Ojukwu, A Dangerous Love and Yoruba Folktales: #BooksoftheWeek - November 25, 2013

Looking for a good book to read? Every week, ZODML spotlights three great books from our extensive collection to inspire readers to try out books they might not have previously heard of. The selections fall under three major categories – fiction, non-fiction and children and young adult literature – so there’s a book to suit every taste. All of the books are available to borrow for free at our Community Library on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi. Be sure to check out our archives to see which books have been selected in the past. 
Fiction: Dangerous Love by Ben Okri In Dangerous Love, Okri tells the story of a young man, Omovo, an office-worker and artist who lives at home with his father and his father's second wife. In the communal world of the compound in which he lives, Omovo has many friends and some enemies, but most important of all there is Ifeyiwa, a beautiful young married woman whom he loves with an almost hopeless passion - not because she doesn't return his love, but because they can never be together. Okri builds a vivid picture of Nigerian life: of the compound with its complete lack of privacy, the gossip, the good times, the street life, the complex nature of family relationships and the kindness and treachery of friends. Non-Fiction: Emeka by Frederick Forsyth Frederick Forsyth, author of The Day of the Jackal, strongly and publicly supported the cause of Biafra during the Nigerian civil war, and covered the period as a war correspondent. He had a fifteen-year association with Chukwuemeka Ojukwu. His biography of 'Emeka' was published in 1982 with the full cooperation of the subject. It covers his youth, army training, the civil war, and his twelve-year exile. Children and Young Adults: Legends from Yorubaland by Kemi Morgan This collection of Yoruba folktales, myths and legends, is written for children. The tales are based on the research of Nigerian scholars into the history, religion and culture of the Yorubas. In the magic world depicted, live heroes larger than life, and villains worse than scoundrels. Animals and plants walk and talk and mingle freely with humans, for it is a world without any form of barrier. Selected to depict heroic exploits, the tales explain the reasons behind some Yorbua social and cultural beliefs. Reading something good this week? Share your #bookoftheweek with us in the comments or by tweeting @ZODML!