Americanah (Bound for Schools & Libraries) | 
pickA beautifully written powerful story. I was moved to numbness at some points, written in 2013, it is mind blowing how the racist issues talked about in this book that have been moved forward over time, slowly yes,but moved in the right direction, now in less then two months is being decimated.I loved following Ifemelu through her life experiences and her choices and the characters that were so important in her life a satisfying ending
Just starting this, our next selection for book club. Our theme is African American Voices. I am excited to read this. #FirstSaturdayReaders
Has anyone mentioned that one of the best books is on sale today for Kindle?
J'ai commencé ce livre dehors, durant un des premiers jours du printemps. Le chant des oiseaux a accompagné ma lecture et je sentais la chaleur du soleil sur ma peau.
pickThis was a thought provoking book. As a white woman it gave me pause to think about all the ways POC are treated. I've also read a lot of negative critics. And while they also may be right, I think making me, as a white woman, realize things is a good thing about this book. Because what do I know about all the intricacies of racism? Virtually nothing. I've got lots of things to learn.
TBR since 6/8/2021; 588 pages.
TBH this is just to show off my 6 month old daughter Maeve. She looks hot, because it is, that's why the nakedness. But anyway I finally have started to get into some serious reading. Meaning I have found the energy again. And I read when I can get my daughter to sleep - if I manage to put the phone away. Just started Americanah and it's already so real. I think I'm going to enjoy this.
This book has won accolades, even being on the list of “1001 Books to Read before You Die”. But, for me, the jury is still out. On pg. 30 & the odds aren‘t good. The main character, a Nigerian, keeps doing what bothers me the most, referring pejoratively about people like me, a black American woman, while she is attending Princeton. Another thing makes me not like her, I‘ll see about THAT soon.
Why I don't read this author: http://coalition.org.mk/archives/8188?lang=en
https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2022/12/02/novelist-chimamanda-ngozi-adichi...
pickThis 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.
pickWonderfully 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
pickI 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.
pickThis 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!
pickThis 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.
pickImpressive 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.
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.
pickThis book forgoes a linear timeline in favor of winding, unforgettable themes. I loved it.
pickBest 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!
pickI 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.
pickLoved this book like all her others. Maybe even more. Learned so much while reading it.
pickMarketed 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
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
pickI'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
pickI 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
pickBefore 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!
