Through the distilled and poignant stories of 9 families across 9 generations, it charts the course of history from 18th century ghana to presentday usa in two branches, rooted in maame, and belonging to half sisters effia otcher and esi asare. Found myself stopping to shed a tear numerous times as i read the interconnected stories of the lives yaa gyasi shared and created from such wellresearched histories. It is into the murky waters of this same well that firsttime ghanaianamerican novelist yaa gyasi delved for the creation of homegoing, a hugely empathic, unflinching portrayal of west africas. The story behind alumna yaa gyasis homegoing the dish. She was awarded a vilcek prize for creative promise. Dave wheeler, associate editor, shelf awareness gyasi gives voice, and an empathetic ear, to the ensuing seven generations of flawed and deeply human descendants, creating a patchwork mastery of historical fiction. Yaa gyasis homecoming is a profound and beautiful reminder all great fiction is a. Maame is referred to in passing in the books first two chapters specifically, the ones named after her two daughters, effia. Jan 08, 2017 yaa gyasis debut novel, homegoing, is an astonishing epic set in ghana and the united states, about the legacy of slavery through generations. Yaa gyasi 1989 is geboren in ghana en groeide op in huntsville, alabama. Highly, highly, highly recommended, 5 solid stars and then some.
Yaa gyasi is the author of the highly acclaimed debut novel homegoing and a recipient of the national book foundations 2016 5 under 35 award. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. The author has done her research, and though the book occasionally reads like a historical overview each element the beginning of cocoa cultivation in ghana, the fugitive slave act, and, later, the convictlease system in america feels summarized rather than dealt with dramatically, it has power and beauty, thanks to gyasi s commanding style. And now, yaa gyasis rich debut novel, homegoing, confronts us of the involvement of africans in the enslavement of their own people. Yaa gyasis assured homegoing is a panorama of splendid faces. Homegoing serves as a modernday reconstruction of lost and untold narrativesand a desire to move forward. Effia will be married off to an english colonial, and will live in comfort. Seven years later, the debut novel her trip inspired became an. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 300 pages and is available in hardcover format. Her first novel, homegoing, was a sunday times bestseller, won the national book. In yaa gyasis debut novel, homegoing knopf, a boy greeting the line of mourners at his grandfathers funeral encounters. Dec 07, 2017 found myself stopping to shed a tear numerous times as i read the interconnected stories of the lives yaa gyasi shared and created from such wellresearched histories. A novel by gyasi, yaa and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Jun 14, 2016 homegoing, the wildly ambitious debut novel by a 26yearold writer named yaa gyasi, tackles some 250 years of history on two continents.
Jun, 2017 the story behind homegoing yaa gyasi was a stanford sophomore when she visited her native ghana on a research mission. Historical fiction enthusiasts will love homegoing by yaa gyasi. Ohene travels to another city and acquires a cocoa plant. Effias branch goes through the estate of the cape coast castle to the years of. Yaa gyasi born 1989 is a ghanaianamerican novelist. Buy homegoing by gyasi, yaa from amazons fiction books store. Gyasis debut novel opens in the mid1700s in what is now ghana, as tribal rivalries are exploited by british and dutch colonists and slave traders. Online shopping from a great selection at books store.
Get book recommendations, fiction, poetry, and dispatches from the. Yaa gyasis debut novel, homegoing, is an astonishing epic set in ghana and the united states, about the legacy of slavery through generations. Haha im a bit late to the party for this book, but i loved it. Homegoing is the debut historical fiction novel by yaa gyasi, published in 2016. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. With homegoing, yaa gyasi outdid all my expectations of a novel. It won several awards including being one of oprahs favorite books of 2016. Gyasis instinctive storytelling gifts, the book leaves the reader with a visceral understanding of both the savage realities of slavery and the emotional damage that is handed down, over the centuries, from mothers to daughters, fathers to sons. Yaa gyasi s homegoing will do the same for a new one. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy.
Tanehisi coates the unforgettable new york times best seller begins with the story of two halfsisters. Yaa gyasi two half sisters, effia and esi, unknown to each other, are born into two different tribal villages in 18th century ghana. Pdf homegoing book by yaa gyasi free download 300 pages. June 7, 2016 a novel of sharply drawn character studies immersed in more than 250 hard, transformative years in the africanamerican diaspora.
The story behind homegoing stanford magazine medium. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Free download or read online homegoing pdf epub book. Atlanta journalconstitution a remarkable achievement, marking the arrival of a powerful new voice in fiction. Then enter homegoing by yaa gyasi into my life and i just cannot stop pondering the subject of slavery four solid months after i finished reading the book. Mar 19, 2017 with homegoing, yaa gyasi outdid all my expectations of a novel. Homegoing characters yaa gyasi this study guide consists of approximately 81 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of homegoing. The main characters of this historical, historical fiction story are cobbe otcher, effia otcher.
Jun 07, 2016 winner of the nbccs john leonard first book prizea new york times 2016 notable bookone of oprahs 10 favorite books of 2016nprs debut novel of the yearone of buzzfeeds best fiction books of 2016one of times top 10 novels of 2016homegoing is an inspiration. Yaa gyasi creates an an epic family drama in homegoing by dallasnews administrator. Tanehisi coates the unforgettable new york times best seller begins with the story of two halfsisters, separated by forces. Her debut novel, homegoing, published in 2016, won her, at the age of 26, the national book critics. This book is gyasi debut novel and a book club favorite. Homegoing, by yaa gyasi yaa gyasis debut novel traces the terrible impact of slavery on generations of an african family, beginning with two sisters in 18th century ghana one. We cannot know that which we were not there to see and hear and experience for ourselves.
By david nilsen when she wanted to forget the castle, she thought of these things, but she did not expect joy. In the julyaugust issue of stanford magazine, writer sam scott tells the story of alumna yaa gyasi, whose remarkable book homegoing will be featured as part of stanfords three books program. A riveting kaleidoscopic debut novel and the beginning of a major career. Welcome to the litcharts study guide on yaa gyasi s homegoing. Homegoing, the wildly ambitious debut novel by a 26yearold writer named yaa gyasi, tackles some 250 years of history on two continents. In homegoing, a first novel that brims with compassion, writer yaa gyasi begins where the horrific middle passage began for so many, at the glowing white castle, one of about forty commercial.
Gyasis brilliant and relevant novel moves through histories and geographies and captureswith outstanding economy. Aug 07, 2017 in the julyaugust issue of stanford magazine, writer sam scott tells the story of alumna yaa gyasi, whose remarkable book homegoing will be featured as part of stanfords three books program. Yaa gyasis emotionally powerful homegoing continues to resound a little more than a year after its publication, earning a place among the five finalists for pen americas 2017 robert w. The first edition of the novel was published in june 7th 2016, and was written by yaa gyasi. Her debut novel, homegoing, published in 2016, won her, at the age of 26, the national book critics circles john leonard award for best first book, the penhemingway award for a first book of fiction, the national book foundations 5 under 35 honors for 2016 and the american book award. The author has done her research, and though the book occasionally reads like a historical overview each element the beginning of cocoa cultivation in ghana, the fugitive slave act, and, later, the convictlease system in america feels summarized rather than dealt with dramatically, it has power and beauty, thanks to gyasis commanding style. Gyasi has created a story of real power and insight stylist, the decades 15 best books by remarkable women. Yaa gyasi, herself a ghanaian native brought up in alabama, knows a thing or two about how the past casts a looming shadow over the present.
Yaa gyasis debut novel traces the terrible impact of slavery on generations of an african family, beginning with two sisters in 18th century. I think i needed to read a book like this to remember what is possible. Buy homegoing by yaa gyasi from amazons fiction books store. Selected for grantas best of young american novelists 2017winner of the national book critics circle award for best first. The story behind homegoing yaa gyasi was a stanford sophomore when she visited her native ghana on a research mission. The sweeping novel depicts 300 years of suffering begotten by slavery, tracing seven generations of descendants from two halfsisters in ghana whose lives diverged in the. The novel starts with two halfsisters, effia and esi, born in eighteenth century ghana, each not. In yaa gyasis debut novel, homegoing knopf, a boy greeting the line. She is in love with a man named ohene nyarko, who cannot marry her until the harvest is good, but they still begin an affair. Effia marries james collins, the british governor in charge of cape coast castle, while her halfsister esi is held captive in the dungeons below. Her first novel, homegoing, was a sunday times bestseller, won the national book critics circle award for best first novel and was shortlisted for the penrobert w. Truly epic in scope, the book covers a span of about threehundred years from the eighteenth century straight into the twentieth century. Gyasis brilliant and relevant novel moves through histories and geographies and captureswith outstanding economy and forcethe troubled spirit of our own nation. Yaa gyasi was born in mampong, ghana and raised in huntsville, alabama.
Winner of the nbccs john leonard first book prizea new york times 2016 notable bookone of oprahs 10 favorite books of 2016nprs debut novel of the yearone of buzzfeeds best fiction books of 2016one of times top 10 novels of 2016homegoing is an inspiration. The unhealed ruptures of slaverycourse through homegoing, the hypnotic debut novel by yaa gyasi, a stirringly gifted young writer, that contemplates the consequences of human trafficking on both sides of the atlanticthe west african chapters are the heart of the book, a deep channeling of multilayered humanity. Literary fiction author, speaker prh speakers bureau. Hell was a place of remembering, each beautiful moment passed through her minds eye until it fell to the ground like a rotten mango, perfectly useless, uselessly perfect. At its best, the novel makes us experience the horrors of. Its impossible not to admire the ambition and scope of homegoing, and thanks to ms. Yaa gyasis homegoing is an ambitious and powerful novel which follows the descendants of two halfsisters in ghana, some of the descendants stay in ghana and some are shipped to america as slaves.
When the harvests in the village continue to be bad, they blame abena for witchcraft. I was sad to see the story end yet happy for the conclusion. Homegoing is an astonishing and heartrending debut novel written by the undeniably talented yaa gyasi. Observer the powerful narrative of yaa gyasi s accomplished first novel do more than reveal the history that still troubles the united states. Homegoing is the story of the beginnings of slavery through to the present day told from the shoulders of two stepsisters, effia and esi. The story follows an africanamerican family through many generations. Mar 20, 2017 homegoing by yaa gyasi published by alfred a. Tanehisi coates an unforgettable new york times bestseller of exceptional scope and sweeping vision that traces the descendants of two sisters across three hundred years in ghana and america. Created by the original team behind sparknotes, litcharts are the worlds best literature guides. The unforgettable new york times best seller begins with the story of two halfsisters, separated by forces beyond their control. Each chapter in the novel follows a different descendant of an asante woman named maame, starting with her two daughters, who are half sisters, separated by circumstance. Extraordinary for its exquisite language, its implacable sorrow, its soaring beauty, and for its monumental portrait of the. Homegoing by yaa gyasi book club discussion questions.
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