Imbolo Mbue is a native of Limbe, Cameroon. She holds a BS from Rutgers University and an MA from Columbia University. A resident of the United States for more than a decade, she lives in New York City.
The Road to the Country (2024) Chigozie Obioma "A spectacular blend of realism and mysticism, The Road to the Country is Chigozie Obioma at his finest. He is a novelist in a league of his own."
Devil Makes Three (2023) Ben Fountain "Ben Fountain's powerfully written novel is many things at once-a spy thriller, a family saga, a love story, a treasure hunt, and a tale of brutal political repression, all set in the charged atmosphere of early 1990s Haiti. By succeeding at all of these, Devil Makes Three reminds us not only of the ways an ambitious, fully engaged novel can further our understanding of the world, but also of how pleasurable and satisfying reading such a novel can be."
Happiness Falls (2023) Angie Kim "A brilliant novel that has everything I want in fiction--great writing, fascinating characters, suspenseful storytelling, and thought-provoking themes. Readers are going to fall in love with Happiness Falls."
Dances (2023) Nicole Cuffy "Nicole Cuffy sweeps us into the insider world of ballet with a voice that is beautiful and authentic. This is a singular debut, and a vivid portrait of the heartbreak of growing up and confronting the tension between family and career."
The Covenant of Water (2022) Abraham Verghese "A novel of utter beauty,The Covenant of Water is worthy of all praise in its depiction of medical ingenuity and family love; it is epic and eye-opening, the sort of story that only a singular mind like Abraham Verghese's could have woven."
Probably Ruby (2022) Lisa Bird-Wilson "Writing from the depths of her heart, Lisa Bird-Wilson has gifted us a passionate exploration of identity and belonging and a celebration of our universal desire to love and be loved."
In Every Mirror She's Black (2021) Lọlá Ákínmádé Åkerström "At once enjoyable and disturbing as it explores the painful price millions of women around the world pay for walking around with black skin."
The Girl with the Louding Voice (2019) Abi Daré "A bold new storyteller . . . Abi Daré's fearless debut is a celebration of girls who dare to dream and those who help them unfurl their wings so that they might soar."
Small Country (2018) Gaël Faye "Unforgettable… Gaël Faye’s talent is breathtaking; no country that can give the world a writer like him should ever be called small."
Everything Here Is Beautiful (2018) Mira T Lee "Mira T. Lee deeply understands the human need for belonging, and in her compassionate debut, she presents an aching yet hopeful story of characters striving to belong despite vast impediments, and the emotional costs incurred in this quest for a love-filled life."
