The Thing Around Your Neck – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Fourth Estate, 2009
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Many have read and loved the works of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie before me. For me, she was the kind of author who I was afraid to read and find out I did not love like everyone else. Amy’s Nigerian Independence Reading Project finally pushed me to pick up this collection of short stories. You need not be surprised: I loved it. I never should have worried so much. Now, I cannot wait to get to her two novels.
Short stories are not my favourite genre. I often struggle. Sometimes I love one, but fail to connect with the other ones in the collection. Sometimes it all just seems to haphazard and random. The Thing Around Your Neck is nothing like that. Adichie’s prose is sparse and beautiful and it speaks to you, all by itself. No fancy words necessary. She has that perfect combination of emotion without sentimentality, criticism without being overtly political or shoving it down your throat. She manages to draw you into the little worlds she creates in her stories in just over one page and will make you want to read on far beyond the pages that make up this book.
There was not one story I preferred above all others, but there were two that spoke to me more at this moment because of the issues raised.
One was about a group of African authors that gather on a bungalow park called “Jumping Monkey Hill” (also the title of the story), for a workshop on writing. There, two men soon take charge of judging the work produced by the other authors. In the story, questions about authenticity are raised, especially in regards to ‘African’ literature (as a category): Who decides what the “true African” experience is and how to describe it?
The other story I particularly loved was “The Headstrong Historian”. It is hard to summarise what this story is about exactly. The reason I found it so interesting was because it deals with missionaries in Nigeria. The way the issues of relations between the mission and a Nigerian family are portrayed is what confirmed the intelligent storytelling Adichie is capable of to me. Her portrayal of a Nigerian family and the opportunities and threats to local customs mission meant for them, their willingness to cooperate, but also their resistance is portrayed in so many layers that when I read it, I decided on the spot that if I ever were to teach a class on mission history I would have my students read this. Not because of the historical information, but because it offers so many perspectives and raises so many of the key issues.
The Thing Around Your Neck convinced me that Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is an author well worth reading. Had I not realised by now that reading one book by an author and loving it might be too little ground to claim he or she as a favourite, I would be telling you that indeed, she is. I am currently divided between wanting to read her two novels right now and the wish to savour the opportunities to read them for the first time. I suspect I might eventually decide on the latter. I don’t want to rush through her books only to feel lost with nothing new to explore.
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I meant to read this for Amy’s project too, but time got away from me. I adored her two novels and this will surely be no exception. And like you I knew she’d be a favourite as soon as I was done with my first book of hers (in my case Purple Hibiscus).
The issue of missionary work in Nigeria came up in the Adichie book I read for Amy’s project as well. It’s something that I’ve always been curious about, and I’m happy to have found an author with so much knowledge of the topic and yet a delicate way of handling it.
I got both her novels here but still haven’t read them. My hopes are very high. I’ve read a lot of French African books but hardly any English ones.
Both stories you describe sound good. In Germany African literature is much more loved than in the UK or US. I found many inetersting sites, one with videos of her. Some were very fascinating.
I read one of her novels for my African Literature course and it was great: it is hard to believe how complex those fictional characters are. It seems more like reading a faithful portrait of real people.
P.S Can’t wait for your review of When God was a Rabbit. I’ve been toying with that book for a long time now
I enjoyed this when I read it like Ana time ran out for me plus have been reading rather long book last two weeks ,great choice iris ,all the best stu
I want to propose one of Adichie’s books for my book club pretty soon — I’m probably going to go with Half of a Yellow Sun (rather than short stories), but I think I’ll read the short stories first and refresh my acquaintance with her as an author. It’s been a few years since I read Purple Hibiscus, and I don’t remember it very well.
I’m dying to read something by her….and this one has appealed to me most…mostly because of the gorgeous cover :p Glad you enjoyed it!!
This sounds like an interesting collection. I really should try some African lit. soon – It’s always good to expand your horizons
And not to excite you or anything, her two previous books especially Half of a Yellow Sun are better than this. And even to think about it, you’ll love Purple Hibiscus even better (per the theme).
The Headstrong Historian continued Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.
I’ve followed Adichie for quite some time; in fact, since I first heard her speak on TED (http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html) and was so moved by just the sound of her voice that I immediately became a huge fan!
She is extremely captivating both in print and seemingly in person. Glad you enjoyed her.
I haven’t yet read anything by Adichie, but have heard that she has an amazing voice in her stories and novels. I know that she is one of Amy’s favorites, and I do have one of her books on my shelf. It seems like I need to hurry up and check that one out! So glad you loved this collection. Your review on it was wonderful!
Brilliant. I have read some of her novels and loooved them, she is able to create her story’s so vividly you feel like you are in them. Like you though, short stories aren’t usually my thing and so whilst I purchased this some time ago, I have still never picked it up. I have seen her speak at a few live events and she is a really interesting author, even if her sense of humour is very different to mine! Ill look fowrard to readng this
She is a gifted writer. I liked this collection though I found it a bit uneven in the quality. I do think that you will enjoy her novels especially Purple Hibiscus.
I loved Half of a Yellow Sun – really powerful book. I have this one on my shelf, and am planning to read it soon. Your review really whetted my appetite!
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I loved Purple Hibiscus but strangely enough haven’t tried her other books yet. Probably it’s because I want to save them for some perfect reading experience
I’ve wanted to read Adichie for a while now. I have Half of a Yellow Sun on my shelf. Like you, I often struggle with short stories. I have found a couple collections I’ve loved, though, and this collection sounds like it has potential.
I absolutely love it when that happens…when I find that an author whose works have intimidated me is actually wholly accessible *and* a fresh favourite. That’s just the best feeling, isn’t it?
So glad to hear that you enjoyed it so much
I hope you love her novels just as much – interested to see what you decide re reading them! Personally I had to wait because I was scared to have nothing left… now I hope she releases something else soon!
I’ve read her two novels which I absolutely adored, and then this, which I didn’t. It was a well-written collection, but there was something amiss. I didn’t get the sense of closure I like, but that’s something I experience with most short stories.
The story about the writing workshop was fantastic, and I quite liked the opening story as well (Cell One, was it?)
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