English, Gikuyu

Ngugi wa Thiong'o: books and prizes

Ngugi wa Thiong'o, born James Thiong'o Ngugi, was a Kenyan writer of novels, plays, memoirs and essays. His first novel, Weep Not, Child, was published in 1964. From 1980 he published his novels first in Gikuyu, beginning with Caitaani Mutharaba-ini.^1,2

Works, in order of first publication

1. 1964Weep Not, Child^1,2novel
2. 1965The River Between²novel
3. 1967A Grain of Wheat²novel
4. 1968The Black Hermit²First performed 1962play
5. 1976The Trial of Dedan Kimathi²With Micere Githae Mugo, first performed 1974play
6. 1977Petals of Blood²novel
7. 1980I Will Marry When I Want²Ngaahika NdeendaFirst performed 1977, English edition 1982play
8. 1980Devil on the Cross²Caitaani Mũtharaba-InĩEnglish edition 1982novel
9. 1981Detained, A Writer's Prison Diary²memoir
10. 1986Decolonising the Mind²essays
11. 1986Matigari²Matigari ma NjiruungiEnglish edition 1989novel
12. 2004Wizard of the Crow²Mũrogi wa KagogoEnglish edition 2006novel
13. 2011Dreams in a Time of War²memoir
14. 2015In the House of the Interpreter²memoir
15. 2016Birth of a Dream Weaver²memoir
16. 2020The Perfect Nine, The Epic of Gikuyu and Mumbi²English translation by the author. Longlisted for the International Booker Prizepoetry

Prizes

1. 2001Nonino International Prize for Literature²For Body of work
2. 2019Erich Maria Remarque Peace Prize²For Body of work
3. 2020Catalonia International Prize²For Body of work

Sources

1. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Encyclopaedia Britannica (accessed 2026-10-28)
2. EBSCO, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, EBSCO Research Starters (accessed 2026-10-28)