Born a Crime

From the award winning creator of We Should All Be Feminists - the story is about the narrative of two Nigerians advancing in the U.S. also, the UK, bringing up widespread issues of race, having a place, the abroad experience for the African diaspora, and the quest for identity and a home. Ifemelu and Obinze are youthful and in love when they left military-administered Nigeria for the West. Delightful, confident Ifemelu sets out toward America, where regardless of her scholarly achievement, she is compelled to wrestle with being dark for the first time. Calm, smart Obinze had would have liked to join her, however with post-9/11 America closed to him, he rather dives into a risky, undocumented life in London. After fifteen years, they rejoin in a recently democratic Nigeria, and reignite their passion for one another and for their country.

Chinua Achebe's 1964 novel Arrow of God depicts an Ibo pioneer as he defies the British directors and missionaries in his town. The novel spotlights on Ezeulu, who is the High Priest of Ulu. Ulu is the main divinity in the town of Umuaro, and he united six warring towns to create a strong community that shares fundamental beliefs however preserve local village traditions. Since Ezeulu is half god and half man, he battles to recognize what is human will and what is heavenly will. This contention becomes more relevant as new difficulties, in the form of British position and Christian religion, question the pecking orders and convictions whereupon the community was built.

Searing and profound, suffused with magnificence, distress, and yearning, these stories map, with Adichie's unique enthusiastic insight, the crash of two societies and the profoundly human battle to accommodate them. The Thing Around Your Neck is a resonating affirmation of the enormous scholarly powers of one of our most fundamental essayists.