Favourite Five: Noo Saro Wiwa

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

Set in Mumbai in the 1970s and ’80s, this novel follows four characters from across the caste system, each with different backstories, brought together under one roof. The novel shows how their life paths are affected by the turbulent economic and political changes in India. Tragedy is mixed with humour, and Mistry weaves Hindi vernacular into the dialogue so expertly it feels unlaboured. By the end of the book you feel as if you’ve lived in Mumbai yourself.

King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild

A magnificent piece of non-fiction that details the brutal history of colonial rule in the Belgian Congo. Hothschild’s research goes into incredible economic and historical depth, listing the main players in almost novelistic detail. An eye-opener to the horrors of this episode in history.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This novel explores the iron fist of snobbery in American high society. Written in unbeatable prose, I love the way Fitzgerald lays bare the immorality and ugliness behind the ‘beautiful people’ of the Roaring Twenties society.

Cider House Rules by John Irving

Set in rural Maine, US, this book partly tackles the ambiguities of abortion as it follows the life of an orphan who becomes a doctor. A multi-stranded saga that spans decades, Irving’s humorous and non-didactic approach gently transports you until the pathos suddenly hits, towards the end.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

I will never get tired of this book, and it will never stop being relevant. It brilliantly anatomises how Christianity and colonialism rocked traditional African society. In an age when Africa is still misunderstood by the wider world, this book will always be the gold standard in explaining how and why things become the way they are.

Noo Saro-Wiwa was born in Nigeria in 1976 and raised in England. She attended King's College London and Columbia University in New York and has written travel guides for Rough Guide and Lonely Planet. She currently lives in London. Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria is her first book.