My grand uncle was a traditional priest, and he would always say to me as a kid, 'We stand in our own light,' which essentially for him meant we were entirely responsible for a lot of what happens to us and for the ways in which our lives play out. Chris Abani essentiallygrandkid share on social
I have to have three or four books going simultaneously. If I'm not impressed in the first 20 pages, I don't bother reading the rest, especially with novels. I'm not a book-club style reader. I'm not looking for life lessons or wanting people to think I'm smart because I'm reading a certain book. Chris Abani bookbotherclub share on social
My books are often shelved around those of Chinua Achebe and Margaret Atwood, or Chimamanda Adichie and Monica Ali. All of this depends, of course, on the bookstore and how conversant the shelf stocker is with the alphabet. Chris Abani achebeadichieali share on social
We often think that language mirrors the world in which we live, and I find that's not true. The language actually makes the world in which we live. Language is not - I mean, things don't have any mutable value by themselves; we ascribe them a value. Chris Abani ascribefindlanguage share on social
The privilege of being a writer is that you have this opportunity to slow down and to consider things. Chris Abani opportunityprivilegeslow Change image and share on social
The Igbo used to say that they built their own gods. They would come together as a community, and they would express a wish. And their wish would then be brought to a priest, who would find a ritual object, and the appropriate sacrifices would be made, and the shrine would be built for the god. Chris Abani bringbuildcommunity share on social
Like most writers, I find the Web is a wonderful distraction. Who doesn't need that last minute research before writing? Chris Abani distractionfindminute Change image and share on social
If I don't get at least one e-mail every ten minutes, I feel unloved. Even junk mail makes me feel seen. Sad, I know. Sigh. Chris Abani feeljunkmail Change image and share on social
African narratives in the West, they proliferate. I really don't care anymore. I'm more interested in the stories we tell about ourselves - how, as a writer, I find that African writers have always been the curators of our humanity on this continent. Chris Abani africananymorecare share on social
It takes me forever to actually finish something like a ten-page essay. But, when I do, I usually love what they are. It's a complicated relationship. Chris Abani complicateessayfinish Change image and share on social