Photo of Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo
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Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo

2 series 9 books in order 4 standalone books

1 award & honors

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o was a Kenyan author and academic, who has been described as East Africa's leading novelist and an important figure in modern African literature. He was born in 1938 and died in 2025. His work is recognized as significant within the context of African literary tradition.

Born
1938
Known for
Penguin African Writers Series, African Writers Series

Series by Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo

Penguin African Writers Series

5 books in order · 1964–1982

  1. Cover of Petals of blood

    Petals of blood

    1977 · Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo

    The puzzling murder of three African directors of a foreign-owned brewery sets the scene for this novel about disillusionment in independent Kenya.…

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  2. Cover of A grain of wheat

    A grain of wheat

    1967 · Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo

    The novel A Grain of Wheat by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o is set in a Kenyan village in December 1963 as the community prepares for Uhuru, Kenya's…

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  3. Cover of Weep not, child

    Weep not, child

    1964 · Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo

    Two brothers, Njoroge and Kamau, stand on a garbage heap and look toward their futures. Njoroge is set to attend school, while Kamau will train as a…

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  4. Cover of The river between

    The river between

    1965 · Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo

    The book explores life on the Makuyu and Kameno ridges of Kenya during the early days of white settlement. It centers on the conflict between those…

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  5. Cover of Devil on the Cross

    Devil on the Cross

    1982 · Ngugi wa Thiong'o

    The great Kenyan writer and Nobel Prize nominee’s novel that he wrote in secret, on toilet paper, while in prison—featuring an introduction by…

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African Writers Series

27 books in order · 1954–2024

  1. People of the City

    1954 · Cyprian Ekwensi

    People of the City is the debut novel of Cyprian Ekwensi, first published in 1954 by Andrew Dakers Ltd. The novel was a predecessor to a number of…

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  2. Cover of Mission to Kala

    Mission to Kala

    1957 · Mongo Beti

    Medza, having failed his college exams, returns to his village in the Southern Cameroons. Despite his failure, he is seen as a scholar and gains…

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  3. Wand of Noble Wood

    1961 · Onuora Nzekwu

    Wand of Noble Wood is a 1961 novel by Nigerian author Onuora Nzekwu, later republished by Heinemann as part of the African Writers Series. The novel…

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  4. Zambia Shall Be Free

    1962 · Kenneth D. Kaunda

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  5. Cover of Eze goes to school

    Eze goes to school

    1963 · Onuora Nzekwu

    Eze Goes to School is a 1963 children's novel written by Nigerian author Onuora Nzekwu and British author Michael Crowder. It was published in the…

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  6. The African

    1964

    The African is a 1964 novel by Sierra Leonean author William Farquhar Conton. It was the 12th book published in Heinemann's African Writers Series.…

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  7. Cover of The Voice (African Writers Series, No. 68)

    The Voice (African Writers Series, No. 68)

    1964 · Gabriel Okara

    The Voice (African Writers Series, No. 68) is a 1964 book by Gabriel Okara. It is part of the series African Writers Series. Catalog genres: Fiction,…

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  8. Cover of A Man of the People

    A Man of the People

    1966 · Chinua Achebe

    A Man of the People is a 1966 novel by Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe. The story is told by Odili, a young and educated narrator, who recounts his…

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  9. The Narrow Path

    1966 · Francis Selormey

    The Narrow Path: An African Childhood is a 1966 autobiographical novel by Ghanaian writer Francis Selormey. Published in Heinemann's African Writers…

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  10. Cover of The only son

    The only son

    1966 · John Munonye

    The Only Son is the debut novel by Nigerian author John Munonye, published in 1966 as part of the Heinemann African Writers Series. The story centers…

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Show all 27 African Writers Series books in order →

Standalone books

  1. Cover of Decolonising the Mind
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  2. Cover of Dreams in a Time of War
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  3. Cover of Wizard of the Crow
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  4. Cover of Matigari
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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo written?

We list 9 books by Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo across 2 series, published between 1954–2024 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “Petals of blood.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Awards & honors

Wizard of the Crow

  • Hurston/Wright Legacy AwardNominee2007

Honors as recorded by the publisher for Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo’s books. Wording is the awarding body’s own — a nomination is listed as a nomination, never as a win.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.

Some summaries adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.