Book Recommendation
Turned the final page of Half of a Yellow Sun last night and what a read. If you don’t read any other book this year, please read this one. I have only one word to describe it – FANTASTIC.
From the first page to the last I could barely put it down, much to hubby’s annoyance. At one point he threatened to burn the book because I was giving it more attention.
The main characters in the book are all believable and so real. I warmed to them and felt like I knew them. And this is the most daring book I have read in terms of, ehm, intimacy – most Nigerian writers (at least the ones I have read) tend to shy away from the subject of sex. Chimamanda doesn’t, she faces it straight on.
This book has whetted my appetite to find out more about the Biafran war. It was a bit of a revelation for me to realise that I know NOTHING at all about that war. Apart from a few stories from my parents about ducking down behind sofas when the air raids would begin, that’s about the extent of my knowledge. I wonder why it was never taught as part of the history lessons in secondary school. Wouldn’t it have been more relevant than reading about some ancient, bad tempered Benin Oba from the fourteenth century?
It was also a pleasant surprise when driving back home on Friday afternoon listening to Open Book on BBC Radio 4, I hear the announcer say ‘and our guest for today is Chimamanda Adichie talking about her new book Half of a Yellow Sun’. Adichie sounded nothing like I imagined – isn’t it funny how we imagine a person should sound when they speak? I would describe her as being very ‘together’ – that’s one lady who knows where she is going and what she wants. She has a quiet confidence about her that came across over the radio. If you are interested in listening to the interview click on the link.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/openbook/openbook_20060820.shtml
From the first page to the last I could barely put it down, much to hubby’s annoyance. At one point he threatened to burn the book because I was giving it more attention.
The main characters in the book are all believable and so real. I warmed to them and felt like I knew them. And this is the most daring book I have read in terms of, ehm, intimacy – most Nigerian writers (at least the ones I have read) tend to shy away from the subject of sex. Chimamanda doesn’t, she faces it straight on.
This book has whetted my appetite to find out more about the Biafran war. It was a bit of a revelation for me to realise that I know NOTHING at all about that war. Apart from a few stories from my parents about ducking down behind sofas when the air raids would begin, that’s about the extent of my knowledge. I wonder why it was never taught as part of the history lessons in secondary school. Wouldn’t it have been more relevant than reading about some ancient, bad tempered Benin Oba from the fourteenth century?
It was also a pleasant surprise when driving back home on Friday afternoon listening to Open Book on BBC Radio 4, I hear the announcer say ‘and our guest for today is Chimamanda Adichie talking about her new book Half of a Yellow Sun’. Adichie sounded nothing like I imagined – isn’t it funny how we imagine a person should sound when they speak? I would describe her as being very ‘together’ – that’s one lady who knows where she is going and what she wants. She has a quiet confidence about her that came across over the radio. If you are interested in listening to the interview click on the link.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/openbook/openbook_20060820.shtml
posted by Pilgrimage to Self at 6:56 am
10 Comments:
Hear Hear!!! I blogged about it some days back. I went into WHsmith yesterday and they didnt have any copies...can you imagine!!! They told me to come back, guess i would have to go to waterstones!
I listened to it. Thanks for including the link in your post. There are quite a few other inyterviews of her that you can listen to online.
@my talking beginnings: Order it from Amazon. That's what I did - and it's cheaper too!
@Ore: Yes I have found a couple of others too - there's one she did for the same programme in 2004 for Purple Hibiscus.
i'm definately buying this book after your review and listening to that interview!
i just read purple hibiscus and i really enjoyed reading it. Im lseriously looking foward to reading tears of a yellow son as well. Though i wonder when ill be able to get it in nigeria here. Nice review.
I just started on Purple Hibiscus and I'm really enjoying it. Chimamanda is getting good coverage here in the States as well. Just saw a few features on her and Half of a Yellow Sun as a must read. And that's exactly what I'll do when I'm done with the first one.
Enjoy September and Paris... I loved Half of a Yellow Sun- it should be out in Nigeria today according to the Nigerian publishers- just google Farafina and Adichie for their website
Uknaija: Hey long time! Yeah, it is a good book isn't it? Thanks, I'm really looking forward to Paris. Am about to google now...
wow...u just made me wanna read the book. Is it sold in book stores in the US? Say for instance "BORDERS?" Cos I really don't buy books, but theres always a beginning to every thing...hmmm
I agree! I was at the book launch in Toronto last night and I have come away convinced this book is going to be huge!
Oh, btw, first time visitor to your blog - happy to have stumbled upon it!
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