Chris Abani facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris Abani
Abani in 2019
Born	Christopher Abani 27 December 1966 (1966-12-27) (age 58) Afikpo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
Citizenship	Nigerian
Education	Imo State University Birkbeck College, University of London University of Southern California
Occupation	Author, poet, professor
Notable work	GraceLand (2004) Becoming Abigail (2006) The Secret History of Las Vegas (2014)

The poem "Ode to Joy" on a wall in the Dutch city of Leiden

Christopher Abani, born on December 27, 1966, is a Nigerian American writer. He is known for his books and poems that share stories about growing up in Nigeria. He is part of a group of writers who want to help English-speaking readers understand life in his home country.

About Chris Abani

Chris Abani was born in Afikpo, a town in the southeastern part of Nigeria. His father was from the Igbo people, and his mother was of English background.

Abani published his first novel, Masters of the Board, in 1985 when he was just 16 years old. This book was a political thriller, a story that used fiction to talk about real-life political events in Nigeria. Because of this book, he was held for six months.

After he was released, he kept writing. His 1987 novel, Sirocco, led to him being held again for a year. During this time, he was held in a prison called Kiri Kiri. After this, he wrote several plays that were performed in the streets. He was held a third time, but his friends helped him get released in 1991. Soon after, Abani, his mother, and his four siblings moved to the United Kingdom. They lived there until 1999, then moved to the United States, where he lives today.

Education and Career as a Writer

Chris Abani has studied a lot! He earned a bachelor's degree in English from Imo State University in Nigeria. He also has two master's degrees: one in Gender and Culture from Birkbeck College, University of London, and another in English from the University of Southern California. He also earned a Ph.D. in Creative Writing and Literature from the University of Southern California.

Abani has received many important awards for his writing. These include the PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award, the Prince Claus Awards, and the PEN/Hemingway Award. His poems have been featured in the online journal Blackbird. From 2007 to 2012, he was a professor of Creative Writing at the University of California, Riverside.

Today, he is the Director of the Program of African Studies at Northwestern University. He is also a Board of Trustees Professor of English there.

His poetry book, Sanctificum (2010), combines religious ideas, the Igbo language from his homeland, and reggae music rhythms. It's a unique collection of poems.

Abani also started his own publishing project called Black Goat poetry series. This is part of Akashic Books, a publisher in New York. Many poets have had their work published through Black Goat, including Kwame Dawes and Percival Everett.

In 2015, Abani's crime novel The Secret History of Las Vegas won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Paperback Original. In 2016, a collection of his works was published in Israel under the title Shi'ur Geografia, which means "Geography Lesson" in Hebrew.

Chris Abani's Books

Chris Abani has written many different types of books. Here are some of his published works:

Novels

• Masters of the Board (1985)
• GraceLand (2004)
• The Virgin of Flames (2007)
• The Secret History of Las Vegas (2014)

Novellas

• Becoming Abigail (2006)
• Song For Night (2007)

Poetry Collections

• Kalakuta Republic (2001)
• Daphne's Lot (2003)
• Dog Woman (2004)
• Hands Washing Water (2006)
• There are no names for red (2010)
• Feed me the sun (2010)
• Sanctificum (2010)
• Smoking the Bible (2022)

Essays

• The Face (2014)

Awards and Recognitions

Chris Abani has received many honors throughout his career.

In 2001, he received a Middleton Fellowship from the University of Southern California. In 2003, he was given the Lannan Foundation Literary Fellowship and the Hellman/Hammet Grant from Human Rights Watch.

In 2006, his book Becoming Abigail was chosen as an Editor's Choice by The New York Times. It was also a popular choice for book clubs like Essence Magazine.

In 2007, The Virgin of Flames and Song for Night were also picked as Editor's Choice books by The New York Times. The Virgin of Flames was also a special selection by Barnes & Noble.

In 2008, Abani received a Distinguished Humanist Award from the University of California, Riverside. In 2009, he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for his fiction writing.

See also

In Spanish: Christopher Abani para niños

• List of people from Ebonyi State
• List of TED speakers