Sunday 17 January 2016

Weekend WOW Factor: Americanah

Happy Sunday x

Well... how have you all been?
Good I hope

Me? I finally finished reading Americanah... courteousy of a long weekend, and thoroughly enjoyed it
Great writer.

The protagonist is a blogger funnily enough, bit like me...
Making shedloads of money from it... currently ..unlike me lol..
I felt a real connection to her pretty much from the start. That her love life was...hmmm...interesting.. was also quite amusing.
The story itself highlights very well the cultural differences often faced by Africans in America, and also in England. The hard fought battles for visas, an education and 'fitting in'
The politics of black women's hair was another aspect of the 'fitting in' process.
What I found most enjoyable perhaps was reading her potrayal of Nigerian culture. Differences between Igbo and Yoruba..
Through gritted teeth I read of the fat bellied and unattractive men happy to lavish thier mistresses with everything except what they truly wanted.

Once the tap ran dry the mistresses were often left to fend for themselves... Or quickly find another man.
What struck me was the overt chase for the 'holy grail'... Money.

The seeming lack of loyalty on occasion.. and the overriding embarrassment of failure.. being the force driving the many to achieve at all costs.

All in all... the story itself is a universal one.. of love, loss success failure and finding oneself.

Africans only become black when they come here is a common expression. What's not often explained is just how differently 'born and raised in 'Africa Africans' see themselves to UK or American even Caribbean 'blacks'(Africans)

Fear not though... I'll happily keep yapping on about that right here lol.

I felt transported to Nigeria this weekend. With a new found understanding of why some things are ..the way they are

Nigerian 'high society' magazines?...Chale! I don't buy them.
But I've read a few in my local laundromat. I say read... But in truth they're more of a 'look at me' showcase
I'm back in London now.. but my trip?... Wasn't half bad

Thanks Chimamanda!

Great read

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