A Curva do Rio, de V.S. Naipaul

This is a wonderful book. I read it i a very good Portuguese translation, that's faithful to its pared down style. From what I've heard from a few friends that have worked in Africa, this is an extremely accurate portrait - a perfect example of what my friends and the people I knew in Madagascar referred to as TIA : this is Africa. The author manages to give us an insightful portrait without being judgemental or stereotypical.

I totally recommend it.