TAIYE SELASI was born in London and raised in Massachusetts. She holds a B.A. in American studies from Yale and an M.Phil. in international relations from Oxford. The Sex Lives of African Girls (Granta, 2011), Selasi s fiction debut, will appear in "Best American Short Stories 2012." She lives in Rome."
Nell Freudenberger, "The New York Times Book Review"
"Selasi s ambition to show her readers not "Africa" but one African
family, authors of their own achievements and failures is one that
can be applauded no matter what accent you give the word."
"The Wall Street Journal"
Irresistible from the first line 'Kweku dies barefoot on a Sunday
before sunrise, his slippers by the doorway to the bedroom like
dogs' this bright, rhapsodic debut stood out in the thriving field
of fiction about the African diaspora.
The Economist:
""Ghana Must Go" comes with a bagload of prepublication praise. For
once, the brouhaha is well deserved. Ms. Selasi has an eye for the
perfect detail: a baby's toenails 'like dewdrops', a woman sleeps
'like a cocoyam. A thing without senses... unplugged from the
world.' As a writer she has a keen sense of the baggage of
childhood pain and an unforgettable voice on the page. Miss out on
"Ghana Must Go" and you will miss one of the best new novels of the
season."
"The Wall Street Journal"
"Buoyant... a joy... Rapturous."
Entertainment Weekly:
"[Selasi] writes elegantly about the ways people grow apart
husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, parents and kids."
"Elle" magazine:
"In "Ghana Must Go," Selasi drives the six characters skillfully
through past and present, unearthing old betrayals and unexplained
grievances at a delicious pace. By the time the surviving five
convene at a funeral in Ghana, we are invested in their
reconciliation which is both realistically shaky and dramatically
satisfying Narrative gold."
The Daily Beast:
"Selasi s prose is a rewarding mix of soulful conjuring and
intelligent introspection, and points to a bright future."
Booklist:
"Powerful... A finely crafted yarn that seamlessly weaves the past
and present, Selasi s moving debut expertly limns the way the bonds
of family endure even when they are tested and strained."
Publishers Weekly(starred review):
"Gorgeous. Reminiscent of Jhumpa Lahiri but with even greater
warmth and vibrancy, Selasi s novel, driven by her eloquent prose,
tells the powerful story of a family discovering that what once
held them together could make them whole again."
Elizabeth Gilbert, author ofEat, Pray, Love
"Taiye Selasi is a young writer of staggering gifts and
extraordinary sensitivity. "Ghana Must Go "seems to contain the
entire world, and I shall never forget it.
Sapphire, author ofThe KidandPush:
"Taiye Selasi is a totally new and near perfect voice that spans
continents and social strata as effortlessly as the insertion of an
ellipsis or a dash. With mesmerizing craftsmanship and massive
imagination she takes the reader on an unforgettable journey across
continents and most importantly deeply into the lives of the people
whom she writes about. She de-'exoticizes' whole populations and
demographics and brings them firmly into the readers view as
complicated and complex human beings. Taiye Selasi's "Ghana Must
Go" is a big novel, elemental, meditative, and mesmerizing; and
when one adds the words 'first novel, ' we speak about the
beginning of an amazing career and a very promising life in
letters."
Teju Cole, author ofOpen City:
""Ghana Must Go" is both a fast moving story of one family's
fortunes and an ecstatic exploration of the inner lives of its
members. With her perfectly-pitched prose and flawless technique,
Selasi does more than merely renew our sense of the African novel:
she renews our sense of the novel, period. An astonishing
debut."
""Ghana Must Go" comes with a bagload of prepublication praise. For
once, the brouhaha is well deserved. Ms. Selasi has an eye for the
perfect detail: a baby's toenails 'like dewdrops', a woman sleeps
'like a cocoyam. A thing without senses... unplugged from the
world.' As a writer she has a keen sense of the baggage of
childhood pain and an unforgettable voice on the page. Miss out on
"Ghana Must Go" and you will miss one of the best new novels of the
season."
--"The Economist"
"Buoyant... a joy... Rapturous."
--"The Wall Street Journal"
"[Selasi] writes elegantly about the ways people grow apart --
husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, parents and kids."
--"Entertainment Weekly"
Advance Praise for "Ghana Must Go: "
"Powerful... A finely crafted yarn that seamlessly weaves the past
and present, Selasi's moving debut expertly limns the way the bonds
of family endure even when they are tested and strained."
--"Booklist"
"Gorgeous. Reminiscent of Jhumpa Lahiri but with even greater
warmth and vibrancy, Selasi's novel, driven by her eloquent prose,
tells the powerful story of a family discovering that what once
held them together could make them whole again."
--"Publishers Weekly "(starred review)
"Taiye Selasi is a young writer of staggering gifts and
extraordinary sensitivity. "Ghana Must Go "seems to contain the
entire world, and I shall never forget it."
--Elizabeth Gilbert, author of "Eat, Pray, Love"
"Taiye Selasi is a totally new and near perfect voice that spans
continents and social strata as effortlessly as the insertion of an
ellipsis or a dash. With mesmerizing craftsmanship and massive
imagination she takes the reader on an unforgettable journey across
continents and most importantly deeply into the lives of the people
whom she writes about. She de-'exoticizes' whole populations and
demographics and brings them firmly into the readers view as
complicated and complex human bei
"Buoyant... a joy.... Rapturous."
--"The Wall Street Journal"
"[Selasi] writes elegantly about the ways people grow apart --
husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, parents and kids."
--"Entertainment Weekly"
Advance Praise for "Ghana Must Go: "
"Powerful... A finely crafted yarn that seamlessly weaves the past
and present, Selasi's moving debut expertly limns the way the bonds
of family endure even when they are tested and strained."
--"Booklist"
"Gorgeous. Reminiscent of Jhumpa Lahiri but with even greater
warmth and vibrancy, Selasi's novel, driven by her eloquent prose,
tells the powerful story of a family discovering that what once
held them together could make them whole again."
--"Publishers Weekly "(starred review)
"Taiye Selasi is a young writer of staggering gifts and
extraordinary sensitivity. "Ghana Must Go "seems to contain the
entire world, and I shall never forget it."
--Elizabeth Gilbert, author of "Eat, Pray, Love"
"Taiye Selasi is a totally new and near perfect voice that spans
continents and social strata as effortlessly as the insertion of an
ellipsis or a dash. With mesmerizing craftsmanship and massive
imagination she takes the reader on an unforgettable journey across
continents and most importantly deeply into the lives of the people
whom she writes about. She de-'exoticizes' whole populations and
demographics and brings them firmly into the readers view as
complicated and complex human beings. Taiye Selasi's "Ghana Must
Go" is a big novel, elemental, meditative, and mesmerizing; and
when one adds the words 'first novel, ' we speak about the
beginning of an amazing career and a very promising life in
letters."
-- Sapphire, author of "The Kid "and "Push"
""Ghana Must Go" is both a fast moving story of one family's
fortunes and an ecstatic exploration of the inner lives of its
members. With her perfectly-pitched prose and flawless technique,
Selasi does more than m
Advance Praise for "Ghana Must Go: "
"Powerful... A finely crafted yarn that seamlessly weaves the past
and present, Selasi's moving debut expertly limns the way the bonds
of family endure even when they are tested and strained."
--"Booklist"
"Gorgeous. Reminiscent of Jhumpa Lahiri but with even greater
warmth and vibrancy, Selasi's novel, driven by her eloquent prose,
tells the powerful story of a family discovering that what once
held them together could make them whole again."
--"Publishers Weekly "(starred review)
"Taiye Selasi is a young writer of staggering gifts and
extraordinary sensitivity. "Ghana Must Go "seems to contain the
entire world, and I shall never forget it."
--Elizabeth Gilbert, author of "Eat, Pray, Love"
"Taiye Selasi is a totally new and near perfect voice that spans
continents and social strata as effortlessly as the insertion of an
ellipsis or a dash. With mesmerizing craftsmanship and massive
imagination she takes the reader on an unforgettable journey across
continents and most importantly deeply into the lives of the people
whom she writes about. She de-'exoticizes' whole populations and
demographics and brings them firmly into the readers view as
complicated and complex human beings. Taiye Selasi's "Ghana Must
Go" is a big novel, elemental, meditative, and mesmerizing; and
when one adds the words 'first novel, ' we speak about the
beginning of an amazing career and a very promising life in
letters."
-- Sapphire, author of "The Kid "and "Push"
""Ghana Must Go" is both a fast moving story of one family's
fortunes and an ecstatic exploration of the inner lives of its
members. With her perfectly-pitched prose and flawless technique,
Selasi does more than merely renew our sense of the African novel:
she renews our sense of the novel, period. An astonishing
debut."
--Teju Cole, author of "Open City"
"Taiye Selasi is a young writer of staggering gifts and
extraordinary sensitivity. "Ghana Must Go "seems to contain the
entire world, and I shall never forget it."
--Elizabeth Gilbert, author of "Eat, Pray, Love"
"Taiye Selasi is a totally new and near perfect voice that spans
continents and social strata as effortlessly as the insertion of an
ellipsis or a dash. With mesmerizing craftsmanship and massive
imagination she takes the reader on an unforgettable journey across
continents and most importantly deeply into the lives of the people
whom she writes about. She de-"exoticizes" whole populations and
demographics and brings them firmly into the readers view as
complicated and complex human beings.
Taiye Selasi's "Ghana Must Go" is a big novel, elemental,
meditative, and mesmerizing; and when one adds the words "first
novel," we speak about the beginning of an amazing career and a
very promising life in letters."
-- Sapphire, author of "The Kid "and "Push"
""Ghana Must Go" is both a fast moving story of one family's
fortunes and an ecstatic exploration of the inner lives of its
members. With her perfectly-pitched prose and flawless technique,
Selasi does more than merely renew our sense of the African novel:
she renews our sense of the novel, period. An astonishing
debut."
--Teju Cole, author of "Open City"
"Taiye Selasi is a totally new and near perfect voice that spans
continents and social stratum as effortlessly as the insertion of
an ellipsis or a dash. With mesmerizing craftsmanship and massive
imagination she takes the reader on an unforgettable journey across
continents and most importantly deeply into the lives of the people
whom she writes about. She de-'exoticizes' whole populations and
demographics and brings them firmly into the readers view as
complicated and complex human beings. Taiye Selasi's "Ghana Must Go
"is a big novel, elemental, meditative, and mesmerizing; and when
one adds the words 'first novel, ' we speak about the beginning of
an amazing career and a very promising life in letters."
--Sapphire, author of "Push" and "The Kid"
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