Americanah

Acknowledgments

My deep gratitude to my family, who read drafts, told me stories, said “jisie ike” just when I needed to hear it, honored my need for space and time, and never wavered in that strange and beautiful faith born of love: James and Grace Adichie, Ivara Esege, Ijeoma Maduka, Uche Sonny-Eduputa, Chuks Adichie, Obi Maduka, Sonny Eduputa, Tinuke Adichie, Kene Adichie, Okey Adichie, Nneka Adichie Okeke, Oge Ikemelu, and Uju Egonu.

Three lovely people gave so much of their time and wisdom to this book: Ike Anya, oyi di ka nwanne; Louis Edozien; and Chinakueze Onyemelukwe.

For their intelligence and their remarkable generosity in reading the manuscript, sometimes more than once, and letting me see my characters through their eyes, and telling me what worked and what didn’t, I am grateful to these dear friends: Aslak Sira Myhre, Binyavanga Wainaina, Chioma Okolie, Dave Eggers, Muhtar Bakare, Rachel Silver, Ifeacho Nwokolo, Kym Nwosu, Colum McCann, Funmi Iyanda, Martin Kenyon (beloved pedant), Ada Echetebu, Thandie Newton, Simi Dosekun, Jason Cowley, Chinazo Anya, Simon Watson, and Dwayne Betts.

My thanks to my editor Robin Desser at Knopf; to Nicholas Pearson, Minna Fry, and Michelle Kane at Fourth Estate; to the Wylie Agency staff, especially Charles Buchan, Jackie Ko, and Emma Paterson; to Sarah Chalfant, friend and agent, for that ongoing feeling of safety; and to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard, for the small office filled with light.