Nnedi Okorafor’s ‘Binti: The Complete Trilogy’ to be featured Big Read

Purdue’s Department of English is partnering with West Lafayette and Tippecanoe County public libraries as well as other organizations to bring Nnedi Okorafor’s "Binti" series to local readers.

Nnedi Okorafor is a bestselling, Nigerian-American writer who has quickly gained a reputation as one of the foremost voices in contemporary science fiction. The "Binti" collection consists of a trio of novellas — "Binti" (2015), "Binti: Home" (2017) and "Binti: The Night Masquerade" (2018) — as well as a new short story. "Binti" won the Hugo, Nebula and Nommo Awards for best science fiction novella.

The series introduces readers to Okorafor’s unique brand of “Africanfuturism.” Set on Earth and in space, it tells the story of a young woman from Namibia who negotiates the stress of leaving home and heading off to college, confronting past tradition and future prospects as she struggles to find her place in an alien environment. Relying on her love of mathematics and also newfound friendships, Binti must negotiate prejudice, self-doubt, and trauma as the narrative builds to high-stakes conflicts between groups on Earth and beyond.

Okorafor’s stories have been praised by critics. For instance, Neil Gaiman writes, “Nnedi Okorafor writes glorious futures. … Her worlds open your mind to new things, always rooted in the red clay of reality. Prepare to fall in love with Binti.”

Okorafor will visit Purdue on Nov. 3. Copies of “Binti: The Complete Trilogy” will be available at local libraries in early May.

The English department’s Big Read, now in its fifth year, is designed to enrich Purdue and Greater Lafayette through literature. Each year, the department selects a book and creates a calendar of engaging events and activities. Free copies of the text are being provided to college and high school classes, public and community college libraries, and lifelong learning organizations thanks to the Harriet M. Crews and Sandra K. Biggs Endowment for the Department of English in Support of the Big Read.

Source: Derek Pacheco, dpacheco@purdue.edu