Hunter, I'm so glad you wrote this. I think it is so helpful to hear from thoughtful people about how they are engaging with these issues. The more we all share about it, the easier it becomes to have nuanced conversations and make the best decisions for ourselves. I'll share that I'm not sure I'm going to read Dream Count. I had initially planned to because I have loved Adichie's work and in general I don't tend to shy away from reading authors I disagree with or find problematic. But currently, thinking about it just makes me sad! Every time I've picked up the book, my heart aches--my brain wants to read it but my heart does not, I guess. Not reading a book (or reading a book) is not activism, in my view. I don't think it's doing anyone any good for me to not read it. It's a purely emotional decision. I wanted to put that out there because I think there are ways to approach these questions intellectually, which you do so beautifully, and also times where we make our decision emotionally--and that's okay too I think. I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts about the book, and if and when I do read it, I'll be keeping everything you wrote here in mind.
Honestly this is part of why I think I struggled once the story got to its point, was because I began to realize that what I know of her was distracting me to the point where I couldn’t even fully engage with the work without questioning her motives behind why she approached some of the story how she did. Idk. I appreciate people who can see past those things and engage with it in a different way, but I did end up struggling with this in the long run
I think you can absolutely engage with Dream Count but my problem is more so with people BUYING the book and platforming her as a chamoion of feminism. I don't want to give a TERF money where I can avoid it and it seems like a small form of protest. I thought the Vulture review did a good job talking about both her views and how they can be seen in her latest but it probably could have delved further
I would also say that the culture lens argument doesn't hold as much water for me in this case (though I greatly appreciate the nuance!) when Akwaeke Emzi and the Republic Journal have very vocally tried to call her in/explain the harm as have other Nigerian readers
Yeah, absolutely—most of the time if I want to see what a book is about without supporting the author, I tend to just use the library (though I use the library a lot anyway haha). I also agree with what you’re saying about the cultural lens, because while I can see how it might’ve shaped Adichie’s views, still holding onto them so tightly when people within this same space have spoken out about it feels almost parallel to the terfs in the US. What’s most interesting is that by the time I finished Dream Count, I felt like all of Adichie’s original charge from her earlier work was gone, and part of me wondered if it had to due with her now more closely aligning herself with some more conservative views. Idk. Also ended up reading the Vulture article after finishing the book and mostly agree with its take on the book, too
Hello Hunter, thank you for this well thought out and nuanced presentation about problematic people who write books. Half a Yellow Sun, was one of the most amazing books that I have ever read. You know, one of those books that I will accept no criticism of...it affected me so deeply. And in 2014, everyone received We Should All Be Feminists that year for their Christmas book! That's why I was just so very sad when she made the comments that she did about transwomen. Actually, it wasn't even the initial comments but rather how she 'doubled down' when these comments were challenged.
I apprceciated the thoughts of your friend, Bernie. I can see how looking at this through my lens of western, white privilege shapes my response. I have tried to read both fiction/non-fiction by LGBTQIA authors that have challenged me about how much of what we consider the western canon has colonized this literature. These are the titles that spring to mind, A Last Supper of Queer Apostles by Pedro Lemedel; and a couple fiction tiles that have really stayed with me and continue to challenge me, The Queens of Sarmiento Park by Camila Sosa Villada and Las Biuty Queens by Ivan Monalisa Ojeda.
Adichie's responses reminded me of how short sighted the womens' movement has historically been until recently. Who decides? Isn't there enough space for us all?
While I truly appreciate all the amazing ideas that I can read and think about ; I would never have had the privilege if it were not for the internet, sometimes, I have big feelings and lots to say and don't think my writing skills are up to the task so thank you for listening.
Hunter, I'm so glad you wrote this. I think it is so helpful to hear from thoughtful people about how they are engaging with these issues. The more we all share about it, the easier it becomes to have nuanced conversations and make the best decisions for ourselves. I'll share that I'm not sure I'm going to read Dream Count. I had initially planned to because I have loved Adichie's work and in general I don't tend to shy away from reading authors I disagree with or find problematic. But currently, thinking about it just makes me sad! Every time I've picked up the book, my heart aches--my brain wants to read it but my heart does not, I guess. Not reading a book (or reading a book) is not activism, in my view. I don't think it's doing anyone any good for me to not read it. It's a purely emotional decision. I wanted to put that out there because I think there are ways to approach these questions intellectually, which you do so beautifully, and also times where we make our decision emotionally--and that's okay too I think. I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts about the book, and if and when I do read it, I'll be keeping everything you wrote here in mind.
Honestly this is part of why I think I struggled once the story got to its point, was because I began to realize that what I know of her was distracting me to the point where I couldn’t even fully engage with the work without questioning her motives behind why she approached some of the story how she did. Idk. I appreciate people who can see past those things and engage with it in a different way, but I did end up struggling with this in the long run
I think you can absolutely engage with Dream Count but my problem is more so with people BUYING the book and platforming her as a chamoion of feminism. I don't want to give a TERF money where I can avoid it and it seems like a small form of protest. I thought the Vulture review did a good job talking about both her views and how they can be seen in her latest but it probably could have delved further
I would also say that the culture lens argument doesn't hold as much water for me in this case (though I greatly appreciate the nuance!) when Akwaeke Emzi and the Republic Journal have very vocally tried to call her in/explain the harm as have other Nigerian readers
Yeah, absolutely—most of the time if I want to see what a book is about without supporting the author, I tend to just use the library (though I use the library a lot anyway haha). I also agree with what you’re saying about the cultural lens, because while I can see how it might’ve shaped Adichie’s views, still holding onto them so tightly when people within this same space have spoken out about it feels almost parallel to the terfs in the US. What’s most interesting is that by the time I finished Dream Count, I felt like all of Adichie’s original charge from her earlier work was gone, and part of me wondered if it had to due with her now more closely aligning herself with some more conservative views. Idk. Also ended up reading the Vulture article after finishing the book and mostly agree with its take on the book, too
Hello Hunter, thank you for this well thought out and nuanced presentation about problematic people who write books. Half a Yellow Sun, was one of the most amazing books that I have ever read. You know, one of those books that I will accept no criticism of...it affected me so deeply. And in 2014, everyone received We Should All Be Feminists that year for their Christmas book! That's why I was just so very sad when she made the comments that she did about transwomen. Actually, it wasn't even the initial comments but rather how she 'doubled down' when these comments were challenged.
I apprceciated the thoughts of your friend, Bernie. I can see how looking at this through my lens of western, white privilege shapes my response. I have tried to read both fiction/non-fiction by LGBTQIA authors that have challenged me about how much of what we consider the western canon has colonized this literature. These are the titles that spring to mind, A Last Supper of Queer Apostles by Pedro Lemedel; and a couple fiction tiles that have really stayed with me and continue to challenge me, The Queens of Sarmiento Park by Camila Sosa Villada and Las Biuty Queens by Ivan Monalisa Ojeda.
Adichie's responses reminded me of how short sighted the womens' movement has historically been until recently. Who decides? Isn't there enough space for us all?
While I truly appreciate all the amazing ideas that I can read and think about ; I would never have had the privilege if it were not for the internet, sometimes, I have big feelings and lots to say and don't think my writing skills are up to the task so thank you for listening.