Dinaw Mengestu
Encyclopedia
Dinaw Mengestu is an award-winning American novelist and writer, who was born in Addis Ababa
, Ethiopia
. In addition to two novels, he has written for Rolling Stone
on the war in Darfur
, and for Jane Magazine on the conflict in northern Uganda
. His writing has also appeared in Harper's, The Wall Street Journal
, and numerous other publications.
and, later, the suburbs of Chicago. He received his B.A. in English from Georgetown University
, and his MFA
in fiction from Columbia University
.
. Now he runs a failing grocery store in a poor African-American section of Washington, D.C.
, his only companions two fellow African immigrants who share his bitter nostalgia and longing for his home continent. Years ago and worlds away, Sepha could never have imagined a life of such isolation. As his environment begins to change, hope comes in the form of a friendship with new neighbors Judith and Naomi, a white woman and her biracial daughter. But when a series of racial incidents disturb the community, Sepha may lose everything all over again.
The novel was published in the UK as Children of the Revolution in May 2007 by Jonathan Cape (ISBN 9780224079310). It has been translated into more than a dozen languages.
Mengestu's second novel, How to Read the Air, was released in October 2010. Part of the novel was excerpted in the July 12, 2010 issue of The New Yorker
, after Mengestu was selected as one of their "20 under 40" writers of 2010.
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. In addition to two novels, he has written for Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
on the war in Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
, and for Jane Magazine on the conflict in northern Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. His writing has also appeared in Harper's, The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, and numerous other publications.
Early life and education
His family left Ethiopia when he was two years old; he was raised in Peoria, IllinoisPeoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
and, later, the suburbs of Chicago. He received his B.A. in English from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, and his MFA
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
in fiction from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
Works
His début novel, The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears, was published in the USA in March 2007 by Penguin Riverhead (ISBN 1594489408). It tells the story of Sepha Stephanos, who seventeen years ago fled the Ethiopian Revolution for a new start in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Now he runs a failing grocery store in a poor African-American section of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, his only companions two fellow African immigrants who share his bitter nostalgia and longing for his home continent. Years ago and worlds away, Sepha could never have imagined a life of such isolation. As his environment begins to change, hope comes in the form of a friendship with new neighbors Judith and Naomi, a white woman and her biracial daughter. But when a series of racial incidents disturb the community, Sepha may lose everything all over again.
The novel was published in the UK as Children of the Revolution in May 2007 by Jonathan Cape (ISBN 9780224079310). It has been translated into more than a dozen languages.
Mengestu's second novel, How to Read the Air, was released in October 2010. Part of the novel was excerpted in the July 12, 2010 issue of The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, after Mengestu was selected as one of their "20 under 40" writers of 2010.
Awards and honors
- The New YorkerThe New YorkerThe New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
"20 Under 40", 2010 - Los Angeles Times Book Prize, 2008
- New York Public Library Young Lions Award Finalist 2008
- Dylan Thomas Prize, Finalist 2008
- Prix du Premier Meilleur Roman Etranger, 2007
- Grand Prix de Lectrices de Elle, Finalist 2007
- Prix Femina Etranger, Finalist, 2007
- Guardian First Book AwardGuardian First Book AwardGuardian First Book Award, issued before 1999 as Guardian Fiction Prize or Guardian Fiction Award, is awarded to new writing in fiction and non-fiction.-History:...
, 2007 - National Book AwardNational Book AwardThe National Book Awards are a set of American literary awards. Started in 1950, the Awards are presented annually to American authors for literature published in the current year. In 1989 the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization which now oversees and manages the National Book...
Foundation, 5 Under 35 Award, 2007 - Lannan Fiction Fellowship, 2007
- New York Times Notable Book 2007
External links
- Linda Kulman, "Dinaw Mengestu Captures Immigrant Life", NPR, 19 Feb 2008
- Sarah Crown, "Ethiopian-American wins Guardian First Book Award", The Guardian, 5 Dec 2007
- "Dinaw Mengestu", culturebase.net