fairly [...]
April 16, 2010
16:30
Books mentioned from “Reading Lolita in Tehran”
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

At the end of March a few members of the Accra Book Club met to discuss Reading Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi. We glanced at the book group questions, but didn’t really address them much – we all agreed they were a little esoteric! But instead we talked about the political situation in Iran [...]
March 18, 2010
10:33
Are we training for the 21st century?
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I don’t usually talk too much about work in this blog, though I do not hide the fact that I am a librarian both by occupation and profession. During the last few weeks I’ve been almost a “one-man band” or should I say “one-woman band” at work, as one of my colleagues has left for [...]
February 26, 2010
15:42
Children’s reading in Ghana
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

A couple of items caught my attention recently: one a campaign to get children to read, and the other a blog on reading done by Ghanaian children. The first has actually been on the radio, specifically on JoyFM for the last couple of weeks or so, only because I don’t listen to the radio at [...]
February 24, 2010
15:28
Commonwealth Writers’ Prize regional winners’ shortlist includes two Ghanaians!
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I feel proud to say that I have read both of the works written by Ghanaians which have been included in the 2010 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize regional shortlists. These are: Ayesha Harruna Attah’s Harmattan rain, which is shortlisted for the Africa regional first book, which I mentioned earlier. Nii Ayikwei Parkes’ Tail of the blue [...]
January 22, 2010
16:10
Reading challenges?
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I’ve been reading about Reading challenges and wondered whether I should take part in one. It is a kind of measurement – which I do already, to a certain extent, in that for the last ten years or more I have actually been noting down the titles of the books which I completed. No comments [...]
January 01, 2010
17:32
My reading for December 2009
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Since I’ve been on holiday for almost two weeks, I was able to finish a few more books than I would have done if I had been going to work. As usual a mixture of the slightly literary with the slightly less serious…, interspersed with dipping in and out of some cookbooks, though not [...]
December 23, 2009
16:53
BarCamp Ghana 09
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I won’t even attempt to give an overview of what happened at the latest BarCamp Ghana 09 which took place on Monday 21 December 2009 at MEST here in Accra. This year there seems to have been a lot more blogging immediately after the event, with a large number of tweets using the hashtag [...]
December 14, 2009
7:20
2009 GLA Seminar and AGM
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

On Friday 20 November 2009 I spent the whole day out of the office, attending the 2009 Ghana Library Association (GLA) Seminar and Annual General Meeting (AGM). For some reason while I was at British Council I didn’t make a very concerted effort to attend these annual events, except when they took place at the [...]
December 01, 2009
15:56
November 2009 reading
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I think I need to remember to take a photo of each of the books I read, mainly because I feel slightly odd about linking to a site such as Amazon all the time. After all how many of us in Ghana are buying our books from there? So here goes for the month of November [...]
November 18, 2009
15:58
How can I have ONE favourite book????
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Tomorrow I have to talk about my “favourite” book, and I am still mulling over what to say! What an impossibility was my first reaction; after all I have been reading for rather a lot of years – well actually since I was about four or five, I think! So what do I say? I [...]
November 15, 2009
15:40
Kathy Knowles and community libraries in Ghana
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I went to the latest NAWA (North American Women’s Association) meeting a few days ago (feeling slightly guilty that I hadn’t been to the previous month’s gathering) partly because there were going to be traders there, but mainly because I was interested to hear Kathy Knowles speak. I had originally met her sometime in 2008 at [...]
November 14, 2009
16:22
Books from the Ghanaian diaspora – at last!
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Diasporan Africans, including Ghanaians, are certainly writing, and getting reviews. The frustration here in Ghana is actually getting copies of their books to either read or buy. I mention two specific examples: one I borrowed a copy from a fellow member of the Accra Book Club, while the other finally landed in EPP [...]
November 11, 2009
15:11
Photos, or the lack thereof…
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I really, really must remember to not only take my camera with me wherever I go, but also to use it, especially when there is anything that relates to books and information! I always, always, always seem to forget, and then remember when I thinking about what I should write about. This past weekend was [...]
November 05, 2009
15:02
Ghana International Book Fair 2009
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Somehow I thought the Ghana International Book Fair was starting on 2 November, so I braved the traffic and headed for the National Theatre at the beginning of the week, only to discover that this was the setting up day! Sigh… I went back again on 3 November, and sad to say I was again [...]
November 01, 2009
15:46
Books read in October 2009
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Quite a few more books read in October 2009, not sure why, but I guess they were probably on the lighter side? 1. Dan Brown’s The lost symbol: what can I say? I enjoyed it, but was constantly thinking about the film that would be made based on the book! I can already see the [...]
October 11, 2009
16:07
Achebe and Adichie – 50 years apart?
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

This month (October 2009) members of the Accra Book Club are supposed to finally discuss Chinua Achebe’s seminal work, Things fall apart, with those of us who feel adventurous reading Dambisa Moyo’s controversial assessment of aid, Dead aid. I re-read Achebe’s book earlier this year, so I just need to quickly refresh my memory, but [...]
October 06, 2009
16:27
Who wants to read “The lost symbol”?
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I did finish Dan Brown’s The lost symbol relatively quickly – that is, in less than a week – which is not too bad, given that there was work to go to, and other matters to deal with, such as traffic while getting to and from work. Now I need to find someone to pass it [...]
September 27, 2009
15:56
Going for the inevitable
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I didn’t know whether any of the bookshops in Accra would have copies of Dan Brown’s The lost symbol on the day it was officially released, so I decided to wait a little bit until Vidya’s got their supply. So last Friday I went by there on the way back to work from the bank, and met the [...]
September 20, 2009
15:52
Kwame Nkrumah and books
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Members of GhanaBlogging are supposed to have been talking/writing about Kwame Nkrumah over the last week or so, as part of the centenary celebration of his birth, which is officially celebrated on 21 September. This is definitely belated, but will just have to do. Certainly Kwame Nkrumah wrote books, and he respected them, and their [...]
September 05, 2009
18:00
A Kindle – finally!
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I forgot to mention that I finally saw a Kindle at the recent Web 2.0 for libraries workshop which I attended earlier in the week. It was one of the several “gadgets” (as we like to say here in Ghana) on display. I wish I could have really looked at even more but others [...]
September 04, 2009
11:55
Forthcoming Ghana Book Fair in November 2009
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I hear that this year there will be another Ghana Book Fair, even though there was one last year. Apparently there is a shift to a yearly event. Dates from what I can remember are: 2-7 November 2009, and the venue is the National Theatre, as it was in 2008. The Ghana Book Publishers Association doesn’t seem [...]
September 03, 2009
15:01
Web 2.0 for librarians workshop
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I attended a presentation cum workshop on Web 2.0 for librarians at the US Embassy Information Resource Center here in Accra. All part of the continuous professional development offered to members of the Ghana Library Association. [Apologies for not putting up a link to the GLA website, but this is under review and reconstruction, to [...]
August 29, 2009
16:17
Reading for the month of August 2009
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

So far, I’ve read seven books in August – a fairly usual mix for me of the literary and the lighter stuff. I did read Elizabeth Hay’s Late nights on air, for the Accra Book Club. It was recommended by one of the Canadian members, and though it is not something I probably would have [...]
August 18, 2009
16:36
Personal reactions to first edition of “TimeOut Accra”
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I finally got a copy of the slick new magazine “TimeOut Accra” and am still pondering about my reactions to it, and its content, and in some cases lack thereof. On the surface, it is very slick, with high quality paper, printing and photographs. So kudos on that score for those who put it together, not [...]
July 04, 2009
17:55
Ordering books in a Ghanaian bookshop
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Despite its appearance as a modern bookshop, the Silverbird lifestyle store in the Accra Mall still does many things in what I would call a fairly old fashioned way. Recently I had asked if they had a particular book in stock, and unfortunately the young man at the counter was not able to get anything [...]
June 27, 2009
17:46
Reading of “Harmattan rain”
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Last weekend I went to the second of the literary events organised by Franka Andoh at Cuppa Cappucino. I missed the first one, as it took place a day or so before I travelled (not much of an excuse, I know) but actually met the author/reader featured (Mohammed Naseehu Ali, who wrote The prophet of [...]
June 24, 2009
8:04
Holidays are definitely over!
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

My holidays were, not surprisingly, too short, but I could only take four weeks off work, and even that was using up my full entitlement, plus some carry-over from last year! I did manage to hit a few bookshops/bookstores, and decided that rather than paying a lot for overweight luggage I would mail the books [...]
June 05, 2009
11:56
Holiday reading
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I’ve been on holiday/vacation since Mother’s Day (10 May), so haven’t been reading as much as I would normally. But by some standards, I wouldn’t be called totally idle. I had heard of all the controversy about Stephanie Meyer’s vampire series, and I just couldn’t resist buying and reading a copy of Twilight, the first book. [...]
April 28, 2009
6:32
News about African writing and prizes
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I just read from one of the lists which I follow that Penguin South Africa will be launching the Penguin African Writers Series. Good news, as many of us here have missed the old Heinemann series being updated. I can’t say that the Heinemann African Writers Series has been totally defunct, though, as I have certainly [...]
April 12, 2009
14:26
Book meme from Accra – part 1
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I do follow some blogs, though not as many on books as I would like, but enjoyed the Boston bibliophile’s book meme . Because of the local situation it has been adapted and I will probably post in two parts: 1. Hardback, trade paperback or mass market paperback: anyone I can get, preferably paperback. 2. Barnes [...]
April 01, 2009
15:48
Science fiction
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Not long ago I was browsing in the Silverbird bookshop, which is actually called Silverbird Lifestyle (or something like that) when I came across a real classic in the science fiction section: William Gibson’s 1984 novel Neuromancer. Looked at the blurb and realised that I had never actually read it – somehow there wasn’t very much [...]
March 22, 2009
17:24
Georgette Heyer books in Accra!
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

Today I am talking about a real link to the past – my daughter had spoken not so long ago about completing her set of Georgette Heyer Regency romances through eBay. The older meets the new in the third generation! I think I brought quite a few of them which had belonged to my mother [...]
March 13, 2009
17:23
What to read on a long trip?
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I have already started thinking about what I should read on my forthcoming holiday. It is a while since I’ve been on one, but suffice it to say that I don’t go on any trip without a supply of reading material – usually in excess, unless I am sure I will be somewhere where I [...]
March 08, 2009
16:48
African writers
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

When I look back at my reading over the last few years, I realise that I probably read an average of at least one African writer or book on Africa every month. Some months it is more; some less, and has very much depended on what was available – initially through the British Council [...]
16:37
Discussion of John Berendt’s “The city of falling angels”
» ‎ Accra books and things Weblog

I last wrote briefly about the anticipation of a monthly book club meeting. I should have written about it much earlier, but was trying to finish the book! So guilty as charged of doing what one is not supposed to do in a book club – ie not read or finish the book. OK, [...]

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Accra books and things Weblog (66 unread)