Jun 12, 2007

A Lady of Many Colors - Chimamanda Adichie

It's probably stale news that Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie won The Orange Prize for her book "Half of A Yellow Sun". The Orange Broadband Prize for fiction is one of the United Kingdom's most prestigious literary prizes, awarded annually for the best original full-length novel by a female author of any nationality, written in English and published in the UK in the preceding year. This was not her first time on the shortlist. In 2004, she was nominated for the same price for her first book "Purple Hibiscus" but she lost to British Writer Andrea Levy, writer of "Small Island".

Chimamanda has come a long way. At just 30, she has achieved excellence in her career and great fame. Set to follow (and exceed) the footsteps of great novelists like Chinua Achebe, her two books have already sold tons of copies.

Her first book "Purple Hibiscus" is a story recounted by a 14-year-old girl, which captures the conflict of a family whose patriarch is staunchly Catholic. Against the backdrop of a corrupt, crumbling society, the implacable force of religious fundamentalism plays out not against secular humanism, but against the animist practices of tribal elders.
Her second book "Half Of A Yellow Sun" is set during the Nigerian Civil war in a dusty university town. It's a book about moral responsibility, the end of colonialism, ethnic allegiances, class and race—and the ways in which love can complicate them all.

I call her a Lady of Many Colors because she has evolved from Purple to Yellow and now finally to Orange! Who else should have won the Orange prize if not she? I wonder what the next color she has up her sleeve would be, but I know I won't be disappointed. Congratulations, Chimamda, you deserve that prize. The sky is the beginning and there is no limit.

PS
Coverage of the event (and pictures) can be found on Molara Wood's blog here.

13 comments:

Writefreak said...

Tayo, i agree Chimamanda is the woman to look out for. Both of her books left me wanting more! I aspire to be like her...Amen!

aloted said...

Tayo- have you read the book?

Waffarian said...

NAIJA BLOGGERS- THE BOOK!
Dear friends, please do not forget to send in your submissions, a lot of people have sent in great stuff but a lot of my favourite bloggers are missing, what's up, people? Come on, send in your stuff! June 15th is the last day, come on!


Submissions should be sent to nigerianbloggers@yahoo.com not later than Friday, June the 15th 2007 stating date of blogging and blogname/address.

Unknown said...

@Writefreak, Yes oh!
@aloted, * covers face in shame * I haven't o! Can you imagine? I almost bought it @ Nu Metro but the only copies left had little defects so I didn't buy.
@waffarian, I've already submitted. Thanks for the reminder.

Omodudu said...

Did you read that book bros.

Anonymous said...

:) i like how you linked the purple, yellow and orange! so cool

Unknown said...

@Omodudu, I never read am o! I've read a lot about it sha. That should change by next week, i'll be almost halfway through then.
@Mimi, thanks. Na so o! I think my first book will be about green grass ... or red rose ... or .. or ..

Anonymous said...

chimamanda is da bomb men

Wordsbody said...

Yes, there's definitely something about Chimamanda and colours - intended and otherwise. Purple Hibiscus, Yellow Sun & now an Orange Prize. It's proving to be a colourful literary life...

Omodudu said...

Who is this Chimanda sef? Does she have a web-site.

Unknown said...

@Pink Satin, no. She's more than the Bomb! She's nuclear
@Molara, thanks for visiting. Very colorful indeed
@Omodudu, I'm not sure she has a personal website. But there's stuff about here here.

Anonymous said...

Hopefully will try to read the book. How goes it though, bro?

Anonymous said...

She's totally in at this point. I hope they have her books at Barns & Noble. I'll be heading there in the coming week.

Oh y'all need to read LEFT TO TELL by Immaculee Ilibagiza! It's a must must read and it's not fiction but a survivor's personal account of the Rwandan Holocaust.