Media Center: ‘Americanah’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

WHO: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

WHAT: AMERICANAH, a novel

WHEN: Published by Knopf May 17, 2013

WHERE: Author tour to Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC

WHY:
“A courageous, world-class novel about independence, integrity, community, and love.
“To the women in the hair-braiding salon, Ifemelu seems to have everything a Nigerian immigrant in America could desire, but the culture shock, hardships, and racism she’s endured have left her feeling like she has ‘cement in her soul.’
“Smart, irreverent, and outspoken, she reluctantly left Nigeria on a college scholarship. Her aunty Uju, the pampered mistress of a general in Lagos, is now struggling on her own in the U.S., trying to secure her medical license. Ifemelu’s discouraging job search brings on desperation and depression until a babysitting gig leads to a cashmere-and-champagne romance with a wealthy white man. Astonished at the labyrinthine racial strictures she’s confronted with, Ifemelu, defining herself as a ‘Non-American Black,’ launches an audacious, provocative, and instantly popular blog in which she explores what she calls Racial Disorder Syndrome. Meanwhile, her abandoned true love, Obinze, is suffering his own cold miseries as an unwanted African in London.
“MacArthur fellow Adichie is a word-by-word virtuoso with a sure grasp of social conundrums in Nigeria, East Coast America, and England; an omnivorous eye for resonant detail; a gift for authentic characters; pyrotechnic wit; and deep humanitarianism.”
—Donna Seaman in a starred review for BOOKLIST

“Witty, wry, and observant.
Adichie is a marvelous storyteller who writes passionately about the difficulty of assimilation and the love that binds a man, a woman, and their homeland. Her work should be read by anyone clutching at the belief that we’re living in a post-racial United States.”
—Sally Bissell in a starred review for LIBRARY JOURNAL

“Compelling…A vibrant tale about love, betrayal, and destiny.” —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, a featured, starred review

Media Resources:
About the book | About the author | Read an excerpt | Download the jacket or the author photo

Publicist for this title:
Gabrielle Brooks | 212-572-2152 | gbrooks@randomhouse.com