Africa is not just one big landmass. Africa has islands. And they have incredible literary traditions that most English-language readers barely hear about.

If you’ve ever wondered where to start with African island writing, this list is for you.

Quick geography lesson. There are seven African island nations. Cape Verde sits off the coast of West Africa in the Atlantic. São Tomé and Príncipe is in the Gulf of Guinea. And over in the Indian Ocean, east of the continent, there are Mauritius, Madagascar, Seychelles, and the Comoros. Some of the languages spoken include Portuguese, French, English, Creole languages. Different histories, geographies, and cultural worlds.

We stress this to clarify that while we use the term “African island literatures,” we are not referring to a single, unified tradition. That said, like most of Africa, these spaces are connected by their relationship to a history of migration, slavery, colonial rule, and living in multiple languages at once.

The list covers a range of subject matter. You’ll see newer voices like Priya Hein, writing intimate novels set in Mauritius, alongside more established writers like Ananda Devi. There are novels, poetry, and nonfiction here.

Hope you find this list to be a good place to begin.