Aminatta forna is a writer of phenomenal talent, with a clear eye, a fearless voice, and an extraordinary range laila lalami, author of the moors account. Jul 20, 2017 aminatta fornas works explore the historical, cultural, and emotional repercussions of societies that have experienced conflict. Aminatta forna, author info, published books, bio, photo. Aminatta forna discusses her new book the memory of love bbc. Forna has often focused in her novels on conflict and suffering, the impact of war and posttraumatic stress. Something else, something with a power that endures. She was just 11 when her father was hanged for treason in sierra leone and. Saffia, the woman he loved, and julius, her charismatic, unpredictable husband.
Aminatta forna, conversation, 11 november 2015 youtube. The memory of love, by aminatta forna the independent. The luminous new novel from acclaimed writer aminatta forna, author of ancestor stones and the devil that danced on the water. Official page for awardwinning ukbased writer aminatta forna, author of three novelsthe hired man, the memory of love, and ancestor stonesand. She is currently lannan visiting chair of poetics at georgetown university and professor. In 1975, when aminatta was 11, he was hanged for treason. Late in aminatta formas long novel, the memory of love 2010 a british psychologist, adrian lockheart, reflects on his extended series of meetings with a dying political scientist, elias cole.
Attila asare, a ghanaian psychiatrist who specializes in the treatment of posttraumatic. Aminatta forna is a writer and currently the visiting chair of poetics at georgetown universitys lannan center. Aminatta forna and cynthia jele win the 2011 commonwealth. The memory of love looks hard at the scars that civil wars leaves behind. An interviewer from the daily telegraph once described aminatta fornas writing as manly by which he meant both that she writes male characters convincingly, and also that she addresses ambitious themes womanly writing presumably pertaining to gossip and shopping. She is currently the lannan visiting chair of poetics at georgetown university. Just send us an email and well put the best up on the site.
Aminatta forna was born in scotland, raised in sierra leone and britain, and spent periods of her childhood in iran, thailand, and zambia. Happiness by aminatta forna march 16, grove atlantic. The memory of love by aminatta forna months maybe longer have passed since i finished aminatta forna s third and latest title, exquisitely narrated by british actor kobna holdbrooksmith. The memory of love this page intentionally left blank the memory of love surdas sings to. Aminatta fornas father was from sierra leone, her mother from scotland. Emotional unbelonging in aminatta fornas the memory of love. Never having read anything by aminatta forna before, i downloaded the memory of love based on its many 5star ratings and because the subject intrigued me. She is the author of the memory of love, ancestor stones, the devil that danced on the water, and the memory of love, which has been selected as one of the best books of the year by the sunday telegraph, financial times and times. Adrian lockheart is a psychologist escaping his life in england. In 2002 forna helped to build a primary school in her familys village of rogbonko.
Aminatta forna was born in glasgow and raised in sierra leone and the united kingdom. She is the author of a memoir, the devil that danced on the water, and four novels. This premise alone might have been enough to sustain a book called the memory of love, an ambitious new novel by aminatta forna. This ambitious novel, set in sierra leone, examines the lives of three men as they face the lingering consequences of civil war. The distraction causes two pedestrians to collidejean, an american studying the habits of urban foxes, and attila, a ghanaian psychiatrist there to deliver a keynote speech. Her published works include the devil that danced on the water 2002, a memoir of her dissident father and her country, ancestor stones 2006, a novel set in west africa, the memory of love 2010, the hired man 20 and the angel of mexico city 2014.
She is currently lannan visiting chair of poetics at georgetown university and professor of. Good morning to you, its such a pleasure to have you here. Aminatta forna joined in conversation with laila lalami. She is professor of creative writing at bath spa university and in 20 held the post of sterling brown. Aminatta fornas works explore the historical, cultural, and emotional repercussions of societies that have experienced conflict.
Forna questions why western novelists dont write books with political themes and why are they, as african. Shes joined on the africa region rostrum by best book winner aminatta forna. The memory of love is a heartbreaking story of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Apr 17, 2010 r eading aminatta forna s second novel, the memory of love, i found myself returning again and again to an assignment that took me to freetown, sierra leone in 2002. My father, executed for treason london evening standard. Nov 14, 2015 aminatta forna joined in conversation with laila lalami. Aminatta forna discusses her new book the memory of love the memory of love is the latest novel of sierra leonean and scottish writer aminatta forna, she visited bush house studios for a. Aug 01, 2012 the memory of love by aminatta forna months maybe longer have passed since i finished aminatta forna s third and latest title, exquisitely narrated by british actor kobna holdbrooksmith. Published in 2010 to great critical acclaim, aminatta forna s novel the memory of love examines how survivors of the sierra leone civil war cope with the physical and psychological scars of. My father, executed for treason monday may 2002 00. Mar 07, 2011 the memory of love is not solely political as many african novels are expected to be. She was born in glasgow and brought up in sierra leone.
She is the awardwinning author of the novels the hired man, the memory of love, and ancestor stones, and a memoir, the devil that danced on the water. The issue of race, or colour, is an integral part of this story, but forna does not labour the point. Browse aminatta fornas bestselling audiobooks and newest titles. Mar 29, 2018 aminatta forna is particularly adept at writing the politics of life, as demonstrated in her memoir, the devil that danced on the water, and novels ancestor stones, the memory of love and the. The memory of love by aminatta forna is in the orange prize 2011. R eading aminatta fornas second novel, the memory of love, i found myself returning again and again to an assignment that took me to freetown, sierra leone in 2002. R eading aminatta forna s second novel, the memory of love, i found myself returning again and again to an assignment that took me to freetown, sierra leone in 2002. The memory of love is a 2010 novel by aminatta forna about the experiences of three men in sierra leone. May 18, 2010 aminatta forna discusses her new book the memory of love the memory of love is the latest novel of sierra leonean and scottish writer aminatta forna, she visited bush house studios for a chat with. Aminatta forna is particularly adept at writing the politics of life, as demonstrated in her memoir, the devil that danced on the water, and novels ancestor stones, the memory of. An african city, where a dying man elias cole, reflects on a past obsession. The memory of love by aminatta forna the agony of choice sierra leone in recovery from a traumatic civil war is the backdrop to a compelling story. Her first three books the devil that danced on the water 2002, ancestor stones 2006, and the memory of love 2010 are set in sierra leone.
Discover more authors youll love listening to on audible. Aminatta forna was born in scotland, but her family moved to sierra leone when she was six months old. On the ironframed bed a single, scant sheet has moulded itself into the form of the human beneath. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Aminatta forna, obe born 1964 is a scottish and sierra leonean writer. We are delighted to bring you chapter one of the memory of love by aminatta forna, courtesy the orange prize for fiction for which the book was recently shortlisted. Larson, counter punch online the memory of love is a beautifully crafted tale of life in sierra leone in the aftermath of the civil war. The memory of love was also awarded the 2011 commonwealth writers prize for best book africa region. Aminatta forna was born in glasgow, raised in sierra leone and the united kingdom and now divides her time between london and sierra leone. Her father, mohamed forna, was a physician who became involved in politics. Ancestor stones 2006, the memory of love 2010, the hired man 20 and happiness 2018. Like when he is away from her, he tries to conjure up her face. This ambitious novel, set in sierra leone, examines. Those first 10 years of her life, and the last 10 of his, are the subject of this remarkable book, in which aminatta forna, now a.
The memory of love, a novel winner of the commonwealth writers prize best book award 2011. Aminatta forna was born in glasgow, raised in sierra leone and the united kingdom and now divides her time between london and sierra leone her published works include the devil that danced on the water, a memoir of her dissident father and her country, ancestor stones, a novel set in west africa, the memory of love, the hired man and the angel of mexico city. See all books authored by aminatta forna, including the memory of love, and the hired man, and more on. Aminatta forna books list of books by author aminatta forna. Aminatta forna, conversation, 11 november 2015 lannan foundation. The memory of love, by aminatta forna atlantic monthly press. Ancestor stones is a 2006 novel by aminatta forna about the experiences of four women in a polygamous family in west africa. But via the figures of local doctor kai and the elderly, haunted elias, fornas subtle narrative branches out in new directions as the enigmas of love and of memory complicate both plot. The results of that risktaking are, however, mixed. Aminatta forna is the author of the novels ancestor stones, the memory of love, and the hired man, as well as the memoir the devil that danced on the water.
He was imprisoned between 1970 and 1973 and declared an amnesty prisoner of conscience. Aminatta forna official website the memory of love, a. When they are together he watches, learning her features, her gestures. A deeply moving novel about love, trauma and the ties that bind us together. Attila asare, a ghanaian psychiatrist who specializes in. A minatta fornas brilliant new novel takes an oblique look at the sierra leonean civil war of the 1990s. In happiness, her fifth book and fourth novel, aminatta forna considers a distinguished man whos witnessed and endured incredible suffering and emerged without much time for such irony or. I just wish this compelling and moving story had been told in fewer pages. I have never read anything by aminatta forna but i would definitely do so again.
Aminatta forna expertly weaves her characters stories, past and present, in and out of the larger story of london, which becomes as rich a character as the human beings and, indeed, the foxes. Aminatta forna celebrity profile check out the latest aminatta forna photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. Book sa member cynthia jele has won the 2011 commonwealth writers prize for the best first book africa region, for her novel, happiness is a fourletter word. She had a beautiful way of writing and her story wove together an intricate tapestry of betrayal, tragedy and loss.
The memory of love is not solely political as many african novels are expected to be. Aminatta forna, the author of this amazing novel, in 2015 wrote an article for literary hub titled where are the wests political novelists. Arriving in freetown in the wake of civil war, he struggles with the heat. July 2, 2007 in a novel, aminatta forna writes about the effects of sierra leones civil war on the countrys women. Aminatta forna, obe geboren im 1964 in glasgow, schottland ist eine britische. Reading aminatta fornas second novel, the memory of love, i found myself returning again and again to an assignment that took me to. Whilst enjoying the lyrical prose style i found the first 30% frustratingly slow, and very nearly gave up. Join writer and broadcaster, aminatta forna, as we explore how memory, love, identity and landscape interweave in her latest novel, the memory of love, and her other aminatta forna on vimeo join. Aminatta forna audio books, best sellers, author bio.
Her essays have appeared in granta, the guardian, the observer, and vogue. When a young immigrant vanishes in london, can a wildlife. Fornas books have been translated into sixteen languages. Deeply troubled near the end of his life, cole has been meeting with lockheart as a form of expiation for feelings of loss and feelings of guilt.
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