Recommended reading

Five novel ways into mission

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: This tragic but redemptive story of the relationship of two boys growing up in Afghanistan provides an eye-opening and educational account of the recent political and cultural/economic history of that country. A harrowing yet beautiful, thought- provoking read.

Brick Lane by Monica Ali: Ali successfully captures cross-cultural, gender and generational tensions in her narrative of a Bangladeshi family and community in the East End. An informative and enjoyable read.

The Poisonwood Bible
(Artwork: © Faber and Faber
Used here by permission.)
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver: The story of a missionary family in the Congo, at the time of emerging independence, explores power, politics and hypocrisy on a domestic as well as an international scale. It weaves a harrowing story, narrated by each family member, which evokes both shame and a determination to prove that mission life should be, and can be, very different!

Arabesques by Anton Shammas: A celebrated young novelist in Israel, Anton Shammas, is an Israeli Arab. Mr Shammas, like Joseph Conrad, writes with great effect and beauty in a language, Hebrew, that is not his own. His best-selling novel, Arabesques, deals with the problem of being an Arab in the Israeli State – indeed, almost everything he writes takes that theme. Shammas paints a portrait of dislocation and misunderstanding that will leave you much better informed about the Israeli Arab perspective.

Half of a Yellow Sun by Ngozi Adichie: Set in Nigeria during the vicious civil war of the 1960s, Adichie explores moral responsibilities, ethnic allegiances, class, race and gender struggles through five central characters as they seek to understand their identities both in relation to each other and to Nigeria. It proves an insightful and educational read.

We hope that you enjoy reading these as much as we did.