Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

At Headlines, World Book Day holds a special place in our hearts because telling great stories is what we’re passionate about.  This year, we asked the team to tell us about their favourite book, poem or piece of writing. From sports gossip to seminal graphic novels – we’ve got eclectic taste! 

Read on ... and you never know, you might find your next book suggestion. 

Susan Kiddy – Managing Editor

What is your favourite thing to read?

My favourite book depends a lot on my mood, the season and what else is happening in my life, so it’s generally whatever I’m reading at the moment. I’m part of a reading group and right now we are reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The book is about a young Nigerian woman, Ifemelu, who moves to the United States to attend university. The novel traces Ifemelu's life in both countries, threaded together by her love story with her classmate, Obinze, and an observational blog she writes in which she calls herself A Non-American Black.

Why do you like Americanah? 

I like that it challenges my perceptions, and gives insights into life experiences very different from my own. The storyline and the way it is written encourages the reader to re-consider race and gender stereotypes and the shifting meanings of skin colour. It has opened my eyes to new perspectives on diversity and inclusion that I didn't necessarily think about before reading this book. It’s also a really human love story with a strong woman who is a talented, bold blogger as the main character.

What does it make you think about or feel?

The book offers a lot of insight into different kinds of oppression, gender roles, and the complicated relationship many of us have with what we see as ‘home’. The author is Nigerian, which I think brings deeper meaning and greater authenticity to the story. I may not have come across Americanah without my reading group, but it has made me think much more deeply about the issues raised by Ifemelu’s story.