Come and chat to Orange Prize winner Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie about her new novel, AMERICANAH, on Tues 29 April, 9-10pm

[TillyBookClub]

April’s choice is a powerhouse of a book that informs and entertains in equal measure. AMERICANAH is the third novel from Orange-Prize winner Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who tackles the enormous subject of race with such vitality, intelligence and general chutzpah that you speed through the pages enchanted. AMERICANAH is first and foremost an epic love story spanning three continents: Nigerian teenagers Ifemelu and Obinze grow up together and fall in love, but are drawn apart when Ifemelu moves to study in the US and Obinze tries his luck in the UK, before returning to be a wealthy Lagos businessman.

Alternating between Ifemelu’s struggles with American ideas of race, and Obinze’s foray into being an illegal immigrant, the novel covers the next thirteen years before they finally meet again (in a 21st century, globalized, democratic Nigeria), and find out if they can regain what was lost. Along the way are many relationships, jobs, mistakes and triumphs, misunderstandings and epiphanies. And hairstyles: as Ifemelu experiments with straightened/Afro/cornrowed hair, her story moves through an identity crisis, into an activist phase and finally an acceptance of her roots, all of which is told with humour and acutely observant detail.

This is a book to make you think deeply, to see a subject in the round in all it's complexity and paradox, to hear things spoken out loud that are so often fudged over. Adichie’s ideas are fresh and bold, her writing always personal and perceptive: she is equally marvellous covering Nigerian politics as she is writing day-to-day dialogue. This is a very funny, very warm, rollicking, authentic, absolutely astonishing book. Don’t miss it – it might easily be your best book of the year.

Chimamanda's TED talk, ‘The Danger of the Single Story’ has been viewed 6.5 million times. You can view it here.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was born in Nigeria in 1977. Her first novel 'Purple Hibiscus' was published in 2003 and was longlisted for the Booker Prize. Her second novel 'Half of a Yellow Sun' won the 2007 Orange Prize for Fiction. Her work has been selected by the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association and the BBC Short Story Awards, and in 2010 she appeared on the New Yorker's list of the best 20 writers under 40.

Fourth Estate have 50 free copies to give to Mumsnetters – to claim yours please fill in your details here. We’ll post on the thread when all the copies have gone. If you’re not lucky enough to bag one of the free books, you can always get your paperback or Kindle version here.

We are delighted that Chimamanda will be joining us to discuss Americanah, her writing life and all her previous books on Tuesday 29 April, 9-10pm. So please feel free to discuss the book here throughout the month, pop up any advance questions and we will see you all here, Tue 29 April.

I think you need to be "louder" in Lagos. I lived and worked in Lagos for several years and worked with a wonderful Igbo woman who had lost seven of her eight children in the Biafran war. Her stories of that time were terrible, yet this is an event that a lot of people in the west know nothing about. Are atrocities ignored more when they happen in Africa? The kidnapping of the Nigerian schoolgirls has had very little coverage here, what is going on in CAR goes virtually unreported.

@Belo

Hi Chimamanda,

I've almost finished the book and am hoping to do so before tomorrow night (but at the same time, I've been delaying reaching the end as I'm enjoying it so much! I find Ifemelu totally believable as a character and the sort of woman who I can relate to).

Anyway, in case I don't make the webchat, I've one question I would like to ask. Throughout the book you talk about race in terms of colour of skin and the experiences of black people. Ifemelu says she didn't realise she was black until she moved to America. Within Nigeria is there an equivalent of racism? Maybe people are not discriminated against by the colour of their skin, but aren't there discriminations against different ethnic groupings? E.g the Igbos? Maybe this is a simplistic question but it is something that interests me as my family are white immigrants to this country. Also, your book 'Half of a Yellow Sun' and the horrors it tells of the Biafran war has stayed with me. I would love to think that the ethnic tensions died at the end of the conflict, but realistically I think that cannot be so?

Race is different from ethnicity. Of course there is prejudice everywhere in the world but I was interested in race because it was 'new' to me in America. When you walk into a store in the US, somebody can look at you and label you based on how you look and make assumptions based on that. In Nigeria, you can't tell who is from which ethnic group just by looking at them. It makes that form of prejudice less immediate. Not better or worse, just different.

@Roxy13

I love your books so thank you for the pleasure you bring through them.

Do you I think anyone can write if they have a desire? If so, even if that desire only comes to you in mid life?

Yes. Absolutely.

I have one more question, if there's time.

Nigeria tends to have a rather bad press. When you write about Nigeria in your books do you hope to raise awareness of the issues in your country and perhaps improve its perception abroad? Your writing has certainly improved my perception of Nigeria, so I was wondering if this is intentional?

@MarmaladeAtkins51

Hi Chimamanda, I have read and enjoyed and been moved and challenged by all of your books. I absolutely loved Americanah. There is so much I could ask but I?ll post 4 questions and let you choose which to answer.

1. Can Ifemelu really be happy with Obinze? Her abandonment put him through hell and yet he?s ready to leave his wife and daughter for her? She seems like a restless, discontented person who will ultimately tire of his simple and unconditional love.

2, After reclaiming her African accent Ifemelu goes on a quest for authenticity. This includes growing out her relaxed hair. ?Relaxing your hair is like being in a prison. You?re caged.? She writes. Much of her blog conflates self-acceptance for black women with natural hair. However, it doesn?t allow for the women whose hair relaxation isn?t about conforming but about self-expression or practicality (with straight hair you can literally wash and go). Does she (and black women) have to move away from the politics of hair? After all what is natural? Long synthetic hair braided into your own short afro? Natural hair worn under a weave? Using a hot iron? Where do we draw the line?

Shouldn?t hair be about the attitude of the person and not a rod black women use to judge and beat each other?

1. The release of Half of a Yellow Sun has been delayed by censors in Nigeria. Is it too soon for a national dialogue about the Biafran way?

1. Is it problematic ? in terms of telling authentic African stories ? that while there are so many incredible Nigerian writers, the absence of a structured publishing industry in Nigeria means they are all published by foreign publishers?

This is HER experience. She isn't speaking for everyone. I do find it interesting that talk of hair often gets so prickly for black women. There's a lot of defensiveness. I think it would be disingenuous to pretend that in the 'mainstream' world, there isn't a heirarchy of what is considered acceptable in black women's hair. And it's political and complicated but it should be talked about. It's often a question of texture. If Michelle Obama had 'kinky' hair, in an afro or dreads, she would be read very differently by the 'mainstream' world. When I had relaxed hair, I certainly couldn't just 'wash and go.' And certainly can't now that my hair is not relaxed! I just wish ours was a world where all kinds of hair textures have equal social worth. And right now, they don't.
And no, I don't think it's too soon for a dialogue about Biafra. I think it's overdue. It's begun really, but in fits and starts.

@juneau

I have one more question, if there's time.

Nigeria tends to have a rather bad press. When you write about Nigeria in your books do you hope to raise awareness of the issues in your country and perhaps improve its perception abroad? Your writing has certainly improved my perception of Nigeria, so I was wondering if this is intentional?

Nope. Just writing what I know.

That was the fastest hour in history...I'm very sad that we'll have to end it there and let Chimamanda take a breath...

Thank you, everyone, for coming tonight and for all your questions. I have such pleasure in the sharing of this particular book, it's one of my favourites since we started the Bookclub five years ago and it's been a great discussion. Many apologies if your questions didn't get answered, we've been hugely busy tonight.

Most of all, Chimamanda, thank you so much for your insightful answers, and for all your generosity of spirit in coming tonight and speaking so fluently about your writing. I hope that your next project is underway as we can't wait to read it - please will you come back once it is published?

Good luck at the Baileys, I will be cheering you on and crossing fingers.

Many, many thanks again, both for tonight's chat and for your extraordinary books.

Thanks you!

@ZuluinJozi

Hi Chimamanda

I loved Americanah
Do you think Ifemelu and Blaine had feelings for one another, or that they were just what each needed at the time?

I think they certainly had feelings for each other. Maybe not in the 'conventional' way. Relationships are strange and idiosyncratic things.

@TillyBookClub

That was the fastest hour in history...I'm very sad that we'll have to end it there and let Chimamanda take a breath...

Thank you, everyone, for coming tonight and for all your questions. I have such pleasure in the sharing of this particular book, it's one of my favourites since we started the Bookclub five years ago and it's been a great discussion. Many apologies if your questions didn't get answered, we've been hugely busy tonight.

Most of all, Chimamanda, thank you so much for your insightful answers, and for all your generosity of spirit in coming tonight and speaking so fluently about your writing. I hope that your next project is underway as we can't wait to read it - please will you come back once it is published?

Good luck at the Baileys, I will be cheering you on and crossing fingers.

Many, many thanks again, both for tonight's chat and for your extraordinary books.

Thank you. It's been lovely. And sorry I didn't get to all the questions. I was trying! Best wishes to everyone from Lagos.

I loved this book and am going to buy it for lots of friends - SPOILER ALERT - the only thing I was conflicted about was the ending. Of course they were meant for each other but somehow I always identify with the wife - did anyone else feel uneasy about wanting them to get back together, given he was married? And I echo the person who said they wanted to know what happened next! Thanks so much for all the answers and for such a great book.

Very sad that I could not chat today.... I have read the book and found it to be a wonderful piece of reading. It really is an eye-opener. Very engaging style of writing. Raises lots of questions and matters can be seen from different perspectives.Brilliantly written and a good read.

I sympathise with the wife too. Have I missed the live chat? If not how do I join? Day help digital immigrant lol!??

Can anyone help me join the live web chat???

Hello anyone. I was trying to join the live web chat but don't know how to do it. Can anyone help???

Hi Creagbhaner, I'm afraid you missed the chat - they usually start at 9pm and run for an hour until 10pm.

The next one will be on Weds 4 June, 9-10pm with Kahled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner, so do come and join us here.

You don't need to do anything special to join: just read the book, discuss it on the thread and turn up on the night to be part of the live author chat. Or even if you haven't read the latest book, you can still join in with questions about the author's previous work, or their writing life.

Thanks for the free copy. I love the depictions of contrasting culture in Nigeria and the US. I can't find my original email - where should I leave a review?

I was lucky enough to win one of the free copies from Mumsnet, I'm afraid I've only just managed to finish it though! Having got it for free, it seems a bit churlish to say anything other than "It was completely amazing!" And it was good, I did enjoy it, but I felt a bit let down by the ending. I felt like the book explored all sorts of themes, mostly about identity and class and race and a bit of gender, and introduced some interesting characters - and then just ended in a fairly predictable way. For that reason I thought this book was good, but not brilliant. I am interested in reading the author's other work though.

Beautifully written.

Adichie delves into the notion of identity, and how that identity changes when you delve into a different country. Her descriptions of how another country's culture can effect your own perception was beautifully drawn.