WINNER 2013 – National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction FINALIST 2014 – Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction FINALIST 2014 – Andrew Carnegie Medal for Fiction LONGLISTED 2015 – International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award A searing new novel, at once sweeping and intimate, by the award-winning author of Half of a Yellow Sun: a story of love and race centered around a man and woman from Nigeria who seemed destined to be together--until the choices they are forced to make tear them apart. Ifemelu--beautiful, self-assured--left Nigeria 15 years ago, and now studies in Princeton as a Graduate Fellow. She seems to have fulfilled every immigrant's dream: Ivy League education; success as a writer of a wildly popular political blog; money for the things she needs. But what came before is more like a nightmare: wrenching departure from family; humiliating jobs under a false name. She feels for the first time the weight of something she didn't think about back home: race. Obinze--handsome and kind-hearted--was Ifemelu's teenage love; he'd hoped to join her in America, but post 9/11 America wouldn't let him in. Obinze's journey leads him to back alleys of illegal employment in London; to a fake marriage for the sake of a work card, and finally, to a set of handcuffs as he is exposed and deported. Years later, when they reunite in Nigeria, neither is the same person who left home. Obinze is the kind of successful "Big Man" he'd scorned in his youth, and Ifemelu has become an "Americanah"--a different version of her former self, one with a new accent and attitude. As they revisit their shared passion--for their homeland and for each other--they must face the largest challenges of their lives. Spanning three continents, entering the lives of a richly drawn cast of characters across numerous divides, Americanah is a riveting story of love and expectation set in today's globalized world.
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About the author
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Author
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian writer of novels, short stories, poems, and children's books; she is also a book reviewer and literary critic. Her most famous works include Purple Hibiscus (2003), Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), and Americanah (2013). She is widely recognised as a central figure in postcolonial feminist literature.
Americanah
by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Books Like Americanah
If you're looking for books similar to Americanah, here are some recommendations based on themes, tone, and narrative style.
Half of a Yellow Sun
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Another powerful novel by Adichie exploring Nigerian identity and historical trauma. Set during the Biafran War, it follows the lives of twin sisters and their connections during a tumultuous period of Nigerian history. The book delves into themes of race, colonialism, and personal resilience similar to Americanah. It offers a deep examination of Nigerian culture and individual experiences within broader social contexts.
Americanah
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A powerful exploration of race, identity, and migration through the lives of two Nigerian lovers. The novel follows Ifemelu and Obinze as they navigate different cultural experiences across continents. It offers a nuanced examination of race, immigration, and personal transformation. The book provides deep insights into cultural identity and global experiences.
Homegoing
Yaa Gyasi
An epic novel tracing the descendants of two half-sisters from Ghana through generations of family history. The book explores themes of race, colonialism, and cultural identity across continents. Similar to Americanah, it examines how historical experiences shape individual lives and cultural perspectives. The narrative spans multiple generations, revealing the complex impacts of slavery and migration.
The God of Small Things
Arundhati Roy
A powerful novel exploring family, cultural constraints, and personal identity in India. The story follows twin siblings navigating complex social and familial dynamics. Similar to Americanah, it offers a deep examination of cultural expectations and personal freedom. The book reveals how individual lives are shaped by broader social and historical contexts.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Junot Díaz
A novel exploring immigrant experiences, cultural identity, and diaspora. The story follows a Dominican-American family's complex history, blending personal narrative with broader cultural commentary. Like Americanah, it examines how identity is shaped by migration, race, and historical trauma. The book offers a nuanced look at cultural displacement and personal transformation.
Purple Hibiscus
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Adichie's debut novel exploring family dynamics in post-colonial Nigeria. The story follows a young girl's coming of age during political and personal upheaval. Similar to Americanah, it offers a nuanced portrayal of Nigerian society and individual experiences. The book examines themes of personal growth, cultural expectations, and individual resilience.
The Lowland
Jhumpa Lahiri
A novel exploring family, political activism, and cultural identity in India and America. The story follows two brothers with divergent life paths. Similar to Americanah, it examines themes of personal choice and cultural expectations. The book offers a deep exploration of individual experiences within broader historical contexts.
The Namesake
Jhumpa Lahiri
A novel about immigrant experience and cultural identity in America. The story follows a Bengali-American family navigating between traditional culture and modern American life. Like Americanah, it explores themes of cultural adaptation, personal identity, and the challenges of immigration. The book sensitively portrays the complexities of belonging and self-discovery.
Behold the Dreamers
Imbolo Mbue
A novel about Cameroonian immigrants in New York during the 2008 financial crisis. The story explores themes of immigration, economic struggle, and cultural adaptation. Like Americanah, it offers a nuanced portrayal of immigrant experiences in America. The book examines the challenges of building a new life in a foreign country.
Ghana Must Go
Taiye Selasi
A novel about a fractured family navigating cultural and personal challenges. The story follows a Ghanaian-Nigerian family across continents. Like Americanah, it explores themes of migration, identity, and family dynamics. The book offers a nuanced portrayal of diaspora experiences and personal resilience.
Exit West
Mohsin Hamid
A novel about migration, love, and global displacement. The story follows two lovers navigating a world of magical doors that transport people between countries. Like Americanah, it explores themes of cultural identity and the immigrant experience. The book offers a unique perspective on migration, relationships, and personal transformation.
The Brief History of the Dead
Kevin Brockmeier
A unique novel exploring connections between memory, identity, and global experiences. The story interweaves narratives of the living and the dead across different cultural contexts. Similar to Americanah, it examines themes of human connection and cultural identity. The book offers a philosophical exploration of personal and collective experiences.
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