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13 Facts about Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

 

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As part of the Dewey Challenge, Fizzy Thoughts is holding a mini challenge based around lists. The idea is to write a list of 13 facts based on an author or book you’ve read for the Dewey Challenge. I’m planning to read Half of a Yellow Sun soon, so I’ve found the following 13 facts about Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie:

  1. She holds a Masters degree in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins and a Masters degree in African Studies from Yale.
  2. Her second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, was named because it is a description of the flag of the short-lived Biafran nation.
  3. Adichie’s grandfather died in a refugee camp during the war, a fact, she says, still made her cry while she was writing Half of a Yellow Sun.
  4. She likes to be called by her first name, Chimamanda, and I doesn’t like anyone shortening it.
  5. She doesn’t read any reviews of her books, whether they are good or bad, as she finds them ‘distracting’.
  6. The literary talent she most admires are Iris Murdoch and Jamaica Kincaid.
  7. Her favourite book is Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.
  8. Her elder sister is a doctor, and she was planning to follow her in to medicine, but realised she didn’t want it enough.
  9. Chimamanda was only 24 when she started writing Purple Hibiscus.
  10. Her favourite time to write is late at night
  11. Her favourite childhood books were the Famous Five Series.
  12. Chimamanda means ‘My God will not Fail me’
  13. She cried when reading Michael Ondaatje’s Anil’s Ghost.
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Orbis Terrarum Challenge 2009

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The Orbis Terrarum Challenge 2009 is being hosted by B&b Ex-Libris

Main Challenge Rules:
*The Orbis Terrarum Challenge begins March 1st 2009 and runs until the end of the year
*For the challenge each reader is to choose 10 books (for the 10 months)
*Each book must from a different country

I love reading books from around the world, so am really looking forward to starting this challenge.

I’m going to read (subject to change!)

  1. Out – Natsuo Kirino (Japan)
  2. The Ghosts of Eden – Andrew Sharp (Uganda)
  3. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Nzozi Adichie (Nigeria)
  4. The Book of Fathers by Miklos Vamos (Hungary)
  5. Snow by Orhan Pamuk (Turkey)
  6. Animal’s People by Indra Sinha (India)
  7. to 10. To be decided
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Newseum – Newspapers from around the world.

I’ve just seen this website, and I thought you might find it as interesting as I did.

Newseum allows you to see the front pages of newspapers from around the world, by clicking on cities on the map. I loved seeing pictures of news events from around the world. It’s a great idea!

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Three Men in a Boat – Jerome K Jerome

When Beth from Beth Fish Reads recommeded To Say Nothing of the Dog as one of her top reads in 2008. I decided to add it to my wish list. To Say Nothing of the Dog is a parody of Three Men in a Boat, so I decided I really should read the classic before attempting the time travel version!

Three Men in a Boat is a light read, about a journey along the River Thames during Victorian times. It is full of humor, but most of the time I found myself smiling at them, rather than with them, as the puns are just too obvious:

Then we discussed the food question. George said:

‘Begin with breakfast.’ (George is so practical.) ‘Now for breakfast we shall want a frying pan’ – Harris said it was indigestible; but we merely urged him not to be an ass, and George went on – ‘a teapot and a kettle, and a methylated spirit stove.’

I live just two miles from the River Thames, and know it very well. I loved learning about what it was like over a hundred years ago. It was really nice to see places I visit regularly described in the book:

You pass Oatlands Park on the right bank here. It is a famous old place. Henry VIII stole it from someone or other, I forget whom now, and lived in it. There is a grotto in the park which you can see for a fee, and is supposed to be very wonderful.

I have taken my boys to play in Oatlands Park many times, and have never seen a grotto, so I looked it up on the Internet. I was amazed to find out how beautiful it was. There’s a photo here. Unfortunately it was dynamited in 1948, as people were trespassing on it, and the owners thought this was unsafe. I can’t believe such a special place has been destroyed.

Many other places I recognised were described, and I recommend this book to anyone who knows the Thames well. I can’t see much attraction to other people, as it is just a bit silly. I’m really looking forward to reading To Say Nothing of The Dog, and hope it is a much more rewarding read.

Beth’s review is of Three Men in a Boat is here.

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The winner of my first book give away is…..

Lexi from Lexacat’s List is the winner of my first book give away!

Congratulations Lexi!

She wins a copy of Random Acts of Heroic Love, by Danny Scheinmann. It is an emotional story about love and loss, which I think is unmissable. See my full review here.

Thank you to everyone who entered. I hope that those of you who didn’t win will manage to read this book at some point in the future, as I think it is amazing!

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Weekly Geeks – Social and Political Issues (Natural Childbirth)

Weekly Geeks – Social and Political Issues

This week’s challenge is to choose a political or social issue that interests you, and explain a little bit about it.

I’m a member of The National Childbirth Trust (NCT), and I’m a big believer in educating pregnant women as much as possible. They can can then make informed decisions on their birth, and be free from fear.

Childbirth is a natural process, but many women are so fearful of it that they opt for caesareans (major abdominal surgery!) or drug themselves up so much that they’re not really aware of what is happening. I know that there are some medical emergencies where these things are needed, but in the majority of cases intervention is unnecessary.

I was lucky enough to have two natural births, with no medical intervention. I think this is down to the fact that I had read so much on the subject that I knew exactly what was happening to me, and so was not scared.

There are lots of great books out there, but these are two of the best:

So if you’re pregnant, or planning to have a baby please read as much as you can on the subject. Don’t be scared about the birth – it’s a natural process that ends in a beautiful new life!