Each of my novels has come from a different place, and the processes are not always entirely conscious. I have lived off and on in America for a number of years and so have accumulated observations, found things interesting, been moved to tell stories about them. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie accumulateamericaconscious share on social
I've always been curious about how much of our cultural baggage we bring to what and how we read. I suspect we bring a lot, although we like to think we don't. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie baggagebringcultural Change image and share on social
Nigerian politics has been, since the military dictatorships, largely non-ideological. Rather than a battle of ideas, it is about who can pump in the most money and buy the most access. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie accessbattlebuy Change image and share on social
Sometimes novels are considered 'important' in the way medicine is - they taste terrible and are difficult to get down your throat, but are good for you. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie considerdifficultgood Change image and share on social
In primary school in south-eastern Nigeria, I was taught that Hosni Mubarak was the president of Egypt. I learned the same thing in secondary school. In university, Mubarak was still president of Egypt. I came to assume, subconsciously, that he - and others like Paul Biya in Cameroon and Muammar Gaddafi in Libya - would never leave. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie assumebiyacameroon share on social
Non-fiction, and in particular the literary memoir, the stylised recollection of personal experience, is often as much about character and story and emotion as fiction is. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie characteremotionexperience Change image and share on social
Creative writing programmes are not very necessary. They just exist so that people like us can make a living. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie creativeexistlive Change image and share on social
I have been writing since I was old enough to spell. I have never considered not writing. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie considerspellwrite Change image and share on social
I have my father's lopsided mouth. When I smile, my lips slope to one side. My doctor sister calls it my cerebral palsy mouth. I am very much a daddy's girl, and even though I would rather my smile wasn't crooked, there is something moving for me about having a mouth exactly like my father's. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie callcerebralcrook share on social
While writing 'Half of a Yellow Sun,' I enjoyed playing with minor things: inventing a train station in a town that has none, placing towns closer to each other than they are, changing the chronology of conquered cities. Yet I did not play with the central events of that time. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie centralchangechronology share on social