I Am A Girl From Africa

by Elizabeth Nyamayaro Scribner, 272pp, £20 Rescued from starvation during a Zimbabwean drought, a young Elizabeth Nyamayaro became fixated on emulating her saviour – a United Nations aid worker – and her new memoir charts her extraordinary journey, from rural village to senior adviser at the UN. Battling seemingly insurmountable hardships – poverty, prejudice and educational barriers – Nyamayaro’s compassion and determination to change lives takes her from Harare to London, Geneva, New York and beyond. A central thread is the love and support given by family and friends, whose sacrifices and wisdom shape her humanitarian outlook. Throughout her honest and emotional account, Nyamayaro also makes space for the voices of the victims of health inequalities she works hard to help. While sharing examples of progress, such as launching the global Heforshe movement for gender equality, Nyamayaro also highlights persistent injustices. Her remarkable story of perseverance provides ample inspiration to join the fight for change.

Tom Pilgrim

Of Women And Salt

by Gabriela Garcia Picador, 224pp, £14.99 Gabriela Garcia’s debut is a multigenerational family story encompassing themes of survival, addiction and storytelling. The characters, featuring five generations of mothers and daughters, traverse time and cultures, from 1860s Cuba to present-day Miami, and are affected by war, revolution and abuse. The narrative explores the US immigration system, the unspoken conflicts between migrant communities and their efforts to hold on to their identities in a new country. The plot feels overly eventful at times, with some chapters appearing episodic, but this is still a notable attempt to tell the stories of often silenced and overlooked groups.

Jessica Frank-keyes