A Guest of Honor (1990) by Nadine Gordimer. An idealistic colonel's discovery of corruption among the leaders of a newly independent African nation results in his assassination.

"Children of the Sea," (1993) by Edwidge Danticat. A young couple are separated by a dictatorial regime in Haiti, forcing the young man to make a dangerous boat crossing to the United States.

"Vengeful Creditor'' (1971) by Chinua Achebe. A story about a wealthy Nigerian's brush with free public education, which makes it difficult for her to find suitable servants to care for her children.

"Blues Ain't No Mocking Bird" (1972) by Toni Cade Bambara. A poor, African-American family is approached by a crew of filmmakers who want to shoot footage of their modest home for their project on the government food stamp program.

"Everyday Use" (1973) by Alice Walker. An African-American family's successful, college-educated daughter wants possession of the family crazy quilt so she can hang it over her sofa as an example of American folk art.

Fools and Other Stories (1983) by Njabulo Ndebele, a former leader of the Congress of South African Writers. A collection of stories that explores the lives of South African children growing up in the 1960s.

Cry, the Beloved Country (1948) by South African writer Alan Paton, a classic novel that follows Reverend Steven Kamalo through the black ghettos of Johannesburg on a search for his lost son.

Biko by Donald Woods recounts the dynamic life of Stephen Biko, South African Black Consciousness Movement leader, who was battered to death while under police interrogation in 1977.