Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

By Bright Summaries

Unlock the more straightforward side of Americanah with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!

This engaging summary presents an analysis of Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, which follows Ifemelu and her first love Obinze, two young Nigerians who find themselves kept apart by geography and circumstances. Ifemelu moves to America, where she becomes aware of her blackness for the first time and begins a successful anonymous blog about race. Meanwhile, Obinze spends time in London, first as a research assistant and then as an undocumented immigrant, before returning to Nigeria and becoming a successful businessman. In spite of their very different circumstances and experiences, the bond between Ifemelu and Obinze remains as strong as ever. Americanah is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s third novel; she is also known for her award-winning novels Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun, and for her 2014 essay We Should All Be Feminists, adapted from her popular TEDx talk of the same name.

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This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
   • A complete plot summary
   • Character studies
   • Key themes and symbols
   • Questions for further reflection

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• Language: English
• Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
• Release date: Oct 24, 2018
• ISBN: 9782808012454

Book preview

NIGERIAN WRITER

Born in Enugu (Nigeria) in 1977.

Notable works:

Purple Hibiscus (2003), novel

Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), novel

We Should All Be Feminists (2014), essay

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a widely read Nigerian author and a feminist icon.

Adichie grew up in Nsukka, Nigeria. She completed her studies in the United States, and she now divides her time between the two countries.

Adichie’s work has been translated into over 30 languages. She has received various awards for her novels, including the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize: Best First Book for Purple Hibiscus and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Americanah. She is also a writer of short stories and non-fiction. Her TED talks The Danger of a Single Story (2009) and We Should All Be Feminists (2012) have been widely viewed and commented upon. The latter, which has been published as a book, has sparked a conversation about feminism. Indeed, feminism and the exploration of gender roles are also important parts of Adichie’s fiction. Other themes present in her writing include race, religion, love and Nigerian culture and history.

A LOVE STORY AND A SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS NOVEL ABOUT RACE

Genre: novel

Reference edition: Adichie, C. N. (2014) Americanah. New York: Anchor Books.

1stedition: 2013

Themes: love, race, immigration, home, gender, beauty

Americanah