Biography
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was born in 1977 in Enugu, Nigeria. She studied medicine and pharmacy at the University of Nigeria then moved to the US to study communications and political science at Eastern Connecticut State University. She gained an MA in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.
After initially writing poetry and one play, For Love of Biafra (1998), she had several short stories published in literary journals, winning various competition prizes. Her first novel, Purple Hibiscus, was published in 2003 and is set in the political turmoil of 1990s Nigeria, the narrative told from the perspective of 15-year-old Kambili Achike. This book won the 2005 Commonwealth Writers Prize (Overall Winner, Best Book), and was shortlisted for the 2004 Orange Prize for Fiction.
Her second novel is Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), set before and during the Biafran War. It won the 2007 Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction.
Chimamanda lives between Nigeria and the US, and is currently working on a third novel. (last updated Jan 27th, 2009)
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Books at Blackwell Online
Bibliography
For Love of Biafra Spectrum Books, 1998
Purple Hibiscus Algonquin Books, 2003
Half of a Yellow Sun Fourth Estate, 2006
Prizes and awards
2002 BBC Short Story Competition (joint winner - 'That Harmattan Morning')
2002 Caine Prize for African Writing ('You in America') shortlist
2002 Commonwealth Short Story Competition ('The Tree in Grandma's Garden') shortlist
2002 David Wong Award ('Half of a Yellow Sun')
2003 O Henry Short Story Prize ('The American Embassy')
2004 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award Purple Hibiscus
2004 John Llewelly-Rhys Memorial Prize (shortlist) Purple Hibiscus
2004 Orange Prize for Fiction (shortlist) Purple Hibiscus
2004 YALSA Best Book For Young Adults Award (shortlist) Purple Hibiscus
2005 Commonwealth Writers Prize (Overall Winner, Best Book) Purple Hibiscus
2006 National Book Critics' Circle Award (USA) (shortlist) Half of a Yellow Sun
2007 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award (joint winner) Half of a Yellow Sun
2007 British Book Awards Richard & Judy Best Read of the Year (shortlist) Half of a Yellow Sun
2007 Commonwealth Writers Prize (Africa Region, Best Book) (shortlist) Half of a Yellow Sun
2007 James Tait Black Memorial Prize (for fiction) (shortlist) Half of a Yellow Sun
2007 Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction Half of a Yellow Sun
2008 British Book Awards Author of the Year (shortlist)