Americanah | 
Meet Wilson. He has been my reading companion for five years now. Here he is using one of my absolute favorite books Americanah. There is something about the way Chimamanda writes that makes me fall in love with all of her books. she has a certain way of describing the surroundings that make it feel like you are right there.
pickGot a little lost in this book. ROMANTIC - can‘t decide if it was refreshingly or predictably so.
Admittedly, I haven‘t read tons of books set in #Africa, but this one was great! The author paints a great picture of life in Nigeria. #letstraveljuly
so-soMixed on this one and I‘m not sure why. Adichie is a talented writer, the narrator was great, and I feel like I learned so much, but there were a few times where I just didn‘t care anymore, especially toward the end.
pickAmericanah is a meaty, satisfying novel about a Nigerian woman's transition to the US and then back again to Nigeria. It will challenge your views about race as it highlights the experience of immigrants. It is extremely well-written; you will feel like you had been starving for substantive literature. The vocabulary is rich and the insights are piercing. The end read more like a memoir than a novel; the writing less demanding. A favorite!
My #top6reads for the year so far! This was SO hard to put together, I‘ve read a lot of very good books! Love this hashtag it‘s so interesting seeing what everyone‘s picked
Reading on my back while my boys play at the park.
I tried so hard to narrow it down to a top 10 to mark halfway through 2019 and I just couldn‘t! So this was a top 13 but became a top 14 when I realised I just couldn‘t bring myself to cut Thomas Hardy out.
I‘ve read a lot of great things this year - lil bit behind on my goodreads challenge. I didn‘t manage to make it last year so I really really really want to make it ground and crack the challenge this year. I‘m very competitive with myself!
It‘s June wrap up time! Slightly fewer than some other months and im getting behind on my goodreads challenge (the horror 😨) but I‘ve been sick and on holiday so eh.
Americanah was definitely my absolute standout this month, probably one of the best novels I‘ve ever read. If anything else beats it out for best book of the year that‘ll be a good book indeed!
I love this comparison of books to cotton candy, "so easily evaporated from... tongue's memory".
pickHow did I wait this long to read this?? Absolutely one of the best novels I‘ve read this year, probably ever. Ifemelu is incredible, the way she thinks, changes, acts in ways I feel I understand so well even tho she‘s in circumstances I‘ve never been in. The supporting characters and bit parts who were barely in it were all so well observed and meaningful. How does CNA describe places and societies so well with such small details? Breathtaking
This book makes me wish so much I didn‘t have to work, or do errands, or do shopping ever I literally only want to read it. Yes I dog-ear don‘t @ me 😭
Lunchtime reading! I‘m officially in love with Americanah, this is a phenomenal book though I‘m still quite near the beginning - it‘s very long in quite small print.
Next up! This has been on my shelf about five years but I‘m trying to read through my backlist so I can give more books away before I move out of my parents house. Need to clear so much out, I don‘t like being surrounded by stacks and stacks of unread books. I‘ve been meaning to read it so much but the length put me off as thick physical books can make my wrists hurt badly (carpal tunnel 😰) but I‘ll see how I go!
pickWow! So many surprises in 1 little book. I didn‘t even notice them all the 1st time I read through! I ❤️ your choice of fabric for the envelope. If I was a book I‘d want to be in there. I enjoy colouring during ad breaks on tv & I find mandalas very meditative. Thanks muchly. It arrived on time too not like my poor partner‘s parcel. @TheReadingMermaid were you able to let her know it will be late? Thanks for organising & your patience. Sorry.
pickThis book is incredible. I can confidently say that Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie‘s Americanah is my favorite book of all time. Romance, growth, loss, identity, and incredible narration — this book has it all. Can‘t recommend it enough.
pickFantastic. One of my favourites this year...
Finally finding a little reading time. I'm in Homer AK to help the handsomest man I know time a track meet. It is dreary and rainy, and I'm happy I could go inside for a tick.
pickM19 - This has been on my list for a long time and I finally read it -and definitely lives up to all of the hype! Adichie's bold and poignant commentary on blackness in the United States is made even more powerful when accompanied by her incredible prose and story-telling. Her subtle, spot-on characterizations throughout this novel and HALF OF A YELLOW SUN and her descriptions of the nuances in every relationship is some of the best I've read. 👏
Reading and writing much over due letters to my #penpals (i hope we‘re still penpals) and #jb. This book is my #workbookclubs pick for April
I finished the audio of this book and found it interesting. I went in not knowing anything about the book (I do this often with audio) so did some research upon completion. I‘m confused, the author wrote the book with a humorous intent. I never realized that and come to think of it, didn‘t laugh at any point in the story. Now I think I should start my Overdrive audio back to the beginning.
Omg you guys, I've been so busy! Final projects/ essays are in full swing, I'm still subbing 5 days a week, training for the reading institute just started, and I've been in meetings to figure out grad school. This is the first chance I've had to read in like a week.
Anyway, just wanted to pop on and say Happy Easter if you celebrate. 🐇 Lucas and I stopped by my mom's, I'm going to read for a bit and then we're going to re-pot our plants. 🌱
“If you don't understand, ask questions. If you're uncomfortable about asking questions, say you are uncomfortable about asking questions and then ask anyway. It's easy to tell when a question is coming from a good place. Then listen some more. Sometimes people just want to feel heard. Here's to possibilities of friendship and connection and understanding.”
― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah
“Racism should never have happened and so you don't get a cookie for reducing it.”
“Academics were not intellectuals; they were not curious, they built their stolid tents of specialized knowledge and stayed securely in them.”
― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah
I'm teaching Psych 101 to a group of dual enrolled students today! This may actually be the first time I've used my Bachelor's in Psychology since I graduated two years ago. 😂
It's my lunch now, then I have one more class and I can go home! I am about 10 pages into Americanah and I'm already sucked in. I love her writing style. ❤
pickWow, this is an epic story! The book is quite long, and it takes you on a sweeping journey that you don‘t want to end. It‘s beautiful! The characters are amazing, the book is SO well-written, it‘s insightful, and it‘s at heart a totally enticing romance. But there is so much more to it! This is a beautiful immigrant story, and I learned a lot from it. I would highly recommend it!
March Reading Stats
3 books total
3 ebooks, 0 print
1 #TBR
1 library, 2 Prime Reading
0 male, 3 female, 1 POC
880 pages
YTD: 11 books, 2621 pages
Average reading speed for the month: 54.3 pgs per hour (thanks to the comic, and excluding books in progress)
Favorite read tagged.
Books in Progress/April TBR:
No Place for a Puritan
The Bible According to Mark Twain #LentRead
Beatles Anthology #BeatlesChallenge
pickI just love Adichie‘s depth in her novels. The stories are so intricately woven and the characters so well developed.
#BooksForAllies #AfricanAuthor #BookPassport #21of65 #audiobook
pick⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5)
#VirtualMountTBR2019 #Overdrive #GAR
If you consider yourself an ally, you most definitely should read books from the minority and/or immigrant perspective, such as this, Homegoing and What is the What. This book tells it like it is, with no sugarcoating.
My review on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2740972187
so-soI really wanted to like this, but even from a few pages in there felt like something was missing. It explores and discusses some really important ideas about race, but it felt like the characters and the plot were all just there to display another observation about race which left the story feeling a bit limp and the characters uninteresting.
She weaves such complex stories. I‘m hooked. #currentlylistening
Carny food at a local carnival. I get to sit, eat, and read while my 11 yr old does all the rides. Hubby volunteered to stay home with the little ones this time. Enjoying a little me time and hoping to make some progress on tagged book. 🙂
As for an immigrant story, this rates among the top.
#immigrantsong #marchintothe70s
pickJust realized that I haven't reviewed some books on Litsy in a while, so I'm gonna do that today. I read as much as I could of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in February and really loved her writing. Americanah was my absolute favorite & my favorite read of 2019 so far. Full review: https://greatmorrisonmigration.wordpress.com/2019/03/05/reading-chimamanda-ngozi...
Happy #internationalwomensday everyone!
Here's where I'm at with the #readingwomenchallenge this year. If anyone knows a good book set in Appalachia or a book about a woman athlete, please let me know 😂
I'm having trouble getting into this, and I didn't anticipate that happening after having read the essay adapted from her TED Talk. Gonna stick with it and hope Part 2 grabs me.
Well, I shot myself in the foot. A while back I decided to try to read only one book at a time, and it works for me. Then this month happened. First there's my challenge to myself to read the Beatles Anthology. Then I started reading Puritan because it's easy to set aside, and I wanted to start reading the Twain book for my #LentRead. Then my Overdrive hold for the tagged book came in today. I don't think I've read 4 at once since college. Yikes!
It‘s been a lovely weekend, reading Americanah on a romantic weekend away just outside York for my birthday. The hot tub is not the best place to read though! Really enjoying Americanah so far, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is such an inspiring woman
pickRounding out #BlackHistoryMonth with Americanah and this book was lovely. It shows the trials and tribulations of the life of a Nigerian couple who separately immigrate to America and London. I loved this story and I loved Ifemelu and Obinze. I‘m looking forward to reading more from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. ❤️
pickI have never had a favourite author till now, but I guess I found my favorite author. Chimamanda has an amazing way to get to my heart with magical words. I could resonate with almost every instance she mentioned as an immigrant in the US, myself.India and Nigeria are so similar in many aspects and she just knew what to say. When the book was over, I felt a pang of sadness because I didnt want to say bye to obinze and ifem just yet.
so-so3/5⭐ I'm so torn. Half the book lost focus. The characters felt less like fully realized people than vehicles for the book's themes. At the end the complexity of the first 3/4 of the book fell off completely in favor of a constant "will they/won't they" romance I wasn't invested in. Read it for an eye-opening look at race across multiple continents, but not really for any interesting characters or plot. #blackathon #contemporaryathon #projectSAMS
Another snowed in Saturday, brought to you by Chimamanda, Ruth, and delicious coconut chai tea. I swear this winter is starting to feel like the winter from The Shining ❄️
