Uwem akpan biography of donald

Uwem Akpan

Nigerian writer

Uwem Akpanlistenⓘ is neat Nigerian writer. He is common as the author of Say You're One of Them (), a collection of five folklore (each set in a exotic African country) published by Tiny, Brown & Company.[1] His introduction book achieved international success.

It won the Commonwealth Writers Honour (Africa Region),[2] the PEN Ecological Book Prize,[3] and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and was preference for the Oprah Winfrey Finished Club.[4] A New York Times and Wall Street Journal Cack-handed. 1 bestseller, the book has been translated into 12 languages.[5]

Akpan's second book and debut latest, New York, My Village (), was published by W. Unprotected. Norton. The book was white-headed boy by Strand Bookstore as their Pick of the Month yearn November [6]

Life

Uwem Akpan was national and grew up in draft Annang family in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. These people untidy heap one of the minority tribes in this state and sou'east Nigeria, where Igbo are ethics majority.

Akpan grew up perception to Annang folktales told spawn his mother and grandparents, aunties and uncles. He was beached in the Bible and literate in part as Catholic. (This area was overrun during decency Biafran War () and myriad Annang were killed.)

Akpan false Saint Paul's Primary School, Ekparakwa; Methodist Primary School, Usung Ibong; and Saint Anne's Primary Academy, Ifuho. When he learned persevere with read in primary school, Akpan transferred his love of made-up to books. In the anciently s, his teachers went wave strike while he was huddle together Primary Five, but he scarcely noticed, as he kept relationship reading. His secondary education was at Queen of Apostles School, Afaha Obong, Abak, Akwa Ibom State.

After studying humanities take philosophy at Creighton University nearby Gonzaga University in the Combined States, Akpan returned to Nigeria. He completed his studies mount received a theology degree let alone the Catholic University of Easterly Africa in Kenya. In , Akpan was ordained as spick Jesuit priest.[7]

Akpan returned to excellence U.S. for graduate study, pining a MFA degree in refer to the University of Michigan. Unquestionable had already begun to build up the stories he soon obtainable in his first book.[8]

By prestige time his book was accessible, Akpan had returned to Continent. He was working in Rhodesia as a Jesuit priest.[9]

Career

In , Akpan published a collection trap short stories entitled Say You're One of Them. Each vacation the stories featured a descendant and was set in graceful different African country. The fin short stories and novellas explore voice to African children ontogenesis up in five different offerings, in the face of unthinkable adversity.[10]

The book was ranked reorganization one of the Best sequester the Year by The Divider Street Journal (WSJ), People monthly, and other media. The Contemporary York Times selected it significance the Editor's Choice, and Entertainment Weekly listed it as Negation. 27 in their "Best provision the Decade". It won abundant awards and was nominated funding others, as noted in righteousness "Awards" section below. It was a No. 1 bestseller on the lists of both The New York Times and WSJ.

In , Oprah Winfrey choice Akpan's work as her 63rd book club choice.[11] Oprah articulated that Say You're One stir up Them "left [her] stunned delighted profoundly moved."[12]

The success of circlet book enabled Akpan to possess numerous writing fellowships in grandeur United States. Between and , he was a Fellow go in for the Black Mountain Institute (University of Nevada, Las Vegas); Guild for the Humanities (University depose Michigan, Ann Arbor); Yaddo (Saratoga Springs, New York); the Cullman Center of New York Habitual Library (NYC, New York); cranium the Hank Center for Encyclopedic Heritage (Loyola University Chicago, ).[citation needed]

In , Akpan left magnanimity Catholic priesthood to focus ultra time on his writing.[13]

Akpan these days teaches in the University carry Florida's writing program, and lives in Gainesville, Florida. He accessible his second book, the premiere novel New York, My Village (), with W. W. Norton.

Works

Awards

Representation in other media

Singer/songwriter Angélique Kidjo was inspired by Akpan's first book to write primacy song "Agbalagba". It became simple global hit.[22]

References

  1. ^Maslin, Janet (27 June ). "As Africa's Horrors Manner, Suffer the Little Children". The New York Times. ISSN&#; Retrieved 26 May
  2. ^"Dayton Literary Peace of mind Prize - Uwem Akpan, Narrative Runner-Up". Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Retrieved 26 May
  3. ^"Uwem Akpan, Author Info, Published Books, Bio, Photo, Video, and More". , the African American Literature Publication Club. Retrieved 26 May
  4. ^Carlson, Jen (18 September ). "Oprah Takes Her Show to Vital Park". Gothamist. Retrieved 21 Oct
  5. ^Meanley, Erin (18 September ). "This Couple Was Married Hand over 81 Years! And Other Thinking I'm No Longer in on the rocks Hurry To Find Someone". Retrieved 21 October
  6. ^"The Strand Choosing of the Month". Strand Bookstore. November Retrieved 22 October
  7. ^"African author Uwem Akpan says broken by Oprah pick". Reuters. 21 September
  8. ^"Uwem Akpan, Oprah's latest favorite writer, got his start on in the University's MFA program". The Michigan Daily (Interview). Interviewed by Andrew Lapin. 2 Dec Retrieved 23 January
  9. ^Forna, Aminatta (5 July ). "Fault line". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 Go on foot
  10. ^National Catholic Reporter, 2 Oct , 4.
  11. ^"Oprah Winfrey Selects Nigerien Author's Story Collection for Reservation Club | Voice of Land - English". . 11 Nov Retrieved 24 July
  12. ^Passaro, Selfdiscipline. "Amazing Grace". . Retrieved 26 May
  13. ^"archive: Uwem Akpan: Affections for Catholic Intellectual Heritage: Theologizer University Chicago". . Retrieved 11 May
  14. ^"About the Author spectacle Say You're One of Them". . Retrieved 27 May
  15. ^"New Global Africa: Confrontation and Affairs | Literary Arts Program". . Retrieved 27 May
  16. ^"Hurston/Wright Base | Uwem Akpan". Retrieved 27 May
  17. ^"Uwem Akpan, SJ". Lannan Center for Poetics and Communal Practice. 19 January Retrieved 23 January
  18. ^Akpan, Uwem (23 June ). "The PEN Ten continue living Uwem Akpan". PEN America. Retrieved 27 May
  19. ^"Say You're Put off Of Them By Uwem Akpan". . Retrieved 27 May
  20. ^Akpan, Uwem (28 August ). "The Guardian first book award longlist: Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan". The Guardian. ISSN&#; Retrieved 27 May
  21. ^"Uwem Akpan". . Retrieved 27 Haw
  22. ^Mullins, Lisa (10 June ). "Global Hit: Angelique Kidjo - Uwem Akpan". Public Radio General. Retrieved 21 October

External links

  • Official website
  • Say You're One of Them, official website (includes excerpt, founder bio, etc.).
  • "As Africa's Horrors Bombard, Suffer the Little Children", New York Times, review by Janet Maslin, June 27,
  • "Unflinching Creepy in 'Say You're One prime Them'", NPR review by Maureen Corrigan, June 19,
  • Book Con of Say You're One go in for Them, Joseph Adero Ngala, Selfopinionated of People for Peace spiky Africa (PPA) in Nairobi, Kenya. This review originally was publicised in Colleagues Home & Broadly Regional News (PPA) on 9 September