Americanah: Read it Now!

     Americanah: a Novel, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, grabs you from the very first page. Maybe grab isn’t the right word; it’s more like the text seduces you. Adichie’s writing is accessible and direct but incredibly sensual. For example, the protagonist, Ifemelu, introduces herself by explaining the different smells of the cities she’s lived in and why she enjoys the scent of Princeton the most. I was immediately interested in getting to know the character better after that introduction.

     Utimately, Americanah is a love story. In the telling of that love story Adichie manages to explore the intersecting issues of gender, class, race, ethnicity, national origin, immigration, beauty, inter-cultural and inter-racial dating, and how the internet facilitates dialogue and community building around all of these issues. Sounds intense, right? Well because of Adichie’s expert narrative weaving and sumptuous descriptive passages, the book manages to carry its heavy material gracefully.

     I think this book should be required reading for anyone who lives in a multi-racial or multi-ethnic society (in fact, I recommend it for Zoe Saldana; reading it might help her see that pretending to be color blind is futile). The story reveals the truths of social inequality, systemic racism/sexism, and the hypocrisy of both conservatives and liberals through characters who are well-developed and often recognizable from our own lives. This book proves that a commentary on race does not have to be dour or angry. This book proves that the conversation about race does not have to be traumatic; Complicated, yes, but not traumatic. Now don’t get me wrong - this book does not ignore the dire consequences of racism or sexism. It explores the effects of what some have mistakenly labeled racial micro-aggressions in a very real way. There is nothing “micro” about the cumulative impact of these experiences and Adichie shows this in a heartbreaking way.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (photo from Random House of Canada)

     I wish this book had come out when I was in my late teens or early twenties. I really needed to see a character like Ifemelu in a novel. I would have felt less alone in my experiences with racism and sexism. Ifemelu has a critical eye and a nose for bullshit. Often times she calls it like she sees it even if it makes those around her uncomfortable. That is Ifemelu’s charm. Having that type of assertiveness would have benefited me greatly in high school.

      Through Ifemelu, Adichie manages to expose hypocrisy and pass judgment on racist and classist attitudes without dismissing or forgetting the humanity of the people who may hold these attitudes. I love that this book was able to show that people who think and say racist things are human beings and not some new brand of evil that is to be dismissed whole handedly. I think this novel does a great job of exploring the complexities inherent to dialogue about identity but also reminds us of how important it is to have these conversations. I cannot recommend this book enough. READ IT NOW! You won't regret it :)