Purple Hibiscus

After I finished the second load of Easter dishes, I settledin to finish reading Purple Hibiscus.The book was Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s first novel. Because Ms. Adichieis delivering one of the keynotes at a conference I’m attending later this month inMichigan, I wanted to read something she had written, and the conferencerecommended this one.

 

Kimbili, the point-of-view character, lives in postcolonialNigeria during a time of great upheaval. Her father is somewhat of a nationalhero, a devout Catholic who is generous to the poor and stands up for injusticein his country. But at home he is violent and spiritually abusive. When Kimbiliand her brother go to visit their father's sister, who embodies grace andencourages honest questioning, the teens experience for the first time the sortof nurture that one would hope a parent would provide.  

Adichie tells beautifully a beautiful story, rich withtruth. I highly recommend this literary treasure. And if you have some time toenrich your life, listen to what she has to say in this twenty-minute TED talk about the danger of a single story.