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The Thing Around Your Neck [Paperback]

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (91 customer reviews)
RRP: £8.99
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Book Description

1 Oct 2009

From the Orange Prize-winning author of ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ come twelve dazzling stories that turn a penetrating eye on the ties that bind men and women, parents and children, Nigeria and the West.

In 'A Private Experience', a medical student hides from a violent riot with a poor Muslim woman whose dignity and faith force her to confront the realities and fears she's been pushing away.

In 'Tomorrow Is Too Far', a woman unlocks the devastating secret that surrounds her brother's death.

The young mother at the centre of 'Imitation' finds her comfortable life threatened when she learns that her husband back in Lagos has moved his mistress into their home.

And the title story depicts the choking loneliness of a Nigerian girl who moves to an America that turns out to be nothing like the country she expected; though falling in love brings her desires nearly within reach, a death in her homeland forces her to re-examine them.

Searing and profound, suffused with beauty, sorrow and longing, this collection is a resounding confirmation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's prodigious storytelling powers.


Frequently Bought Together

The Thing Around Your Neck + Purple Hibiscus (P.S.) + Half of a Yellow Sun
Price For All Three: £18.62

Buy the selected items together
  • Purple Hibiscus (P.S.) £5.59
  • Half of a Yellow Sun £6.74


Product details

  • Paperback: 300 pages
  • Publisher: Fourth Estate (1 Oct 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0007306210
  • ISBN-13: 978-0007306213
  • Product Dimensions: 13.2 x 19.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (91 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 12,422 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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Product Description

Review

‘“The Thing Around your Neck”, with its warm and sympathetic heroines and its finely cadenced un-American English prose, demonstrates that she is keeping faith with her talent and with her country.’ Lindsay Duguid, Sunday Times

‘Her particular gift is the seductive ability to tell a story…Adichie writes with an economy and precision that makes the strange seem familiar. She makes storytelling seem as easy as birdsong.’ Jane Shilling, Telegraph

‘Adichie’s spare, poised prose, the coolness of her phrasing, ensures these scenes are achieved without melodrama. And though she writes very specifically about Nigeria, the stories have a universal application.’ FT

‘An elegant collection. From beginning to end the prose is serene and the characterization deft.’ TLS

‘The powerful themes close to Adichie’s heart shine through, but never over-shadow writing of clarity and brilliance.’ Aminatta Forna, Guardian

About the Author

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was born in Nigeria in 1977. Her first novel ‘Purple Hibiscus’ was published in 2003 and was longlisted for the Booker Prize. Her second novel ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ won the 2007 Orange Prize for Fiction.


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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 42 people found the following review helpful
By Jackie
Format:Hardcover
This is the best selection of short stories I have ever read. Chimamanda's ability to draw you into each of the characters in such a small space of time is phenomenal. The short stories are focused upon Nigerian life, but many of them are based in other countries. The balance between tragedy and happiness is perfect, leading to a book which does not dwell on hardship, but shows vivid glimpses of it, making the messages come across far more powerfully than continual horrific scenes.

Each story is unique, and although they all contain Nigerian characters, none have the same atmosphere or feel like repetitions of the same idea. The book is very easy to read, and is the perfect introduction to her writing style, as Half of a Yellow Sun, although amazing, is very long.

The only flaw in this book is that I was left yearning to know more about each character. I could easily have read whole novels based on each short story, in fact I'd be happy to read a book written by her once a month for the rest of my life! Sorry for gushing, but talent like this needs to be read by everyone!

Highly recommended to everyone!!
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars You Tease... 16 July 2009
By C. CAMPBELL VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
My idea of a perfect short story is a tale of about 25 pages that doesn't attempt to resolve or explain everything in that space, but instead leaves the reader wanting to read the finished novel - should it ever be written!

When it's done well, a collection of these stories would potentially leave you demanding that the author write full novels for each of them, just so you can see how it ends up. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie can expect to see my letter in the post, because I want to read the completed stories for all of her tales collected here.

Essentially, she's being a big tease!

The writing style is fluid and not wasteful of language, and although some of the themes are similar (well read Nigerians ending up at the bottom of the ladder when they get to America), the characters are distinct enough, and their stories are also different enough. Absolutely perfect to dip in and out of, or even better to sit and read in one hit. Recommended!
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Africa meets America 24 Mar 2009
By K. Wright VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
After reading and enjoying Adichie's debut "Purple Hibiscus" and the follow up "Half of a Yellow Sun," I was eagerly anticipating this collection of twelve short stories from the Nigerian author and it doesn't disappoint.

"The Thing Around Your Neck" is similar to her previous work in that the stories focus on Nigerian culture and issues, however I found the stories easier to read. I think this is perhaps because they had a more contemporary and somewhat Westernised feel compared to her 2 novels set in the 60's. Many of the short stories are also influenced by the time Adichie now spends in America.

I would recommend Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and all her works highly and look forward to reading more from her in the future.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written
Emotional and touching short stories that moved me with every single word. Ngozi Adiche knows how to put a sentance together and make every word count as well as highlight a the... Read more
Published 5 days ago by B. Anthony
3.0 out of 5 stars The thing around your neck
Well written, at times a hard read but as it is a compilation of short stories it's a book you can read in bits. Worth buying
Published 16 days ago by duncan
4.0 out of 5 stars Heart wrenching and real
There is some really beautiful writing. Each story really pulls you in, and captures a moment in people's lives. Read more
Published 1 month ago by E. Davies
5.0 out of 5 stars Super
I thoroughly enjoyed these short stories - some more than others, but none disappointed as they were all so well written with fantastic character observations.
Published 2 months ago by Elizabeth
5.0 out of 5 stars A vivid story of great contrasts.
I loved this story because I have lived in all the locations. But more than that I thought the characters were wonderful. They walked straight off the page into my mind. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mrs J Booty
5.0 out of 5 stars A truly great read by a consummate writer
This is storytelling at its very best. I will be keeping this collection near to me for re reading probably again and again. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Emily
4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good Book
Can recommend this to book it is an excellent read, I think it is something I will be able to read over and over again.
Published 5 months ago by ian
5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!
As with all Chimamanda books, this is great and read it like 4 times already. Looking forward to her next book
Published 5 months ago by Funke
5.0 out of 5 stars Great writing and a real eye-opener
This collection of short stories are each intense, emotional and challenging. They all involve Nigerians; most of the stories take place in Nigeria - with some in the United... Read more
Published 5 months ago by N. Gratton
1.0 out of 5 stars Bought but unable to read
I bought this book and downloaded but have not been able to read it. When I click on it on my kindle, I get a message that' Invalid item - please remove the item from your device... Read more
Published 7 months ago by DayT
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