I am currently reading the novel Americanah by the amazing author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I am late with this post considering all the hype about it happened over the summer, but I figured its never to late for a good read!
Americanah is about my parents. Well, not specifically my parents but about the story of their generation; the groups of young middle class Nigerians who migrated to the U.S and England years ago. This description sounds like some historical novel about the struggle to reach the American dream - boring! But I assure you Americanah is NOT that kind of novel.
This book is based upon the two determined, impatient, hilarious characters Ifemelu and Obinze. They fall in love, are ripped apart by the distance of the Atlantic Ocean and have to learn to navigate in their new lives in the complex American culture.
When reading book, I find myself ringing with laughter and blinking back tears because I can related to so many of the the issues that are discussed throughout the novel. Such as one of the main points - being "Non-American Black" in America. For some of my white friends at at this point your saying "What?
If you don't know what it is to be Non-American Black then you NEED to read this book, it will enlighten you! Because yes, there is an actual difference between being Black (African America) and being Black (someone that is African living in America, like my parents). In fact there is a 3rd degree of "blackness" which I fall under and that is made up of kids that are Black but with Non-American Black parents...CONFUSED YET?!?! Well, this novel really gets into the grits, grind, politics, culture, and diplomacy, of this phenomenon.
To get an idea of how amazing this novel is here is a hilarious excerpt from Americanah, I about died from laughter when I read this:
“Dear Non-American Black, when you make the choice to come to America, you become black. Stop arguing. Stop saying I'm Jamaican or I'm Ghanaian. America doesn't care…So you’re black, baby. And here is the deal with becoming black: You must show that you are offended when such words as “watermelon” or “tar baby” are used in jokes, even if you don’t know what the hell is being talked about…You must nod back when a black person nods at you in a heavily white area. It is called the black nod…If you are a woman, please don’t speak your mind as you are use to doing in your country. Because in America, strong-minded black woman are SCARY. And if you are a man, be hyper-mellow, never get to excited or someone will worry that you’re about to pull a gun. ” ― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, AmericanahREAD THIS BOOK.Write the title and authors name down right now, now, now. I grantee you, that after reading this you will see the world in a new way… you may even understand where I’m coming form a little bit better!
