Americanah book club discussion

With the endless supply of literature both online and in shops, it comes as no surprise that finding the perfect book can be a big challenge and thats one of the reasons why book clubs are so great. How does the attention and judgment paid to a womans hair reflect american societys greater issues with race and feminism. When two people fall in love, their lifestyles are. Do you think it was fair of ifemelu to demand it of him.

Join the african studies program in the university center for international studies for their first book club. Her work has been translated into thirty languages and has appeared in various publications, including the new yorker, granta, the o. All attempts to change or improve ifemelusuch as aunty ujus warnings not to speak her mind or blaines organic foodsultimately fail. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Here is my more not that i am aware of, but you can listen to the audio book or a sample of the audio book here on goodreads and hear some of the names. These discussion questions were prepared by the national. Jun 19, 2020 boomerangs online book club is hosting a new series and we want you to join us. Americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie reading guidebook. You can help us build our book club kits collection by donating copies of books your group. What happens when the narrator shifts to obinzes story. Discussion topics here are a small selection of discussion topics for americanah that may help your book group launch a discussion relevant to where your book group is in discussing racism, diversity, equity and inclusion, secrets, romantic relationships or other topics that rose to the forefront as you read. Openended questions help ignite discussions involving the whole group.

May 20, 2020 discussion topics here are a small selection of discussion topics for americanah that may help your book group launch a discussion relevant to where your book group is in discussing racism, diversity, equity and inclusion, secrets, romantic relationships or other topics that rose to the forefront as you read. Find resources for your book club, whether it meets in your living room or across cyberspace. The group is a partnership between the office of student advocacy and prevention awareness and jennings library and is open to students, faculty and staff. Americanah chimamanda ngozi adichie, 20 knopf doubleday 588 pp.

From september 17october 29, we are reading americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. The african studies program in the university center for international studies is hosting its first book club with the awardwinning novel join the african studies program in the university center for international studies for their first book club and engage in a discussion of americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie. A memoir of genealogy, paternity, and love by dani shapiro. We hope you enjoyed reading and discussing our inaugural book club selection. Delve deeper into the books making the charts, and get tips for keeping your reading group engaged. Lets try a slightly different format for this months discussion. The book club guide for part 7 of americanah center for. Read the book and join us for our discussion on july 11. The term americanah is used for nigerians who have been changed by having lived in america.

Cje virtual book club discussion inheritance by dani shapiro. Book club discussions are great conversations based on a common book that everyone has read. Explore a character analysis of ifemelu, plot summary, and important quotes. This awardwinning novel, which will also be an hbo miniseries, explores the lives of ifemelu as she moves to the united states to attend university and confronts. 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. Roger, a seemingly bland divorced middleaged guy, and. The first part of ifemelus story is told in flashback while she is having her hair braided at a salon before she returns to nigeria. This is the great physical separation of the book, and the action begins as they move towards reconnecting. We have a selection of fiction and nonfiction titles to. In 2010 she was listed among the authors of the new yorker. She likes princeton, but its population is mostly white and so there are no hairdressers there who know how to braid her hair. Come share your latest great read and hear about titles to add to your reading list.

Come back wednesday, august 6 for the introduction to the book. Americanah book club questions and recipe book club bites. Our critics discuss chimamanda ngozi adichies novel about nigerians emigrating west. Americanah, by chimamanda ngozi adichie the new york times. Ifemelu, a nigerian woman living in princeton, new jersey, must travel to another town to get her hair braided properly. Theres no better way to introduce yourself and others to new books than through a book club. Well meet virtually via zoom on thursday, june 18 from 11 am to. Despite its length, americanah will spark a lively conversation at your book club about both immigration issues in america and england and racial issues in america. 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. Network to end domestic violence nnedv for the reader with a cause book club on goodreads. Feb 12, 2018 the club met at le pain quotidien, a bakeryrestaurant in center city on a sunday to discuss the book. The story examines the struggles of trying to assimilate into a different culture while trying to maintain ones own identity. How to find your local book club in the uk, because sometimes you need to discuss that ending.

Softcover first anchor books this discussion guide has move to my new website, relevant reads. If you like our questions please feel free to use them and dont forget to join the conversation online at. The book club will take place in a closed facebook group and each day will feature conversation, questions, and resources related to a different facet of the book. Mar 17, 2021 this book group was started to provide the caldwell university community a place to discuss great reads relevant to current events and issues.

Additional questions available at guidesfiction9256 americanah adichie. A day or two before meeting, alex sent us a list of questions that would help create the conversation. Home cu book club research guides libguides at caldwell. Use these book club discussion questions on the thirteenth tale to delve into diane setterfields magical world. Chimamanda ngozi adichies most powerful and astonishing novel yet. The book club s monthly schedule offers the same serious discussion and professional facilitation as the salons. How much does your own race affect the experience of reading this or any novel.

Read it forward readers told us theyre stories that have some real meat to itones that deal with issues ripe for discussion and that can be interpreted in multiple ways. Americanah author explains learning to be black in the u. The lit salon book club americanah the london literary salon. May 28, 2016 i finished the book yesterday and i loved it, although i think im still recovering from the last chapter and the epilogue but more on that in the discussion, i hope. Americanah would be a good read for any book club that would like to discuss the current cultural movements, but have already read books like the hate u give or any of the black lives matter non. Americanah author explains learning to be black in the. Our first cje virtual book club discussion will be about the book inheritance. 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. And now, in the era of donald trump, its important to consider whether or not the books you read are working to dismantle structures of inequalit. The best part of reading in a group is getting to dissect the book with other smart people after youre done reading. The discussion, led by guest poster shawn smucker, will be wednesday, august 27. The title, she says, is a nigerian word for those who have been to the u.

Adichie is herself somewhat of an outsider in america, as is her character, ifemelu. The main character, a nigerian immigrant to america, runs a blog about racism, albeit anonymously, and through her sometimes humorous posts she dissects racism from every angle. Between the invitations and the prompts, you have rich resource which you can use whether you are a facilitator or participating reader in a book club. One book, one new york is the largest community reading.

Reread ifemelus blog post a michelle obama shoutout plus hair as race metaphor p. Like those in the novels nigerpolitan club, they have become critical of their native land and culture. Adichies story ceiling was included in the 2011 edition of the best american short stories. Were following it up with another thoughtprovoking pick for this months women for women international book club discussion. Podcast and discussion of chimamanda ngozi adichies americanah. For ongoing discussion each month, join the red couch facebook group. Podcast and discussion of chimamanda ngozi adichies. Is there an advantage to telling this story from an outsiders perspective. They were sanctified, the returnees, back home with an extra gleaming layer 408. How does adichie reject or embrace keeping the reader comfortable in americanah. Americanah is about ifemelu, a young nigerian woman living in the united states, as she grows up in nigeria, goes away, and. Written by the multiple awardwinning, feminist author famous for many novels, essays, and the ted talk we should all be feminists, adichies novel wraps together race, gender, immigration, class, hair, and. As teenagers in a lagos secondary school, ifemelu and obinze fall in love. Americanah is a book of great impact and importance.

A discussion of americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie noon, july 30 via zoom. Taking place in nigeria, the united states, and england, americanah can be viewed by many as a novel that is one of the premier looks on race over the last five years. At the frankfurt book fair, adichie commented on likable characters in fiction, saying, women writers are expected to make their female characters likeable, as though the full humanity of a female person must in the end meet the careful limitations of. Her third book, the thing around your neck 2009, is a collection of short stories. First thursday book club discussion questions americanah.

Like those in the novels nigerpolitan club, they have become critical of. Discussion questions for americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie these discussion questions were prepared by the national network to end domestic violence nnedv for the reader with a cause book club on goodreads. Americanah tuesday, july 28, 2020 find event and ticket information. The first part of ifemelus story is told in flashback while she is having her hair braided at a salon. Jun 09, 20 from such a distinction springs a deepseated discussion of race in chimamanda ngozi adichies third novel, americanah. She gets on the train and looks around at the passengers, wondering if they would make good subjects for the lifestyle blog she used to run, which. This discussion will be led by book enthusiast and volunteer renee hochberg. Fayth not that i am aware of, but you can listen to the audio book or a sample of the audio book here on goodreads and hear some of the names. Shop and save on gifts for everyone on your list sections show more follow today setting up a book club for your children will no.

A new growing crop of podcast conversation clubs on and offline can connect you with other eager fans, book clubstyle. Why might adichie have chosen this structure for storytelling. As a member or leader of a book club, you are likely to be reading books on a wide variety o. Americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie book club discussion. The title, she says, is a nigerian word for those who have been to. Start a book club discussion and challenge your group to deepen their analysis of the reading material with this set of sample book club questions. Desiring more of her captivating prose, i chose americanah, her intricate discussion on race in three countries and continents. Celebrate the work of chimamanda ngozi adichie with these stories of nigeria and the african diaspora.

This guide is a tool to enhance your groups conversation about americanah, chimamanda ngozi acichies insightful story of a young love, migration, exile, and homecoming. For each chapter of americanah, you will find a set of invitations and a set of discussion prompts. Henry prize stories, the financial times, and zoetrope. Reading groups for children and parents can bring families closer. Even from about 10 pages in, i felt like the book was already serving up some serious realness and it hasnt stopped. Were following it up with another thoughtprovoking pick for. In americanah, hair is often a focal point for discussing race and culture. One way to include all members is to write questions on an index card for e. This month we will be reading americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie. This is a fascinating look at racism in america from the perspective of a young nigerian woman. As in februarys book club pick, station eleven, the story is told from multiple perspectives.

This is the one book by an african writer that has spoken to me more than any other. The thirteenth tale by diane setterfield is a rich story about secrets, ghosts, winter, books and family. Eventbrite scrawl books presents scrawl books paperback book club discussion. From the awardwinning author of half of a yellow sun, a dazzling new novel. A powerful, tender story of race and identity by chimamanda ngozi adichie, the awardwinning author of half of a yellow sun. First thursday book club discussion questions americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie oct 1, 2015, 2pm. Discussion questions for americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie. Adichie, born in nigeria but now living both in her homeland and in. Jun 26, 2016 even from about 10 pages in, i felt like the book was already serving up some serious realness and it hasnt stopped. African studies program starts book club with americanah. Americanah is chimamanda ngozi adichies awardwinning novel about a young nigerian woman, ifemelu, who immigrates to the united states where she struggles with racism, relationships, and identity. Each kit has 510 copies of the title and comes with a discussion guide and signout sheet, all placed in a handy tote bag.

Reading guide for americanah by chimamanda ngozi adichie. In particular, the sacrifices and compromises people make to succeed or survive. Jul 23, 2014 our august book is a prayer for owen meany by john irving. Welcome to the second part of our chat about chimamanda ngozi adichies third novel, americanah. On october 29 at 7pm ct, we will host a discussion to share our reading experiences. These groups are supported by the library, and if you have an idea for a new discussion, send us a note. Rather than posting questions, lets just start by sharing our impressions, takeaways, likes, and dislikes and see where it takes us.

She notes in her blog post on the nigerpolitan club that attempting to change lagos is futile because lagos will always be its eclectic self, which sounds similar to ifemelus own journey. Discussion questions for americanah by chimamanda ngozi. The first part of ifemelus story is told in flashback while she has her hair braided at a salon before. Obinze has a successful life in nigeria, and ifemelu is leaving her own successful american life to move back home. The london lit salon book club is a monthly book discussion group in south london that reads the finest 20th and 21st century literature from around the world with the occasional classic thrown in the mix for good measure. General book club questions for study and discussion. Cant wait to debrief after listening to the latest episode of your favorite audio series.