Welcome to Litsy!

This book is so rich and densely captivating. I love this author. She has a uniquely perceptive way of voicing things that are usually left unsaid. Almost every page has a moment that makes you think more deeply about everyday interactions. In particular, her observations about ‘choicelessness‘ really struck me.

Wonderfully nuanced and incisive observation of people, relationships and how much hair can matter. Pure brilliance

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I‘m a little late posting this, but I‘m pretty pumped about my #bookspin and #doublespin this month!

Thanks for hosting, @TheAromaofBooks
#bookspinbingo

“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"

#BookQuotes
#xoxoAllTheWayFromIndia

I have avoided this book for years! I never quite fancied it enough but have finally read it for a book club and think it is fantastic. It has to be said that not a lot happens in terms of plot but in this case it works because the book is about the characters; their experiences, their relationships, their feelings and their identity. It‘s also a fascinating book with interesting and thought provoking discussions of race, class and politics.

This was amazing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Makes me sad that this book was sitting on my shelf for over a year, but I also know that there is a right time for a book.

Needed a break from the intensity of A Little Life and started this. 70 pages in and loving it!

This is a pick for me even though I can‘t say I loved this book. I found it compelling to see the US through the eyes of a Nigerian woman, especially her experiences and observations on race and gender. The writing is excellent and Adichie seamlessly takes the narrative back and forth between the two main characters. It wasn‘t until I finished that I realized I just didn‘t like Ifemelu. She was selfish, lacked empathy and had a superior ⬇️

My weekend read illustrates something I love about reading: Despite having nothing in common with the characters in a book, there is so much that we all share in the human experience no matter our ethnicity, race, age, country of origin, place or time we live in now…I‘m making a concerted effort in 2022 to read authors who take me completely out of my own life experiences and Americanah is an excellent start.
#WeekendReading

Reading in my nightmare before sweater shirt with cozy socks tonight.

Impressive writing! We follow Ifemelu‘s transition from being a Nigerian to becoming a Non-American Black in America. The story has many layers including race, identity, relationships as well as a love story between Ifemelu and Obinze.

It‘s hard to rate a book that is so well written. I wanted to love it but I struggled to finish it. I am also not satisfied with the ending either! Prior to that, I enjoyed Ifemelu‘s insights of living in America.

Such an amazing gender-reversal short story with women running the world, while men hoped only for marriage and creating a perfect home. This is a story that could only be written by a woman but told from the husband‘s point-of-view. It has everything we‘re used to seeing in reality: health-care inequality, professional inequality, police brutality but rather the men are the victims of a society built around a female power structure. Incredible.

1. Not usually.
2. I love everything Chimamamda Ngozi Adichie writes!

#Two4Tuesday

Currently reading. 📚☕️

Very excited for this one!

I didn‘t read too many books this year(veryyy few) but these are the ones I‘d recommend.
🥀The Switch- light, palate cleanser, romantic without all the fluff, adorable characters.
🥀Cutting for Stone-chunkster, set in Ethiopia, if medical and family saga is your thing, great for a book club discussion.
🥀Keeper n Me- audiobook rec
🥀Americanah- I was late to the party but if there‘s still someone who hasn‘t read it, I‘d highly recommend this one.

This book forgoes a linear timeline in favor of winding, unforgettable themes. I loved it.

Best novel I have read in a while! Basically a love story but it goes so much beyond that. On Nigeria, Africa, USA, migration, identity, belongging and most of all, race. Could not stop reading it!

I appreciated the insight into the life of the main character being a black woman from Africa living in Africa and being a black woman from Africa living in the U.S and the cultural differences of both. I found it interesting and refreshing that it wasn‘t your typical love story, but really about the life of an independent woman finding her way.

Loved this book like all her others. Maybe even more. Learned so much while reading it.

#QuotsyApr21 Day 30: #Hair

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Marketed as an ill-fated love story, Americanah is so much more. There are **tons** of layers to Ifem and Obinze's story so the "love story" narrative definitely falls to the back burner in my opinion. Solid 3 star review from me.

My #BookSpinBingo board for the month of March! And of COURSE the book I'm #currentlyreading and my next library check out are nowhere near my #bookspin and #DoubleSpin reads, which I've highlighted yellow as a reminder. 🤦🏽‍♀️💛🤣🤷🏽‍♀️ @TheAromaofBooks

Made me think about the NAB (Non-American Black) in a whole new way. Engrossing and thought-provoking. I‘m at 14 hrs 36 mins for #20in4, but should be able to get a few more hours in today.

Finished all my planned books and even some more 😁 Well, that's mostly because we had our second lockdown in Switzerland and I had reduced working hours. Now everything's going back to -almost- normal, I'm not quite sure how much reading I'll manage in March. We'll see.

Read 32 books, 5 were audio books, 10 from my online TBR shelves.

Finally started this book! I definitely won't be able to finish #bookspinbingo this month, despite having the easiest board to complete! 🤦🏽‍♀️ I forgot February was so short LOL

Next ebook!

I've heard and read a lot about this book, but never felt like reading it. But as it happens, it still ended up on my reading list and how glad I am it did! It gave me insights into a life I will never have, deepened my understanding for other people and their feelings. The world needs more books like this one!

@TheAromaofBooks #BookSpinBingo

One book to go to get #BookSpinBingo !

I loved Ifemelu immediately. Her blog posts and her observations about race were fantastic. I found myself wanting to pause after each blog post when it appeared and reflect on it before continuing to read. Reading about the differences between Ifemelu‘s journey in America and Obinze‘s journey in England and Nigeria was fascinating and informative. And through the entire story, I wanted them to end up together. Fantastic! ❤️

This is my #bookspin

February #bookspinbingo

#bookspin : Americanah which I‘m currently reading so that‘s a stroke of luck!

#doublespin : an unnamed library book in case one of my holds come in, or if I feel like grabbing something else from hoopla or Libby

I probably won‘t try too hard for a bingo, but I like the satisfaction of coloring in the squares when I finish each book. 🤷‍♀️A couple of titles I have to get to this month do line up nicely so maybe...

And again, some of my planned books for February. Mostly from the Library and ebooks now, since my TBR is gone 😅

Here‘s my February #bookspin list:
📚 A few leftover #newyearwhodis books checked out from the library: Currently reading Americanah + hold on Ten Thousand Doors of January finally came in.
📚Added several titles on my shelves by Black authors for #BlackHistoryMonth along with a few favorite authors whose backlists I‘m working on
📚continuing Shadow&Bone series
📚Bone Season is reread before book 4 comes out
📚Other TBR reads I should get to soon

I went on YouTube to distract myself from my feelings and then I saw a trailer for Americanah the movie. I love this book so much and to think that it‘s going to get ruined breaks my heart. The casting isn‘t right, seems they will adapt it as more lovey dovey than the book intended. I‘m sad, goodnight. https://youtu.be/P2aDFZRATqM

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Colson Whitehead, Zadie Smith, Oyinkan Braithwaite

Also including some 2021 Debuts/anticipated reads from authors of color:
Namina Forna - The Gilded Ones
Caleb Azumah Nelson - Open Water
Zakiya Dalila Harris - The Other Black Girl
Nekesa Afia - Dead Dead Girls

#integrateyourshelf @ChasingOm @Emilymdxn

Before I get to the guts of what I will talk about, this book was amazing. Incredible at playing with my emotions and inspiring change, awareness, and insight. And I loved the characters! Fantastically fleshed out and complex in how they interact with what think vs what they actually do. But Americanah showed me how different men lives are from women and then when race is involved, there‘s an intersectionality. So much insight in this one book!

Day 9 of #12booksof2020

I can‘t recommend this one highly enough. It is so on point regarding race in our times and society. It is set in America and Africa but it could have easily been Europe as well. It is funny and modern, light and easy but it tackles so many racial issues. A book that will stay with me for some time to come - if not for ever.

Done with my first semester and well on my way to becoming a high school English teacher. I haven‘t read much besides academic books or novels assigned from my professors, including the one in this post that I never got to finish. I‘m enjoying my winter break outside in the climate changed weather in Colorado reading. Happy holidays everyone!

Day 26
One of my favorite authors. Especially love her TED talks particularly The Danger of a Single Story. Major themes about Race/racism/racial hierarchy in the West alongside the significance of honesty. I loved how Adichie plays with the juxtaposition between Ifemelu & Obinze‘s Western experiences.

“Racism should never have happened and so you don't get a cookie for reducing it”.

#whatsonyourshelf #race #mustread #fiction

Although she has been living in America for 15 years, Ifemelu is still an outsider, observing what being black (and African) in the US means. Her observations are razor sharp and painfully recognizable at times. When she returns to Lagos she‘s an outsider again. Ifemelu has become too ‘Americanah‘. The best book I ever read about race and oh, there‘s a great lovestory too! #1001books ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is really disappointing especially since it‘s Transgender Awareness Week.

I haven‘t read any of her books but I do have the tagged book on my TBR.

Trans Women are Women and you won‘t change my mind on it. These comments and opinions are dangerous.

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/11/15/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-jk-rowling-transg...

More in comments:

Just finished this as Audiobook. Even though I did not expect it, I really enjoyed the book and was very invested in the story of Ifemelu and Obinze. A book about love, race, immigration, struggles and coming home with short essay like Blog entries about Race thrown inbetween. It was interesting to read but also entertaining. 4/5⭐️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 this book was on the long side but it was really amazing. The long romance/life story of the main characters was really well thought out. Highly recommend!

The love story of Ifemelu & obinze is a remarkable piece of writing as both form part of an African diaspora in both America and London allowing the author to explore the wider themes of race, racism, class, sex, and hair. I don't know where to start as I put it down with my mind buzzing from the sheer breadth and depth of the issues considered, I feel I shd reread what is a touching, funny brilliant work that portrays a vibrant continent 👇

Another round of audio packing our stuff- we‘re moving most of our stuff today, tonight we already plan to sleep in the place for the first time😱

Cause COVID hasn‘t ruined enough.

🤬

https://ew.com/tv/lupita-nyongo-danai-gurira-americanah-dropped-hbo-max/