For The Gambia, I read Reading the Ceiling by Dayo Forster. This book was recommended by folks on social media, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The novel begins with a Prologue. It is Ayodele’s 18th birthday, and she is determined to lose her virginity by the time she goes to bed. She has a list of candidates for her deflowering, and the choice she makes will determine the path her life takes. After the Prologue, the novel has three stories, each following Ayodele’s life depending on the choices she made (or didn’t make) on that fateful birthday.

From that premise, the author spun an absolutely delightful and compelling novel. It’s beautifully written with a wicked sense of humor, and Forster dives into all sorts of meaningful issues. Some are universal, like dealing with aging parents and grief. Others are more specific to the African experience, like going abroad for graduate education and polygamy. (Well, polygamy is an issue that goes way beyond Africa, but this novel explores polygamy within The Gambia.)

Reading the Ceiling would be such an interesting book club pick. You could discuss:

• Do you really think one decision can have such impact on the course of a life?
• Looking back at your own life, what decisions were pivotal?
• Of the three versions of Ayodele’s life, which do you think was “best”?
• Although the three stories are very different, what stayed the same?

I only have one complaint about this book: it was published in 2007, but Forster hasn’t published any more novels!

But in all seriousness, I’m so glad I picked this book for The Gambia. And as a writer, I might have to use this format in a novel some day. There should just be a new “Reading the Ceiling” genre. I know the multiverse has been explored many different times in different ways, but Forster used the concept to craft a meaningful and thought-provoking experience for the reader.