Chris Abani




Chris Abani

author profile


born
December 27, 1966

gender
male

place of birth
Nigeria

website

genre
Literature & Fiction


about this author

Christopher Abani (or Chris Abani) is a Nigerian author.

He was a political prisoner in Nigeria at various times during 1985 and 1991. At times he was held in solitary confinement and he was held on death row for some time after being sentenced to death for treason.

He is a Professor at the University of California, Riverside and the recipient of the PEN USA Freedom-to-Write Award, the 2001 Prince Claus Awards, a Lannan Literary Fellowship, a California Book Award, a Hurston-Wright Legacy Award and the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award. Selections of his poetry appear in the online journal Blackbird.




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avg rating: 3.85 | 851 ratings | 161 reviews | 14 distinct works | 1 fan
Graceland Graceland
by Chris Abani
avg rating 3.75 — 388 ratings — published 2005
6 editions
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Song for Night Song for Night
by Chris Abani
avg rating 4.03 — 122 ratings — published 2007
3 editions
my rating:
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The Virgin of Flames The Virgin of Flames
by Chris Abani
avg rating 3.76 — 108 ratings — published 2007
3 editions
my rating:
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Becoming Abigail Becoming Abigail
by Chris Abani
avg rating 3.67 — 103 ratings — published 2006
2 editions
my rating:
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Hands Washing Water Hands Washing Water
by Chris Abani
avg rating 4.31 — 26 ratings — published 2006
my rating:
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Kalakuta Republic Kalakuta Republic
by Chris Abani
avg rating 4.55 — 20 ratings — published 2001
2 editions
my rating:
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Daphne's Lot Daphne's Lot
by Chris Abani
avg rating 4.17 — 18 ratings — published 2003
my rating:
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Dog Woman Dog Woman
by Chris Abani
avg rating 4.29 — 14 ratings — published 2004
my rating:
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Dance the Guns to Silence: 100... Dance the Guns to Silence: 100 Poems for Ken Saro-Wiwa
by Chris Abani, Kamau Brathwaite
avg rating 4.75 — 4 ratings — published 2005
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Masters of the board: A novel Masters of the board: A novel
by Chris Abani
avg rating 5.00 — 1 rating — published 1985
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"What I've come to learn is that the world is never saved in grand messianic gestures, but in the simple accumulation of gentle, soft, almost invisible acts of compassion, everyday acts of compassion. In South Africa they have a phrase called ubuntu. Ubuntu comes out of a philosophy that says, the only way for me to be human is for you to reflect my humanity back at me. "
Chris Abani
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"The question is, how do I balance narratives that are wonderful with narratives of wounds and self-loathing? And this is the difficulty that I face. I am trying to move beyond political rhetoric to a place of ethical questioning. I am asking us to balance the idea of our complete vulnerability with the complete notion of transformation or what is possible."
Chris Abani
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"You know, you can steel your heart against any kind of trouble, any kind of horror. But the simple act of kindness from a complete stranger will unstitch you."
Chris Abani
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topics mentioning this author

topics posts views last activity  
Literary Fiction ...: Discussion: Graceland 33 25 Jul 15, 2009 09:46AM  
College Students! : WINNERS for November! 32 99 18 days ago, 06:03PM