What a stranger told Chimamanda Adichie that left her in tears
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In an interview on Arise TV, the 47-year-old writer shared how thousands of readers worldwide pay to attend her literary events, an experience she still finds surreal.
Renowned Nigerian author and feminist icon Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has revealed that her book events consistently sell out within 24 hours, leaving her both stunned and deeply moved by the global impact of her work.
In an interview on Arise TV, the 47-year-old writer shared how thousands of readers worldwide pay to attend her literary events, an experienceWhat a stranger told Chimamanda Adichie that left her in tearsstill finds surreal.
“I have never lost my sense of wonder. It is not false modesty. It is true that I go through these things and I’m just shocked that the events are sold out in 24 hours,” Adichie said. “There are 1,000 people there to see me — they bloody paid money to see me.”
The author of popular novels such as Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah expressed her gratitude for the deep emotional connection many readers feel toward her writing.
She recounted how people from vastly different backgrounds often tell her how her stories reflect their own lives.
“That is always lovely — to just see the kind of connection that people make to my work,” she added. “I am also very moved by the idea of human connection.”
Adichie became visibly emotional when recalling a particular moment during a tour stop in Copenhagen, Denmark.
“The most moving, that actually brought me to tears, was a woman in Copenhagen. She just looked at me and said, ‘You make me feel stronger.’”
Chimamanda Adichie has earned international recognition over the years, including being the first Nigerian recipient of the United Nations Foundation’s Global Leadership Award in 2019.
She has also been named one of the New African’s 100 Most Influential Africans, featured in the New Yorker’s ’20 Under 40′, and included in Time Magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People’ list.
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