Reading literature from around the world is both entertaining and educational, even if it is fiction. We are seeing more and more writing coming out of Africa and I find that, despite the grass houses and curious religious activities, the life in Africa is often very similar to the life in the United States. No, few of us have a sacred python living in the rafters of our living room, but what about that Virgin Mary statue on the bureau or that USC pennant on the wall? We may not equate such fetishisms with religion, but maybe we should. Stop and think about it.
Chinua Achebe is definitely one of the most recognized contemporary Africa authors. His first novel, Things Fall Apart, is often the only book people read by an Africa author. I notice that Achebe is becoming common on college reading lists so I expect we will be seeing far more literature from Africa. But I invite anyone to make a simple search through African literature and gather up many newer authors to give variety and enlightenment to your reading list.
Someplace around the internet there is a reading challenge going on with the subject being African and African writers. Although I have misplaced any notes or posts I may have saved for this challenge, I do remember submitting a half-dozen African titles that I planned (promised?) to read over the next year. Was it last year?
As a part of the 
A Celebration of Reading 