The English Book Club: March 2025

The Book

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s short story The Thing Around Your Neck is a poignant exploration of displacement, cultural clashes, and gender expectations. The story follows Akunna, a young Nigerian woman who immigrates to the United States on a visa sponsored by her uncle. However, instead of the promising new life she envisioned, she finds herself isolated and struggling with loneliness and cultural alienation. The “thing around her neck” metaphorically represents her feelings of suffocation and helplessness in her new environment.

The story is part of Adichie’s acclaimed short story collection of the same name, published in 2009. The collection addresses themes such as immigration, identity, and the complexities of the African diaspora, often highlighting the experiences of Nigerian women navigating unfamiliar and sometimes hostile spaces.

Critics praised The Thing Around Your Neck for its lyrical yet accessible prose, emotional depth, and sharp social commentary. The collection received widespread acclaim, reinforcing Adichie’s status as one of the most important contemporary African writers. It was shortlisted for prestigious awards, including the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, and was lauded for its nuanced portrayal of the African immigrant experience.

The story resonates with readers globally due to its exploration of universal themes such as belonging, power dynamics, and resilience. It remains an essential work in discussions on post-colonial literature, feminism, and migration, further solidifying Adichie’s literary influence.

The Author

Source: The Dewdrop

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian writer known for her powerful storytelling and exploration of themes such as identity, feminism, and post-colonialism. Born on September 15, 1977, in Enugu, Nigeria, she grew up in Nsukka, where her father was a professor and her mother was the first female registrar at the University of Nigeria.

Adichie moved to the United States to study communications and political science at Drexel University before transferring to Eastern Connecticut State University. She later earned a master's degree in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University and a master's in African Studies from Yale University.

Her debut novel, Purple Hibiscus (2003), was critically acclaimed and won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. This was followed by Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), which focuses on the Nigerian Civil War and won the Orange Prize for Fiction. Her third novel, Americanah (2013), explores race, migration, and identity through the story of a Nigerian woman living in the U.S.

Adichie is also known for her influential TED Talks, particularly We Should All Be Feminists (2012), which was adapted into a book and widely cited in discussions on gender equality. Her works have earned numerous awards, and she is considered one of the most important contemporary African writers.

Through her novels, essays, and speeches, Adichie continues to inspire global conversations on literature, culture, and feminism.

Short interview with the Author