The Book of Chameleons by Jose Eduardo Agualusa. A dreamy, inventive novel about a man in Luanda who sells fabricated genealogies to Angola's nouveau riche, narrated by a gecko. It captures post-war Luanda's surreal atmosphere -- the reinvention, the money, the lingering ghosts -- better than any travel writing could. Short and strange in the best way.
Another Day of Life by Ryszard Kapuscinski. The great Polish reporter's account of being in Luanda during the chaotic weeks surrounding independence in 1975, as the Portuguese fled and civil war erupted. Vivid, intense, and essential reading for understanding how Angola got to where it is today.
Letters to Gabriel by Leon Kukkuk. A personal account of the Angolan civil war told through letters to the author's son. Honest and moving, it gives a ground-level view of what decades of conflict meant for ordinary people.
A General Theory of Oblivion by Jose Eduardo Agualusa. Based on a true story: a Portuguese woman bricks herself into her Luanda apartment at independence in 1975 and does not come out for thirty years. As the city transforms around her, the novel weaves together the stories of people whose lives intersect with hers. Magical realism meets Angolan history.
Angola: Landmarks by the Bradt Travel Guide series. The most comprehensive English-language guidebook to Angola. Practical and well-researched, it is the closest thing to a dedicated travel guide for the country and worth carrying if you are planning an extended trip.