Tomorrow I’ll Be Twenty

memoir by Mabanckou

Also known as: “Demain j’aurai vingt ans”

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July 21, 2026

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Tomorrow I'll Be Twenty is a memoir by Alain Mabanckou, a celebrated Francophone Congolese writer known for his wordplay and humor. The book is written from the perspective of the author at age 10. It explores themes related to the consequences of colonialism in Africa and the author's experiences growing up in Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo. Mabanckou's work often captures the rhythm of Congolese French and delves into the complexities of identity and belonging.1

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Alain Mabanckou
Nonfiction and translations
…Demain j’aurai vingt ans (2010; Tomorrow I’ll Be Twenty, a finalist for the Man Booker Prize), written in the voice of the author at 10; and Lumières de Pointe-Noire (2013; The Lights of Pointe-Noire), described by one critic as “a dazzling meditation on homecoming and belonging.” Le Sanglot de l’homme…
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…Demain j’aurai vingt ans (2010; Tomorrow I’ll Be Twenty, a finalist for the Man Booker Prize), written in the voice of the author at 10; and Lumières de Pointe-Noire (2013; The Lights of Pointe-Noire), described by one critic as “a dazzling meditation on homecoming and belonging.” Le Sanglot de l’homme…
Read More