Ben Okri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ben Okri
OBE FRSL
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| Born | Ben Golden Emuobowho Okri 15 March 1959 Minna, Nigeria |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | Nigeria UK |
| Genre | Fiction, essays, poetry |
| Literary movement | Postmodernism, Postcolonialism |
| Notable works | The Famished Road (1991), A Way of Being Free (1997), Starbook (2007), A Time for New Dreams (2011) |
| Notable awards | Booker Prize 1991 |
Sir Ben Okri (born 15 March 1959) is a famous Nigerian-born British writer. He is known for his novels and poetry. Many people consider him one of the most important African authors. His writing style is often described as postmodern and post-colonial. These styles explore new ways of telling stories and look at the effects of history on countries and people.
In 1991, Okri won the famous Booker Prize for his novel The Famished Road. This made him a major figure in world literature. For his great contributions to writing, he was knighted in 2023.
Contents
Life Story
Growing Up in Nigeria and England
Ben Okri was born in Minna, Nigeria, in 1959. His father was from the Urhobo people and his mother was half-Igbo. When Ben was a toddler, his family moved to London, England. His father went there to study law. Ben spent his early childhood in London and went to primary school in Peckham.
In 1966, the family moved back to Nigeria. His father worked as a lawyer in Lagos, often helping people who couldn't afford to pay. Okri's experiences during the Nigerian Civil War and the stories he heard from friends later inspired his writing.
When he was 14, Okri discovered that he wanted to be a poet. He started writing articles about social issues, but they were not published. So, he turned his ideas into short stories, which were printed in magazines. Some of his early writings were critical of the government, which made it unsafe for him to stay in Nigeria.
Moving to England
In 1978, Okri returned to England to study at the University of Essex. He received money from the Nigerian government to help pay for his studies. However, the funding was cut, and he became homeless. He sometimes slept in parks or stayed with friends. He said this difficult time was very important for his work because it made him want to write even more.
Okri's first novel, Flowers and Shadows, was published in 1980 when he was just 21. This was the start of his successful career. From 1983 to 1986, he worked as a poetry editor for West Africa magazine and was a regular contributor to the BBC World Service.
His fame grew when his novel The Famished Road won the Booker Prize in 1991. At 32, he was the youngest person to ever win the award at that time.
Writing Career
Ben Okri is seen as one of Africa's leading writers. His most famous book, The Famished Road, is part of a trilogy. The other two books are Songs of Enchantment (1993) and Infinite Riches (1998). The books tell the story of Azaro, a spirit-child who lives between the real world and the spirit world.
What is Okri's Writing Style?
It is hard to place Okri's work into one single category. Some call it postmodern. But Okri often writes about the spirit world as if it is real, which challenges this label. His work has also been compared to magical realism, where magical events happen in a realistic setting.
However, Okri himself does not like the term "magical realism." He says his stories follow a "dream logic." He is interested in the question, "what is reality?" He explained: "I grew up in a tradition where there are simply more dimensions to reality: legends and myths and ancestors and spirits and death... Everyone's reality is different."
Okri believes that the stories we read and tell are powerful. He once said, "Beware of the stories you read or tell; subtly, at night, beneath the waters of consciousness, they are altering your world."
Besides novels, Okri has also written poetry, essays, and short stories. His poetry and essays often discuss political topics and the future of Africa.
What Influenced His Writing?
Okri was influenced by many things. He read philosophy books from his father's library and classic literature. Some of his favorite works include Aesop's Fables, Arabian Nights, and plays by Shakespeare.
The stories his mother told him were also a big influence. He said, "If my mother wanted to make a point, she wouldn't correct me, she'd tell me a story." His own experiences of the civil war in Nigeria also shaped many of his books.
Okri is also concerned about modern problems like the climate crisis. He believes we need new kinds of art and thinking to help us face these challenges and protect our world.
Awards and Recognition
Ben Okri has received many awards for his writing.
- 1987: Commonwealth Writers Prize (Africa Region) for Incidents at the Shrine
- 1991: Booker Prize for The Famished Road
- 1995: Crystal Award from the World Economic Forum
- 1997: Became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
- 2001: Appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
- 2003: Chosen as one of the 100 Great Black Britons
- 2023: Knighted for his services to literature
He has also received many honorary doctorates from universities around the world, including the University of Westminster, the University of Essex, and the University of Pretoria.
List of Works
Ben Okri has written many books. Here are some of his most well-known works.
Novels
- Flowers and Shadows (1980)
- The Landscapes Within (1981)
- The Famished Road (1991)
- Songs of Enchantment (1993)
- Astonishing the Gods (1995)
- Dangerous Love (1996)
- Infinite Riches (1998)
- In Arcadia (2002)
- Starbook (2007)
- The Age of Magic (2014)
- The Freedom Artist (2019)
Poetry and Short Stories
- Incidents at the Shrine (1986)
- Stars of the New Curfew (1988)
- An African Elegy (1992)
- A Way of Being Free (1997)
- Mental Fight (1999)
- A Time for New Dreams (2011)
- A Fire in My Head: Poems for the Dawn (2021)
See also
In Spanish: Ben Okri para niños
