It would be an understatement to say that Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has had an impressive year. Where to start? Perhaps with the publication of her third novel, "Americanah", a tri-continental love story that won the National Book Critics Circle award.
See more after the jump!!!
Meanwhile her second novel, "Half Of A Yellow Sun"-----centered on the Nigerian/Biafran war of 1967-1970, was made into a movie that was released early this summer in the US. And she delivers her second TED talk, "We Should Be Feminist", which not only has been seen by over 900, 000 viewers on YouTube but was sampled by Beyonce in her song "Flawless".
Coming full circle, the film's right for Americanah has been optioned as well. "Americanah" referring to a Nigerian who has lived abroad in America before returning home, aptly describes Adichie's current status, as she splits her time between the two Countries----teaching in Nigeria and residing with her husband in Baltimore, MD.
The 36-year old grew up in an Igbo family of educators in the University town of Nsukka, where she developed an early love for writing. She moved to the United States at age 19 to continue her education and in 2003 published her first novel, "Purple Hibiscus", to critical acclaim. Now, she's not only one of the foremost writers of the day but a feminist and role model, inspiring young girls to the world's biggest pop star with such words as this from her TED talk.......
"We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to girls, 'You can have ambitions, but not too much. You should aim to be successful but no too successful'...FEMINIST: A person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes"
Asked if she thought of herself as a feminist, she said.....
."I think of myself as a story teller, but i will not mind at all if someone were to think of me as a feminist writer. Sometimes i find myself pushing against lables, only because they can become prescriptive. But at the same time, I'm very feminist in the way I look at the world, and that worldview must some how be a part of my work"
Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'O, has expressed interest in Americanah and this is what Adichie has to say about it.....
"Yes! The rights have been optioned by the lovely Lupita Nyong'O. One of the things I'm very happy about is that she read and loved Americanah long before she became famous"
She also added that she thought Lupita will make an excellent Ifemelu, the main character in the novel.
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The lovely author expressed joy in her novel being used to create a bridge in understanding and complicating the black experience, mostly characterized as 'The African American Experience'
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I'm writing about what i know, but the idea of creating a kind of commonality is one that i like. I don't think that African American culture began with the slave ship. I think for the people of African decent, there's a commonality in our histories and our experiences, but there are also difference ways of being black. There's a way that we talk about race that only imagines the experience as African American, which then becomes a single story. And if you are black and coming to the US, there are certain things you're expected to know, which you might not because you don't know the history. But if my novel is being used to create bridges, and I have had conversations with others who say that's happening, that certainly makes me very happy"
We are proud of you girlfriend. Keep that flag flying!!!
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