I was reminded once again of Africa’s rich literary tradition when I recently read…Americanah.
Though much of the novel is set in the United States, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 2013 book tells a story that starts and ends in Nigeria. And the author splits her time between Nigeria (where she was born in 1977) and the U.S.
Americanah stars Ifemelu — who comes to the U.S. to study, becomes a widely read blogger on race after working in a variety of more-menial jobs, and gets into diverse romantic relationships even as she remains drawn to Nigeria and her former lover there (Obinze). So we get a fascinating look at Nigerian society (its culture, class divisions, etc.) through the eyes of someone from that nation as well as a fascinating look at American society (its culture, racism, etc.) from that same character — who’s initially a total outsider in the U.S. and rarely feels truly comfortable even after more than a decade in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
Among Adichie’s other novels are Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), a compelling chronicle of how various characters are affected by Nigeria’s 1967-70 civil war.
Obinze’s daughter in Americanah is named Buchi — possibly a nod to renowned Nigerian writer Buchi Emecheta (1944-2017), who moved to the United Kingdom in her late teens. Emecheta’s excellent second novel is the semi-autobiographical Second Class Citizen, about a young woman who relocates to the UK and deals with a difficult marriage, exhausting parenthood, racism, and sexism as she tries to become a writer.
Adichie’s inspirations included Chinua Achebe (1930-2013) and his classic 1958 novel Things Fall Apart, which chronicles pre-colonial life and the arrival of Europeans in Nigeria.
Another renowned Nigerian writer is 1934-born Wole Soyinka, recipient of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature. Soyinka has written many more plays and poems than novels, but his The Interpreters (1964) is a memorable book starring five middle-class characters who live and work in early-1960s Lagos.
Yes, all four writers mentioned so far are/were from Nigeria.
There are of course also native African novelists who are white — among them the 1991 Nobel-winning Nadine Gordimer (1923-2014) and Cry, the Beloved Country author Alan Paton (1903-1988). Both were South Africa residents with anti-apartheid views. I have not yet tried the work of 1940-born J.M. Coetzee of that same country; I’ve read every other author mentioned in this post.
Also, 2007 Nobel winner Doris Lessing (1919-2013) spent much of her early life in what’s now Zimbabwe before moving to England.
Non-African authors who wrote novels with African settings include — among others — 2008 Nobel winner J.M.G. Le Clezio, whose Desert is partly set in Morocco; Paul Bowles, whose The Sheltering Sky also has a North African milieu; Joseph Conrad, whose Heart of Darkness unfolds in what’s now the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and H. Rider Haggard, whose fantastical She takes place in “a lost African kingdom.”
Of course, a number of Africa-set novels by non-Africans suffer from some stereotyping and patronizing attitudes on the part of their writers.
Any authors and novels you’d like to mention that fit the theme of this post?
My literary-trivia book is described and can be purchased here: Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels of All Time.
In addition to this weekly blog, I write the 2003-started, award-winning “Montclairvoyant” topical-humor column for Baristanet.com. The latest piece — which discusses topics such as the damage done by Tropical Storm Isaias — is here.
I’m impressed by your raw articulation of African value system and acknowledgement of african rich culture.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, Henry! I appreciate it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always my pleasure, Dave
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
There’s so much GREAT African literature.
LikeLike
You are absolutely correct, Dave
LikeLiked by 1 person
great stuff Dave.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Sophia! 🙂
LikeLike
https://newnjo.wordpress.com
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Njoki nyambura, for the link to your blog!
LikeLike
Welcome
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: A Look at Some African Literature – My Kreative Korna
As it hasn’t been mentioned by other, allow me to add Andre Gide’s “The Immoralist” to the pile of books by Europeans, this time a Frenchman, that takes place, among other places, in Algeria and Tunis. This book was once controversial because its chief character is attracted to men, but not exclusively, as he is married. His treatment of his literally long-suffering wife is off-putting, especially give her diligent nursing of him when he contracts tuberculosis– the disease to which she eventually succumbs herself. Its take on the North African natives and their temptations is dated, but probably indicative of prevailing colonial perspective. Overall, such as I remember from my reading a half-century ago, it has a decadent feel, as if, inevitably, the chief character is sliding into something liberating yet downhill.
I should also mention William Burroughs, who lived in Tangier in the years he was concocting “Naked Lunch”. Upon finishing the book, he threw all the chapters into the air and sent them to be published in the order he had picked them up. He also found much to admire in the nubile youth of his surroundings, and mentions of them crop up, if only in passing, throughout his writings.
Must be something in the water of North Africa that drew more than one young man to itself. Arthur Rimbaud, spurning France and a life in letters, after first weathering the scandal of an affair with the married Paul Verlaine, skittered about North Africa in various attempts to become wealthy, most notably as a supplier of guns.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, jhNY, for the vivid and informative comment on those white authors with North African connections. All three of them rather controversial in various ways.
LikeLike
African literature and I are but passing strangers, though thanks to you and the gang of commenters i have a chance to rectify my condition. I have read “The Palm Wine Drinkard”, by Nigerian Amos Tutuola, a woozy sort of a nightmare of a rich young man with his own maker of palm wine on hand. When the man, termed a ‘tapster’ dies, the rich young man seeks to rescue him out of the land of the dead so as to maintain a reliable supply of palm wine. After many a fantastic occurrence among spirits, he is rewarded by coming into possession of a magical egg, from which the wine flows freely.
Published in 1952, it enjoys the distinction of bring the first novel published outside of Africa in English by an African author. Dylan Thomas gave it a positive review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, jhNY! Wow — “The Palm Wine Drinkard” sounds like quite a fantastical book, from your excellent summary. And sobering that it took until 1952 for the first novel to be published outside of Africa in English.
LikeLike
fantastic.
You keep posting such nice contents
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, pranav dev!
LikeLike
It may seem as a business request but I have just created this website. Please share with your friends. Thanks for your support. You are first follower. You mean a lot to me. Thanks for everything
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome! Anyone seeing your comments here can click on the red “pranav dev” name and see your site. Good luck with it!
LikeLike
thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happiness Like Water collection ? Chinelu Okparanto ?
Urging me to read Buchi Emcheta and Chinua Achebe, I think my mother must have known about our family’s Nigerian ancestry. ( ex-catonthedovrefell)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Esther, for the mention of Chinelo Okparanta and her story collection! Just googled it, and it looks excellent. And great that your mother urged you to read Buchi Emecheta and China Achebe! Excellent taste in literature on her part. 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks. Irish, Jewish, Nigerian headteacher, ( primary) Tiger for getting us reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a great ethnic/cultural/religious mix!
LikeLike
Dave: This post just reminds me of how many terrific writers are at work around the world and how few of them are known by many Americans. I’m guilty of that, too. Sigh.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, William! There are indeed many great writers around the world that Americans (including myself) don’t know about or don’t know enough about. Americans and American media can be more insular than the citizens and media of many other countries. 😦
LikeLike
Hi Dave, two books come to mind:
The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. Courtenay is a bit of an Aussie fave, but he was born in Africa and that’s where he set his debut novel. A very moving story about a boy with a tough upbringing who goes on to be a successful boxer.
I read Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime a few months ago, but it’s refused to leave me. Mostly, it’s about a boy growing up in a crazy family, and could be set in lots of places around the world, but Noah includes many snippets of the different cultures throughout Africa which makes the memoir a perfect mix of humour and sadness.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Susan, for those two book mentions! After seeing your description, I put “The Power of One” on my to-read list. 🙂 And although I’m not a TV watcher, I’ve enjoyed seeing some YouTube clips of “The Daily Show” with Trevor Noah. His memoir is definitely highly regarded, and sounds really gripping in addition to being funny.
LikeLike
Hi, Dave. If memory serves at all, I believe Adichie was the first book I read by a Nigerian author, and the only South African author I’ve read is J.M. Coetzee. The latter emigrated to Australia and commenced writing some experimental literature. On the topic of apartheid I highly recommend Age of Iron, Disgrace and Life & Times of Michael K. Another favorite is Algerian author, Albert Camus. What I find so refreshing about Adichie is her take on cultural differences between people of the same ‘race’ from different countries. Lots of great recommendations found in this thread!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Mary Jo!
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is indeed terrific at depicting and observing the “cultural differences between people of the same ‘race’ from different countries” — one of the highlight elements of “Americanah.”
And that’s a great mention of Albert Camus! I associate him more with France, but he was indeed born in Algeria. I’ve read his compelling novels “The Plague” and “The Stranger,” and both were set in Algeria. Totally forgot to include him in my post! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
We remember more together!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
So true!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, dear, looks like you’ve found a spot of literature where my background is pretty lacking! I have read some pieces that take place in Africa, most notably the first few in the Wilbur Smith series. I stopped reading after that because they began to feel a bit repetitive. I will say that Americanah is on my list, I just haven’t managed to get a copy of it yet. Then of course I’ve read a slew of WWI & WWII material that takes place in Africa 🙂 It’s an area I need to get caught up in with novels though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, M.B.! I think a lot of us have not read a huge number of novels by African authors. And, yes, Africa figures in a lot of nonfiction, including works with a war focus. I guess WWI and WWII both had North African campaigns.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I seriously need to read some books set in Africa written by native novelists. Just thinking there that those I have read set in Africa were largely colonial. Our of Africa. And let’s just look at the African Queen for a second. It may mention Africa in title, it may be set there but beyond that is seemed as African as Scots mist. Great post .
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Shehanne!
I hear you. Some books and films “about” Africa are not truly about Africa; the depictions are at least partly inaccurate and/or of a colonial mindset, as you note.
I also haven’t read as many novels by Africa-based authors as I would have liked. Partly because many have been off my radar, and partly because of what a person grows accustomed to reading — in my case, mostly North American and European literature, with the occasional African, Latin American, Asian, Australian, etc., novel.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well you have encouraged me to rectify that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is one of my favourite authors. I’ve read all her books 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Don’t Lose Hope! Great that you’ve read all of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s books! I’ve gotten to two so far. I’m sure there are quite a few more in her future, given that she’s only 42.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I enjoyed “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi. It’s a family saga set in Ghana and in the US. It tells the stories of two sisters and their numerous descendants, beginning in the 18th century and moving up to present-day. The author was born in Gyana and lives in the US.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you, Becky! That novel sounds excellent, as is your brief description of it! I just put “Homegoing” on my to-read list.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh dear, here I go again segueing into non-fiction. I heard Lehman Gbowee interviewed on late night television a few years ago. She was speaking about her book: “Might Be our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer and Sex Changed a Nation at War.” The next day I had the book in hand and read how Lehman Gbowee was broken by the Liberian civil war. It was a transformative read for it told a story of one woman who join with other women to lead the Liberian Mass Action for Peace. My takeaway was that there were many others like Lehman who strive to bring positive outcomes for all. When we read her story we celebrate the lives of others who follow her same path. The other memorable read (fiction) for me was The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, which was a story told by the wife and four daughters of Nathan Price, a fierce, evangelical Baptist who takes his family and mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959. The quote that I kept from this poignant story was: “Listen. Slide the weight from your shoulders and move forward. You are afraid you might forget, but you never will. You will forgive and remember.” Whether fiction or non-fiction, reading a book changes you. Another great post, Dave!!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
OMG, Clanmother, I totally forgot to include “The Poisonwood Bible,” which I’ve read and found riveting. Thank you very much for mentioning it! I’m a big fan of Barbara Kingsolver, and have read all her novels, many of her short stories, and one of her nonfiction books.
And, yes, many great nonfiction books about Africa — also including Isak Dinesen’s “Out of Africa.” “Might Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer and Sex Changed a Nation at War” sounds harrowing and intense and compelling and inspiring.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I thought about mentioning ‘The Poisonwood Bible’ but had already wandered away from African writers by mentioning Joseph Conrad and Edgar Rice Burroughs so I decided to stop there.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, glad you mentioned it after all, Brian. 🙂 The best Kingsolver novel, and that’s saying something.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You beat me to it, Dave. I was going to mention Isak Dinesen but you beat me to it!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I LOVE books!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry about that, lulabelle. 🙂 I almost considered including “Out of Africa” in my blog post because, although a memoir, it does seem to be a partly fictionalized memoir (as many memoirs are).
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do, too, Clanmother! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
African literature is an area of my education that is definitely lacking. I remember studying a Nadine Gordiner short story in Craft of Fiction, and I remember it had a very disturbing scene between a woman and a dog.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Thank you, Liz! I also haven’t read a lot of African literature — just enough to eke out a blog post about it, I guess. 🙂
I’ve never read any of Nadine Gordimer’s short stories. (I wonder if the one you mentioned was metaphorical in some way?) I did get to one of her novels: “My Son’s Story.” Her long friendship with Nelson Mandela was inspiring.
LikeLiked by 4 people
I just looked the story up. It was “Mrs. Plum” by Ezekiel Mphahelele, who was also from South Africa. Gordimer’s story “The Defeated” is the next one in the anthology. Definitely my mind playing tricks on me!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Liz! That kind of thing happens to us all once in a while. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
I was somewhat disappointed in ‘Americanah’, which I just finished reading last week. It had such a promising beginning. The first 50 pages or so were very engaging and had some interesting observations on the differences between American-Africans and African-Americans. However, Ifemelu became progressively less sympathetic. Her blog entries seemed superficial and not as insightful as the observations in the early part of the novel. She didn’t seem to have sufficient motivation for many of her impetuous actions. Her boyfriends, other than their race seemed interchangeable. Obinze’s situation was a bit more interesting and his dilemma as an illegal alien in the U.K. was more interesting than Ifemelu’s somewhat less difficult life fitting in on at least a financial level in the U.S. I’ve watched some interviews with Adiche on YouTube and she’s pretty interesting. Maybe one of her other novels will be somewhat more profound.
I am now more interested in checking out other African authors. I don’t know why I haven’t read ‘Things Fall Apart’ or ‘Cry, the Beloved Country’ or something by Naipaul other than that his statement about women not being able to produce literature that’s as significant as that created by men turned me off of him. You mentioned Joseph Conrad who set a few of his novellas and novels in Africa. You also mentioned H.Rider Haggard, who among others, was an influence on Edgar Rice Burroughs who, through his Tarzan stories, probably made more Americans aware of a highly fictionalized Africa than they would have been.
LikeLiked by 5 people
Thank you, Brian!
I can’t disagree with some of your points. I liked Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Half of a Yellow Sun” more than her “Americanah,” even though the “Half of a Yellow Sun” ending left something to be desired.
But, overall, even with its flaws, I found “Americanah” to be an absorbing read. I guess one could argue that the impetuousness of some of Ifemelu’s actions resulted from her cultural disorientation living in the U.S., and her missing Obinze and knowing he was superior to her later boyfriends Curt and Blaine (even though she sabotaged the initial relationship with Obinze).
Ifemelu is indeed not a totally sympathetic character, which may have been Adichie’s intent. That made her seem more real.
As for Tarzan — yes, a mass phenomenon for many years with a very distorted/fictionalized view of Africa.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I thought that when she yielded to a prospective employer’s sexual demands she felt somewhat unworthy of Obinze as she was too ashamed to tell him about it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
True, Brian — that was a big turning point that sent her into depression for a while. As you know, Ifemelu was totally desperate for money at that early period of her time in the U.S.
LikeLike
Thanks to Mary Jo Malo and Alison Urquidi for recommending “Americanah”!
LikeLiked by 2 people