Honest, witty, revealing, and inspirational, americanah is a unique and bold examination of what it means to be black in america. Americanah provides adichie with a fictional vehicle for pithy, sharply sensible commentary on race and cultureand us with a symphonic, polyphonic, fullimmersion opportunity to think outside the american box and commune with the wholly global sensibility of adichie, an author who truly contains multitudes. Americanah by chimananda ngozi adichie the new book from nigerian writer chimamanda ngozi adichie is a knockout of a novel. Feb 27, 2014 the book alternates between their two stories, as well as in the past and present, but the writing is so perfect this all works seamlessly. Ifemelu, a nigerian woman living in america, gets her hair braided at an african salon. Americanah, by chimamanda ngozi adichie the new york times. Her book americanah won the national book critics circle award for. A powerful, tender story of race and identity by chimamanda ngozi adichie, the awardwinning author of half of a yellow sun. The term americanah is used for nigerians who have been changed by having lived in america.
She interacts with the women there and remembers her past. For her, it seems no great feat to balance highliterary intentions with broad social critique. As teenagers in a lagos secondary school, ifemelu and obinze fall in love. Come back wednesday, august 6 for the introduction to the book. The chapters are also scattered with posts from ifemelus blog about race in america. May 18, 2016 americanah manages to not only be a critical darling and a scholars dream, but is also a novel you want to recommend to your best friend or your book club. Chimamanda ngozi adichies third novel is a superb dissection of race in the uk and the usa, writes elizabeth day.
The discussion, led by guest poster shawn smucker, will be wednesday, august 27. We read every chapter, summarize and analyze it for your convenience. The novel traces ifemelus life in both countries, threaded by her love story with high school classmate obinze. Curt, a wealthy, leisurely whiteamerican that she meets through her babysitting job. This lesson provides a summary and analysis of chimamanda ngozi adichies 20 novel, americanah.
Americanah is a remarkable book, a thoughtful book, a book filled with truth. The main characters in americanah are ifemelu and obinze ifemelu is the novels protagonist. This is the great physical separation of the book, and the action begins as they move towards reconnecting. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. The novel explores the life of a young nigerian woman who moves to america and experiences racism. The overarching plot of the novel will be ifemelus romantic relationship with obinze. Now she has decided to return to nigeria, where obinze, the boyfriend she left behind, has become a wealthy property magnate. Americanah and its poignant and timely themes of immigration, feminism, and race, including. Ifemelu, the protagonist of chimamanda ngozi adichies americanah, is certainly a favorite among lovers of contemporary african literature. Americanah is a sweeping story that derives its power as much from adichies witty and fluid writing style as it does from keen social commentary. It follows two nigerians, one who came to the us, and one who tried and failed to get into the us and their relationships ups and downs as they return to their native nigeria. When chimamanda ngozi adichie moved from nigeria to the u. The bestselling novel from the awardwinning author of we should all be feminists and dear ijeawele.
Under the feet of jesus at the university of oregon. Buy a cheap copy of americanah book by chimamanda ngozi adichie. There, she starts a popular blog known for its snarky but insightful posts about the experiences of nonamerican blacks in america. This 56page guide for americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 55 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Meanwhile obinze, a rich man living in nigeria, emails ifemelu and remembers his own past. Ifemelu, a young nigerian woman living in princeton, new jersey, decides to move back to nigeria and reconnects with her first love, obinze. Her new novel, americanah, explores this question of what it means to be. A few days later obinze brings his license to register for the marriage. They were sanctified, the returnees, back home with an extra gleaming layer 408. This study guide consists of approximately 96 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of americanah. Summary and analysis of americanah by worth books overdrive. This is a book about africa and the african diasporic experience in the usa and england, a backdrop for the love story between ifemelu and obinze, teenagers attending a nigerian university who have to leave.
The novel traces ifemelus life in both countries, threaded by her love. Winner 20 national book critics circle award for fictionfinalist 2014 baileys womens prize for fictionfinalist 2014 andrew carnegie medal for fictionlonglisted 2015 international impac dublin literary award a searing new novel, at once sweeping and intimate, by the awardwinning author of half of a yellow sun. Our august book is a prayer for owen meany by john irving. Americanah by chimananda ngozi adichie the new book from nigerian writer chimamanda ngozi adichie is a knockout of a novel about immigration that transcends genre. With instaread, you can get the summary and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. Ifemelu remembers the exact day that she stopped speaking with an american accent and reverted to the natural lilt of her nigerian homeland. Americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie, paperback barnes. Americanah author explains learning to be black in the.
Jul 29, 2017 americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie. Americanah is social satire masquerading as romantic comedy. Americans often pronounce my last name, had written the best essay in class. They were sanctified, the returnees, back home with an extra gleaming layer. There is mocking, but not without lovebeyond race, the book is about the immigrants quest. Many of my students were disappointed with the ending, but not me. Americanah has been a satire with serious bits since the beginning. The irresistible incomprehensible journey with jesus. Ifemelu and obinze are young and in love when they depart militaryruled nigeria for the west. The real action of the novel begins and ends in ifemelus home country, nigeria, specifically in lagos, nigeria. Americanah author explains learning to be black in the u. He stays with friends but cant find a good job, and his visa expires.
Reading guide for americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie. This first major separation is ifemelus breakup with blaine. This summer i read the novel americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie. From the awardwinning author of half of a yellow sun, a dazzling new novel. Meanwhile obinze is hurt by ifemelus sudden silence. Why i appreciate the ending of americanah the dinglehopper. Jul 23, 2014 our august book is a prayer for owen meany by john irving. For ongoing discussion each month, join the red couch facebook group.
Ifemelu came to the united states to pursue her studies. This book is a 20 novel about the journey of two young nigerians in love, and their pursuit to navigate to and through america. I love the scene where ifemelu goes to an africanowned salon in the us to have her hair braided before returning to nigeria. The conversations between the salon employees, ifemelu and other. Sep 11, 20 americanah sustains the readers interest because it is many stories, feelingly told and woven into one story in an unpretentious and daring book full of vivid metaphor and colourful imagery.
Americanah is a book of great impact and importance. He hears someone in the office complaining that all the marriages being registered are shams, and he is suddenly afraid. She liked, most of all, that in this place of affluent ease, she could pretend to be someone else, someone specially admitted into the hallowed american club, someone adorned with certainty. From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the sparknotes americanah study guide has everything you need to ace. Americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie plot summary litcharts.
A different kind of immigrant experience in americanah. Since then nigeria has been headed by the presidents olusegun obasanjo, umaru yaradua. But more than anything else, americanah is a book about life and hope. Discussion questions for americanah by chimamanda ngozi. In the course of the novel, ifemelu has three love interests. Americanah study guide contains a biography of chimamanda ngozi adichie, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.
Americanah book pima county public library bibliocommons. Adichie is a macarthur fellowship winner and author of the novels purple hibiscus and half of a yellow sun. Im so happy that my novel americanah is the winner of the one. Americanah is a 20 novel by the nigerian author chimamanda ngozi adichie, for which adichie won the 20 national book critics circle fiction award. Americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie, 9780307455925, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. At this point they have been separated by thousands of miles and many years of silence. Apr 15, 20 americanah is a deeply felt book, written with equal parts lyricism and erudition. For the latter is a novel unashamed in its stance, yet it feels neither like an attempt at worthiness, nor. Chimamanda ngozi adichies latest, americanah, follows the trials and tribulations of ifemelu, a middleclass nigerian immigrant to america. Ultimately it all comes together, but for now we are thrown into the middle of ifemelus busy life. Apr 21, 2016 ive been reading and teaching chimamanda ngozi adichies critically acclaimed novel americanah for the first time this spring. Americanah, by chimamanda ngozi adichie, is the story of young lovers ifemelu and obinze who meet as teenagers. The summary and analysis in this ebook are intended to complement your reading experience and bring you closer to a great work of nonfiction.
Americanah takes place in contemporary nigeria, and spans the military regimes of ibrahim babangida 19851992, general abacha 19931998, and general abubakar 19981999, who finally returned the country to a democracy. Like those in the novels nigerpolitan club, they have become critical of their native land and culture. Americanah tells the story of a young nigerian woman, ifemelu, who immigrates to the united states to attend university. May 22, 20 chimamanda ngozi adichies latest, americanah, follows the trials and tribulations of ifemelu, a middleclass nigerian immigrant to america. It is a book that speaks truths profound and witty. Ifemelu and obinze are young and in love when they depart militaryruled nigeria. More than that, it is an important book and yet one that never lets its importance weigh down the need to. Adichie tells the novels story in a complex way, framing memories within back stories and scattering scenes from different times throughout the narrative. Winner of the national book critics circle award for fiction, 20. New york selects americanah for the inaugural one book, one. Born in lagos, nigeria, ifemelu moves to america as a young woman to attend. The novel contains interesting insights into race and gender, as well as into the cultural differences between black africans and black americans. Readers guide the questions, discussion topics, and other material that follow are intended to enhance your groups conversation about americanah, chimamanda ngozi acichies powerful, moving story of a young man and woman from nigeria who trace the difficult paths of migration, exile, and homecoming in a rapidly changing, globalized world. The book remains with you after you finish reading, begging you to read again.
Americanah ebook by chimamanda ngozi adichie rakuten kobo. In the us, talking about race meaning blackness and africanamericanness and the. Americanah manages to not only be a critical darling and a scholars dream, but is also a novel you want to recommend to your best friend or your book club. Americanah sustains the readers interest because it is many stories, feelingly told and woven into one story in an unpretentious and daring book full of vivid metaphor and colourful imagery. Americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie reading guidebook. The book alternates between their two stories, as well as in the past and present, but the writing is so perfect this all works seamlessly. Ifemelu, a young nigerian woman living in princeton, new jersey, decides to move back to nigeria and reconnects with her first.
Americanah is a deeply felt book, written with equal parts lyricism and erudition. This is the one book by an african writer that has spoken to me more than any other. He makes friends with a boss and coworker, but then is turned in as an illegal immigrant. New york selects americanah for the inaugural one book, one new york program. Ifemelu is a young nigerian woman who has left her countrys military dictatorship to pursue her studies in the united states. The story of two nigerians making their way in the u. This new book is something of a departure for chimamanda, whose famous novel half of a yellow sun told of the horrors of the nigeriabiafra war with lyrical subtlety those characteristics so abhorrent to the americanah character shan.
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