Emecheta's Joys of Motherhood (1980) tells the story of a young village woman who grows up and endures the trials of life in colonial Nigeria.

An autobiographical novel, Emecheta's Second- Class Citizen (1973) tells the story of an intelligent, resourceful Nigerian girl who emigrates to Great Britain.

In Bride Price (1980), Emecheta insightfully depicts the life of an Ibo girl in Nigeria.

Emecheta's Double Yoke (1995) is an unusual novel about university life in modern Africa.

Efuru (1966), by Flora Nwapa, one of Emecheta's favorite authors, explores Nigerian village life.

In So Long a Letter (1991), Mariama Ba exposes the double standard between men and women in Africa.