Chimamanda Adichie's 'Half a Yellow Moon' film to be released in summer 2014

Writer: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, born 1977

Nigerian writer and award winner Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has a cause to celebrate. Her best selling novel, Half of a Yellow Sun is set for worldwide release in 2014. The novel published in 2006 by Knopf/Anchor tells the story of the Nigerian-Biafran War which started in 1967 and lasted until 1970.The book centres on the war and relays the conflict through the experiences of four characters Olanna, Kainene, Ugwu, and Richard.

In 2008, Nigerian novelist and playwright Biyi Bandele began writing a screenplay for the film. The film premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in late 2013. The film stars Academy Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor and BAFTA Award Winner Thandie Newton. 

Half of a Yellow Sun received the 2007 Orange Prize for Fiction which included £30,000. The award is given annually for the best original full-length novel written by a woman in English.

Chimamanda Adichie has also written other best selling novels including: her first novel, Purple Hibiscus which made the Orange Prize shortlist in 2004 and the New York Times "100 Most Notable Books of the Year"; The Thing Around Your Neck, 2009 and Americanah, 2013.
Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe commented: “We do not usually associate wisdom with beginners, but here is a new writer endowed with the gift of ancient storytellers. She is fearless, or she would not have taken on the intimidating horror of Nigeria's civil war."

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