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I Do Not Come to You by Chance [Paperback]

Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
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Book Description

4 Mar 2010

Kingsley is fresh out of university, eager to find an engineering job so he can support his family and marry the girl of his dreams. Being the opara of the family, he is entitled to certain privileges - a piece of meat in his egusi soup, a party to celebrate his graduation. But times are hard in Nigeria and jobs are not easy to come by.

For much of his young life, Kingsley believed that education was everything, that through wisdom, all things were possible. But when a tragedy befalls his family, Kingsley learns the hardest lesson of all: education may be the language of success in his country, but it is money that does the talking. In desperation he turns to his uncle, Boniface-aka Cash Daddy-an exuberant character who suffers from elephantiasis of the pocket. He is also rumoured to run a successful empire of email scams. But he can help. With Cash Daddy's intervention, Kingsley and his family can be as safe as a tortoise under its shell. It is up to Kingsley now, to reconcile his passion for knowledge with his hunger for money, to fully assume his role of first son. But can he do it without being drawn into this outlandish milieu?


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Product details

  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Phoenix (4 Mar 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0753826976
  • ISBN-13: 978-0753826973
  • Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 2.3 x 19.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 29,405 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Review

poignantly funny (WATERSTONE'S BOOKS QUARTERLY )

sparklingly funny debut novel (WIRED MAGAZINE )

In this touching tale, the Nigerian author traces a "419" plot back a generation - a generation full of hope and promise. (PRIDE MAGAZINE )

[Nwaubani] not merely explores a side of modern existence that touches millions every day, but does so with wit, warmth and insight. (Boyd Tonkin THE INDEPENDENT )

[Nwaubani's] pointed and poignant first novel is a lively, good-humored and provocative examination of the truth behind a global inbox of deceit. (THE WASHINGTON POST )

This is a fast, fresh, often hilarious first novel, by one of the remarkably talented young African writers who are rapidly making everyone else look stale. (THE TIMES )

Nwaubani does a great job of detailing the frantic pulse of urban Nigeria (TIME OUT )

beautifully written... More than just a brilliant read, it also turns the whole idea of Nigerian 419 scams neatly on its head, using wit and warm humour to bring to life the stories of the email recipients themselves. (SUNDAY HERALD )

Book Description

A vivid, warm and very funny debut novel set against the colourful back-drop of modern Nigeria.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By Jackie
Format:Paperback
I Do Not Come to You by Chance follows Kingsley, a young Nigerian man who has a good education and a promising career ahead of him. His world is shattered when his father becomes ill and the family is unable to afford the treatment needed to save his life. Desperate to help his father, Kingsley turns to his mysteriously wealthy uncle and gets drawn in to the bizarre world of the email scammer:

"At first, it was difficult. Composing cock-and-bull tales, with every single word an untruth, including `is' and `was'. Blasting SOS emails around the world, hoping that someone would swallow the bait and respond. But I was probably worrying myself for nothing. They were just a bunch of email addresses with no real people at the other end anyway. Besides, who on this earth was stupid enough to fall prey to an email from a stranger in Nigeria?"

The plot was quite simple and the writing wasn't particularly beautiful, but the insight into the life of an email scammer had me hooked. I was fascinated by their activities - continually amazed by what they managed to get away with. I'd love to know how many of the events in this book had actually occurred. This is one of those books that I was telling everyone about, unable to believe that people actually respond to those dodgy emails we all get.

This book also had a very African feel to it. I loved the snippets of African mythology, all presented in a way that was easy for me to understand. It also raised some thought provoking questions, mainly revolving around whether or not it is OK to steal from the gullible rich, to give to the poorest in society.

Overall this was an amusing, insightful and ultimately uplifting tale about an underground world I previously knew nothing about.

Highly recommended.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book funny in parts 28 Jan 2011
By H Singh
Format:Paperback
I really enjoyed this book it was good to see the other side of the Nigerian email scams. It was funny in parts and heartwarming. Well worth a read you won't be disappointed.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
How easy is it to make money from greedy people who hope to get something for free! This is the basis of the 419 scamming of which Kingsley becomes a part. Once he has tasted the 'easy life' of having more money than he knows what to do with, he can't go back to his previous ambition of being an engineer - a profession to make his parents' proud. The first half of the book is a bit slow, but this is an enjoyable read. Shows how creative these scammers can be!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars Not a fan.
The story drags on. Slow moving plot. A little tedious. As hard as you try to like this book, it's difficult to sympathise with the protagonist and this is problematic.
Published 6 days ago by MissCookieGT
5.0 out of 5 stars Poor Mr Winterbottom!
Remarkable insight into the world of '419' scams. It takes a good writer to make you sympathise with the villain. Beautifully written. Read more
Published 1 month ago by ZoeB
4.0 out of 5 stars Exploring Beyond the Scam
EXPLORING BEYOND THE SCAM - I DO NOT COME TO YOU BY CHANCE
If like me you have ever wondered what propels people into writing a bogus letter inviting either the greedy or the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Olu Alake
3.0 out of 5 stars 'Do you think this is the sort of life I wanted to live? Do you think...
Light but entertaining read following a promising young Nigerian Chemical Engineering graduate Kingsley. Read more
Published 6 months ago by sally tarbox
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book!!
I Do Not Come to You by Chance - Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani
Kingsley's parents have one rule that all their children must adhere to: Complete your education & university degree... Read more
Published 8 months ago by ronix
5.0 out of 5 stars Really recommend
I really recommend this book. I found the style of writing refreshingly new and really expressive. An excellent and entertainingly written window into what its like living in... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Les
4.0 out of 5 stars Very funny in places.
There were a few grammatical errors, like 'I smiled louder' and 'he was as beautiful as paint'. The editor needs to cross-check these things. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Ms. F. Aidoo
4.0 out of 5 stars Unusual story
I started off expecting this book to be about a long lost reunion or a search for someone (I didn't read the synopsis beforehand) but it turned out to be something completely... Read more
Published 9 months ago by supergran
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
This is African Literature at its best. It takes you into the life's of the characters making you understand why certain choices had to be made. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Tulips
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed I Do Not Come To You By Chance. It was hilarious, thought-provoking, informative and educative. Once I started, I couldn't put it down... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Tata
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