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5 Books by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie You Should Read Now

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is an internationally bestselling author from Nigeria born on September 15, 1977. After studying medicine for some time, she left for the United States in 1997, where she studied communication and political science. Balancing her time between Nigeria and the United States, she got a master’s degree in creative writing from John Hopkins University and studied African history at Yale University. She has received multiple awards and honours, including the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction (2007) and a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (2008).

Adichie’s 2009 TED Talk, ‘The Danger of A Single Story’, is currently one of the most viewed TED Talks ever. Her 2012 talk ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ began a global conversation about women’s liberation and feminism, so much so that it was later published as a book in 2014. Chimamanda has a way with words and without a doubt one of the most prestigious authors of all time. She dives into issues of gender equality and the way the political and economic landscape in society can be tweaked to ensure that it accommodates women who are fast becoming part of this field. Her novels give the reader a glimpse of the past and how it affects the present and also what can be done to ensure that in the coming years, we are not battling the same issues that ought to have been sought.

Therefore, this article will explore the five thought-provoking stories by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie that readers should read so that they can get to understand the issues that society is going through and also life in an African setting. Furthermore, the knowledge from this article will be a nice way for the reader to reflect on the impact they leave on the world as it is the responsibility of everyone to address the issues tormenting us as a society.

1 We Should All Be Feminists

This is the book that sparked a global debate on the rights of women in the 21^st century. The book gives a foundational understanding of what feminism is as sometimes the internet may give inauthentic information that may make an individual feel that feminism is an overwhelming notion and should just be ignored. In her book, Chimamanda shares her experiences of how she, her family and her friends faced gender-based discrimination in Nigeria. Even though the setting of the book is in Nigeria, the issues raised are universal in that people from different parts of the world can relate to them.

 Chimamanda’s book shows how women suffer physically and socially because of their gender. She further reveals that women’s discrimination is not only limited to the workplace throughout society women are seen as second-class citizens. Women have less freedom to live the life they want, for instance when a woman puts her job before starting a family. Men are allowed to live without a family, but in many societies, women who choose not to have children are seen as failures. Therefore, this book is a great way to explore how gender equality can be addressed in society.

2 Half of a Yellow Sun

Half of a Yellow Sun is a brilliant work on moral obligation, the end of colonialism, racial and ethnic allegiances, class, and how love can muddle all of these issues. The book was released in 2016.

The lives of three characters caught up in the turmoil of the decade are intertwined by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie with sensitivity and the effortless grace of a gifted storyteller. Ugwu, a houseboy for a professor at the age of 13, is a passionate revolutionary. Olanna, the charming mistress of the professor, has given up her privileged life in Lagos for the charm of her new love and a dusty college town. A bewildering character who denies having a romantic relationship with anyone, Olanna’s twin sister has Richard, a modest, young Englishman, in bondage.  Their ideals are put to the test, much like their loyalty to one another, when Nigerian forces advance and they should flee for their life.

Adichie received two awards for “Half of a Yellow Sun”: the Women’s Prize for Fiction’s “Best of the Best” award for the second decade in 2015 and the Orange Prize for Fiction which is now known as the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2007.

3 Purple Hibiscus

This novel is inspired by post-colonial Nigeria and the economic, political and social issues it faced after independence. Through Kambili’s eyes, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie tells an epic tale of a family’s dissolution. The entire storyline takes place throughout Kambili’s adolescence and explores how it impacted her formative years. The extraordinarily extensive network of allusions, civilizations, religions, and stories that weave throughout Purple Hibiscus captivates the reader.

With Purple Hibiscus, Adichie weaves together elements of African and Western civilizations, as well as ancient and modern, to create a timeless story. Critics have praised Purple Hibiscus as one of the best books to come out of Africa in recent memory. More than 20 languages have publishing rights to the book. Furthermore, numerous accolades have been given to the book, including the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize in 2005 for the Best First Book in Africa and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in 2004.

4 Americanah

Americanah is another masterpiece by Chimamanda. The novel tells a spectacular story about race and identity of a Nigerian woman who relocates to the United States for her university education. Ifemelu and Obinze, who are young and in love when they leave Nigeria under military rule for the West, are the focus of the narrative. Ifemelu is lovely and self-assured when she goes off for America, but despite her academic success, she finds herself unexpectedly forced to deal with being dark. Calm, intelligent Obinze had wanted to join her, but after 9/11, America was closed to him. As a result, he plunged into an unsafe, illegal life in London. They reunite in a democratic Nigeria fifteen years later, reigniting their love and adoration for one another and for their nation. In addition to previous honours, Adichie received the National Novel Critics Circle Award for Fiction in 2013 for this book.

5 Dear Ijewale or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions

Adichie’s letter to her friend, “Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions,” is an excellent declaration about women’s independence today. The book offers 15 invaluable tips on how to empower a young girl and develop her to be a strong, independent woman. Giving a girl advice on reading and understanding the role that language plays in maintaining unjust social norms; encouraging her to choose a helicopter rather than merely a doll as a toy; and having open dialogues with her about her appearance, character, and sexuality. The 21st century’s most pressing sexual law issues are addressed in “Dear Ijeawele.” It started a new, urgent conversation about what it means to be a woman in the modern world.