Of My Favourite Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Unlike other author, I was not introduced to Adichie via her book. I happen to listen to her famous TED Talk 'The Danger of a Single Story' where she shares her experience of reading and writing English literature that present only one narrative of the humanity and deny its diversity and heterogeneity. She is frustrated the way her community was portrayed- poor, inhuman and uncivilised and worried that the world don't get the know their version of the story.

That famous TED Talk ignite my interest in the author. So deep and lucid were her thoughts that I wanted to read more of her story and her thoughts. That started my journey of reading all the book she has written and I don't regret doing so. Adichie has opened me to the different world and narratives, and added fuel to my enthusiasm of remaining feminist. I want to write in details about the books she had written in future but for today, lets have a brief glimpse to each of those.

1. Purple Hibiscus

The novel revolves around the story of Kambili's family that comprises of her parents and brother, her aunt's family with three children and her grandfather living alone in the village. The novel touches on the influence of colonialism and religion (catholic) in the lives of people living in the post-colonial era drawing sharp contrast on these three family living in their own way. It is also a coming of age story for Kambili in interaction with the people affected differently in post colonial Nigeria.

1. Americanah

Americanah tells the story of young people in Nigeria influenced to migrate to America (symbolically first world countries) in search of better life through Ifemelu and her childhood love Obinze. It shows how in search of better life, the youngsters are forced to leave behind their identity and try to mingle with the so called normal life of countries they migrate to and yet are never accepted as the local just because they are Africans.

1. Half of a Yellow Sun

I read this book thinking it was a feminist novel but it turned out to the story of internal conflict in Nigeria driven by caste. Narrated from the perspective of Igbo people who fought and failed to create a separate nation for themselves, the novel dived into the issue as sensitive as political influence of European nations, divides created by caste in Nigeria, war crimes and more.

1. The Thing Around Your Neck

Unlike others, 'The Thing Around Your Neck' is a short-story collection with 12 stories. In the collection. Adichie weaves the narratives of Nigerian at their homeland and foreign land all bounded by love for their country and culture but struggling with different obstacles to unite with those either physically or psychologically.

1. We Should All Be Feminists

The short essay and also a TED talk, is a famous piece that made feminism a hot topics in the internet. Adichie is very lucid, vivid and straight about the stereotypes society has forced on us and the need to speak about those irrespective of our gender identity.

1. Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions

Unfortunately, I just happened to know that in my mission of reading all books by Adiche, I missed this one. So, I am not in position to say what this is about but doing some google search, I came to know this is an essay written in form of letter that talks about the way of raising a strong independent daughter. Knowing Adichie and her stance on feminism, I can guarantee this is not something to be missed. I can't wait to order and savour on this.

Note: All the book covers are from Adichie official website- https://www.chimamanda.com/books/