Reading Africa: These five books from the continent will move you In the spirit of Africa Day which is celebrated today, why not pick up a book from a fellow African country? Here is a brief review of the ones that stand out for both plot and setting. 1. Author: Bessie Head First published: 1969 When Rain Clouds Gather stars Makhaya and the lively Botswanan community around him. It echoes some of Head’s own experiences in the country, where she lived for more than twenty years after immigrating from South Africa. The novel follows Makhaya as he builds a new life for himself in a small Botswanan village, after fleeing apartheid South Africa.