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Factual: Life Stories

True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives.

Outlook: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on life in US

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

22/04/2013

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on life in US

BBC World Service - Outlook, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on life in US

Matthew Bannister speaks to Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngosi Adichie.

Matthew Bannister speaks to Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngosi Adichie; listener cycles from China to Nepal; how Tim Jenkin escaped from Pretoria prison; ex-ballerina Lale Mansur.

What is it that makes people want to leave their own country and set off to start new lives elsewhere? The award-winning Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie addresses this question in her latest novel, Americanah. She tells Matthew about her own experience of leaving Nigeria and going to live in the United States. She now splits her time between there and Nigeria. 

We asked you how a journey has changed your life and listener Nirwan Moktan got in touch. He is currently cycling from Hong Kong across China to get to his native Nepal. He's already completed a thousand kilometres of his journey. We speak to him live from Guizhou province. 

Also live on the programme, the anti-Apartheid activist Tim Jenkin tells us about his daring escape from Pretoria prison where he was held as a political prisoner in the 1970s. He escaped by making wooden keys and doggedly trying them out on the ten doors that stood between him and freedom. 

Lale Mansur has long combined political activism with a successful artistic career as a ballerina and TV and film star, in her native Turkey. She has campaigned for recognition for the country's Kurdish minority and is now taking part in the latest government attempt to end the conflict. She's one of 63 so called 'wise people' who travel the country listening to public opinion.

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