Yesterday, September 15, was Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s birthday.
Not a stranger to many, Chimamanda is one of the most influential writers of her generation. She is known for her evocative storytelling, feminism, and ability to bridge Nigeria with the wider world through literature.
She was born in Enugu, Nigeria in 1977, and grew up in Nsukka. Her father, James Nwoye Adichie was a professor of statistics and later Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Nigeria, while her mother, Grace Ifeoma Adichie made history as the institution’s first female registrar.
The intellectual environment of Nsukka shaped Adichie, even though she initially pursued medicine before moving to the United States at 19. In America, she studied Communication and Political Science at Eastern Connecticut State University, before going on to earn a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins University and later studying African history at Yale.
Her education and global exposure enriched her storytelling, but she has never lost her Nigerian roots. Today, she is celebrated not only as a novelist but also as an essayist, short-story writer, feminist thinker, and cultural critic. Adichie has carved her name firmly in the global literary canon.
Adichie’s bibliography is as diverse as it is powerful, ranging from award-winning novels to poignant essays and even children’s literature. Below is a walk through all her works, with summaries and insights into their themes.
Chimamanda Adichie’s Books
Novels
- Purple Hibiscus (2003)
Adichie’s debut novel introduced her to the world. It follows Kambili, a young girl growing up under the strict rule of her devoutly Catholic but abusive father, Eugene. The book was also set against the backdrop of political turmoil in Nigeria. The novel was shortlisted for the Orange Prize, and was the winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. - Half of a Yellow Sun (2006)
This novel was a narrative set during the Nigerian-Biafran War. It traces the intertwined lives of Olanna, Odenigbo, Richard, and Ugwu. Through their perspectives, Adichie humanizes the conflict, capturing the devastations of war and the resilience of love and identity. The novel won the 2007 Orange Prize for Fiction and was adapted into a feature film in 2013. - Americanah (2013)
This novel is her most globally acclaimed work which follows Ifemelu and Obinze, young lovers whose lives diverge when she moves to the U.S. and he struggles in London. Ifemelu becomes a successful blogger on race, while Obinze navigates undocumented life abroad before returning back to Nigeria.
The novel was named one of the New York Times Book Review’s 10 best books of 2013. It was also optioned by Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira for a TV adaptation.
- Dream Count (2025)
Dream Count is her long-awaited return to fiction after a decade. It follows four women, Chiamaka, Zikora, Omelogor, and Kadiatou, whose lives crisscross across Nigeria and America. Adichie tackles gender, class, desire, and trauma with this read.
Short Fiction
- The Thing Around Your Neck (2009)
This short story collection explores the Nigerian and immigrant experience through 12 stories. From A Private Experience (a Muslim woman and a Christian woman finding solidarity during riots) to The Thing Around Your Neck (a woman navigating isolation in America), the stories span themes of displacement, love, and resilience.
Essays and Nonfiction
- We Should All Be Feminists (2014)
This was adapted from her viral TEDx talk, and it argues for a 21st-century feminism inclusive of men and women. Through personal anecdotes, Adichie makes feminism relatable, dismantling stereotypes. It was distributed free in Sweden to every 16-year-old and was quoted in Beyoncé’s song Flawless. - Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions (2017)
This was written as a letter to a friend. This book gives fifteen practical suggestions on raising a daughter to be a feminist and the advice ranges from rejecting rigid gender roles to teaching girls self-reliance. - Notes on Grief (2021)
This essay was born out of the death of her father, and it captures grief in its rawness. It was written during the COVID-19 pandemic and was shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award.
Children’s Literature
- Mama’s Sleeping Scarf (2023)
This was published under the pen name Nwa Grace-James which translates to the child of Grace-James. This picture book celebrates family and love through the eyes of a child, Chino, who finds comfort in her mother’s scarf while waiting for her to return.
Which of her books have you read?
About Author
