Namwali serpell is a zambian writer who lives and teaches in the united states. Unintended pleasures, reads the face not as a locus of subjectivity, but instead as a mediated and mediating thing. I am leaning toward a prediction that namwali serpell will be the winner of this years caine prize for a number of reasons. Serpell s vision has made the old drift among the most buzzedabout books of the year. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the old drift. Stranger faces by namwali serpell overdrive rakuten. Stranger faces imagines a new ethics based on the perverse pleasures we take in the very mutability of faces.
Written by namwali serpell, audiobook narrated by adjoa andoh, richard e. One of the characters, and i dont want to give away who or what it is, but one of the charactersi guess you can call it a characterin the book that is my favorite is the. Serpell is not only wellinformed about the relevant scholarship, but she also treats it with impressive intelligence as she carves out her own fresh and appealing approach to narrative ethics. Namwali serpell is a prolific writer of contemporary, historical fiction, and science fiction stories hailing from zambia. Jul 07, 2015 namwali serpell has become the first zambian writer to win the prestigious caine prize for african writing, for a short story described as truly luminous by judges the.
Namwali serpell, zambias first caine prize winner africa 39. Apr 30, 2014 seven modes of uncertainty makes major contributions to our understanding of the ethics of the novel and of the eight novels it analyzes. Zambias namwali serpell is 2020 windham campbell literature. Caine prize goes to zambian namwali serpell books the. Stranger faces by namwali serpell fantastic fiction. San francisco chronicle in this wonderfully chaotic epic, namwali serpell invites us into an indelible world thats part history, part scifi, totally political, and often as heartbreaking as it is weirdly hilarious. About the old drift a dazzling debut, establishing namwali serpell as a writer on the world stage. She received a rona jaffe foundation writers award in 2011 and was selected for the africa 39 in 2014.
The 2020 recipients of the only national juried prize for literature that confronts racism and explores diversity are. Namwali serpell the caine prize for african writing. Jul 10, 2015 namwali serpell was born in zambia, spent her childhood and teenage years there and in the us, and is currently an associate professor in the english department at the university of california. On the banks of the zambezi river, a few miles from the majestic victoria falls, there was once a colonial settlement called the old drift. Namwali serpell townsend center for the humanities. Namwali serpell photo by yanina gotsulsky namwali serpell is a zambian writer who teaches at the university of california, berkeley.
The twoway namwali serpell promised to split the awards winnings with her fellow nominees. She won the 2015 caine prize for african writing for her story, the sack. We met at serpells coworking space, the ruby, in san francisco, and sat outside on the patio on a gloriously sunny afternoon in early may to discuss unintentional feminism, scifi dreams, the crisis of irony, and blo. Namwali serpell is windhamcampbell prize 2020 recipient. Namwali serpell announces 26 dates for the old drift book. On her website, serpell details some of her subjects. Namwali serpells forthcoming essay collection, stranger. Her nonfiction book of essays, stranger faces, will publish in september 2020. Namwali serpell s the sack by lilly kroll on 18 june, 2015 9. She was also educated in the usa, moving there with her family when she was nine.
An associate professor of english at the university of california, berkeley, serpell is also the author of a book of literary criticism, seven modes of uncertainty 2014, as well as the forthcoming essay collection stranger faces 2020. Namwali serpell was announced a recipient of the windhamcampbell prize 2020, alongside seven other writers, on thursday, march 19, 2020. Namwali serpell penguin random house speakers bureau. Namwali serpells forthcoming essay collection, stranger faces. Serpell is currently working on a book of essays, losing face, and a novel, the furrows. Namwali serpell s vibrant, intellectually rich debut novel, the old drift, is in keeping with that tradition, and like any good nationhoovering novel, it too refuses to conform to. Mar 21, 2020 namwali serpell has been awarded one of the worlds richest literary prizes. In her old drift novel, namwali serpell reimagines the transmission of modern history through the commingled lives of her zambian characters, writing unerringly sure prose and reenchanting the contemporary novel in the process.
Namwali serpell is the 2015 caine prize winner for her short story, the sack, and an associate professor of english at university of california, berkeley, where she researches the relationship between aesthetic reception, affect, and ethics in contemporary fiction and film. Namwali serpell is one of the smartest people i know. I was watching bandersnatch, the newest episode of the dystopian tv show black mirror. For this installment, namwali serpell recommended evas man by gayl jones. Jul 08, 2015 namwali serpell, an associate professor of english in the university of california, berkeley, won the. She received a rona jaffe foundation writers award for women writers in 2011 and was selected for the africa 39, a 2014 hay festival project to identify the best african writers under 40. Im absolutely thrilled to receive this award and honored to join the company of these esteemed writers. Serpell is currently working on a book of essays, losing face, and a. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. I do have in mind that the next book will be cleaner, more streamlined and slim. The novelist looks back on the two decades it took to write her shapeshifting debut, the old drift, which takes in a. Stranger faces by namwali serpell book cover, description, publication history. Mar 19, 2020 an associate professor of english at the university of california, berkeley, serpell is also the author of a book of literary criticism, seven modes of uncertainty 2014, as well as the forthcoming essay collection stranger faces 2020. A dazzling debut, establishing namwali serpell as a writer on the world stage.
She received a rona jaffe foundation writers award in 2011. My first novel, the old drift hogarth was published in 2019. In a collection of speculative essays on a few such stranger facesthe disabled face, the racially ambiguous face, the digital face, the face of the deadnamwali serpell probes our contemporary mythology of the face. Her first novel, the old drift, was published last year. The feeling in you that this message sets off only settles in when youve closed the book of faces, closed the book of mac, and lain down on your bed, your foot propelling wildly against the frame, then slowing until its rhythm matches the lightningbug pulse from your.
Namwali serpell s audacious first novel, the old drift, is narrated in small part by a. My first book of literary criticism is entitled seven modes of uncertainty harvard, 2014. An experienced speaker, serpell illuminates the particulars of the craft of writing while addressing the ways she is influenced by history, literature, and culture. Zambian author namwali serpell has been awarded one of the worlds most lucrative literary awards yales windham campbell prizes 2020. The old drift won a 2020 windhamcampbell prize for literature in fiction and the 2020 anisfieldwolf book award for fiction. It first appeared in the africa39 anthology, a 2014 hay festival project to identify the best african writers under 40. For this series, i ask writers i admire to recommend a book. Namwali serpell s debut novel, the old drift, asks a lot of big questions about zambia but also more generally about the history of the postcolonial world.
She is one of eight recipients of the annual prize. Stranger faces by namwali serpell probes the contemporary mythology of the face. Namwali serpell is an associate professor of english at uc berkeley. Reading her work, talking to her, the force of her intelligence is profound, as is her generosity of spirit. Mar 27, 2019 namwali serpell has announced a number book events in the us, the uk, germany, and zambia. Namwali serpell was born in 1980 in lusaka, zambia, to robert serpell and his wife. Eric foner, lifetime achievement ilya kaminsky, deaf republic, poetry charles king, gods of the upper air, nonfiction namwali serpell, the old drift, fiction the new anisfield. San francisco author namwali serpell started writing the old drift at yale in 2000. Her debut novel, old drift, was published on march 26, and the buzz around the book is gaining some serious momentum. Namwali serpell was born in zambia, spent her childhood and teenage years there and in the us, and is currently an associate professor in the english department at the university of california. The novelist looks back on the two decades it took to write her shapeshifting debut, the old drift, which takes in a long century of zambian history. Her story the sack won the 2015 caine prize for african writing. Serpell is one of the eight recipients of the annual.
Aug 21, 2017 chimamanda ngozi adichie and trevor noah at the pen world voices festival, may 3, 2017. When she was nine, her family moved to baltimore, maryland, in the united states. She received a rona jaffe foundation writers award for women writers in 2011 and was selected for the africa39, a 2014 hay festival project to. Harvard book store, grubstreet, and the hutchins center for african and african american research at harvard university welcome acclaimed writer and uc berkeley professor namwali serpell for a discussion of her debut novel, the old drift. Namwali serpell is a zambian writer and associate professor of english at the university of california at berkeley. Her first published story, muzungu, was selected for the best american short stories 2009 and shortlisted for the 2010 caine prize for african writing. Back then, when serpell was an undergrad at yale, the book s conceit was simply about three families whose fates intertwine over generations. Namwali serpell lannan center for poetics and social. This week on reading women, autumn and kendra talk with namwali serpell about her new book the old drift, which is out now from hogarth books.
Noah disagreed, suggesting that his south african upbringinggrowing up among many ethnic groups and with translation as a fact of lifemakes glossing seem pragmatic to him. Serpell lives in the mission neighborhood of san francisco but returns to zambia frequently. She won the 2015 caine prize for african writing and a 2020 windham campbell prize for fiction. Namwali serpell has been awarded one of the worlds richest literary prizes. Namwali serpell is a zambian writer and associate professor of english at the university of california, berkeley. Stranger faces is part of the undelivered lectures series from transit books. Namwali serpell audio books, best sellers, author bio. Scifi offers the best example of that distinctively 21stcentury blend of affect. The cleveland foundation today unveiled the winners of its 85th annual anisfieldwolf book awards. Namwali serpell is a zambian writer who teaches at the university of california, berkeley. Texas pool party was published as part of triple canopys immaterial literature project area, which receives support from the andy warhol foundation for the visual arts, the brown foundation, inc.
She is currently under contract for another book exploring her lovehate relationship with the novel american psycho. Namwali serpell on her new novel, the old drift literary hub. Namwali serpells the sack blogging the caine prize. Carla namwali serpell born 1980 is a zambian writer who teaches in the united states. Transit books transit introduces undelivered lectures. In a collection of speculative essays on a few such stranger faces the disabled face, the racially ambiguous face, the digital face, the face of the dead namwali serpell probes our contemporary mythology of the face. New writing from africa south of the sahara anthology. Namwali serpell just shrugs when asked to explain why her debut novel, the. Her short story the sack 2015 won the caine prize in african fiction, and her first novel, the old drift, was published to global acclaim. Namwali serpell is a zambian writer who teaches at uc berkeley. Namwali serpell, writer and associate professor brief but. Her short story the sack won the 2015 caine prize for african fiction in english. Namwali serpells story the book of faces grapples with both the language and experience of social media. The face underlies our ideas about what constitutes a human, how we relate emotionally, what is pleasing to the eye, and how we ought to treat each other.
The feeling in you that this message sets off only settles in when youve closed the book of faces, closed the book of mac, and lain down on your bed, your foot propelling wildly against the frame, then slowing until its rhythm matches the lightningbug pulse from your laptop, the glowing blue beat of its life without you. Jun 21, 2019 namwali serpella zambiaborn writer and associate professor of english at uc berkeleymade a literary splash this year with the publication of her first novel, the old drift. Namwali serpell if evolutionary biologists, ethical philosophers, and social media gurus are to be believed, the face is the basis for what we call humanity. Namwali released her debut novel, the old drift in 2019. Namwali serpell is a zambian writer and literary scholar living in san francisco. Lily meyer interviews namwali serpell about her debut novel, the other drift. My book of essays, stranger faces, is forthcoming with transit press and i am working on a hybrid nonfictionautofiction book about american psycho. The sack in africa39 bloomsbury, london, 2014 namwali serpell was born in zambia in 1980. Namwali serpell is a writer, professor, and critic from zambia whose literary debut, the old drift, is one of the most highlyanticipated releases of 2019. The windhamcampbell prize was established with a gift from the late donald windham in memory of his partner of 40 years, sandy m. Called extraordinary by salman rushdie, dazzling by the new york times, and compared to works by tolstoy and virgil, the old drift is an epic achievement by one of the most original voices writing today. Sf author namwali serpells old drift a debut novel. Her first novel, the old drift, comes out next year, but, here, she.
Namwali serpells the sack by lilly kroll on 18 june, 2015 9 i am leaning toward a prediction that namwali serpell will be the winner of this years caine prize for a number of reasons. The zambianamerican writer is fast becoming the toast of the literary world. The face is considered the source of identity, truth, beauty, authenticity, and empathy. Serpell made her debut in the literary world with her 2015 short story called the sack, which won her the caine prize in african fiction. Namwali serpell is a zambian writer who teaches at uc, berkeley. Five questions for namwali serpell diablo magazine july. Namwali serpell is a writer and critic who currently teaches at uc berkeley, where she is an associate professor of english. Namwali serpell is a zambianborn writer and associate professor of english at the university of california, berkeley. Namwali serpell was born in zambia and lives in san francisco. Her britishzambian father is a professor of psychology at the university of zambia, and her mother is an economist. March 26, 2019 the past, present, and future of an african nation is filtered with humane wit, vibrant rhetoric, and relentless ingenuity through the interweaving sagas of three very different families. The episode cleverly imitates the form of a chooseyourownadventure book. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. In the hallucinatory story, two men and a boy are haunted and trapped by the memory of a woman.
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