Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie wins best title at Indie Book Awards for Notes on Grief

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, award-winning Nigerian author, continues to make waves in the international literary world with her latest work, ‘Notes on Grief,’ honoured with the prestigious Best Title of the Summer award at the 2023 Indie Book Awards. 

The announcement was made during the Independent Bookshop Week (IBW), where Adichie won the Non-Fiction prize with Notes on Grief (Fourth Estate), a meditation on the loss of her father. 

Speaking on the selection of Adichie’s book, Mel Griffin, chairman of the judging panel, said: “It was a privilege to chair the 2023 Indie Book Awards, and the whole panel agreed that the shortlists were particularly strong this year, making the decision-making process challenging. However, in the end, we unanimously selected Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as the non-fiction winner.

“This utterly beautiful essay says so much in very few pages, and we found it extraordinarily powerful. Although it focuses on one individual’s experience of grief, we felt that it would speak to many people, transcending culture and circumstances, with one judge describing the reading experience as ’cathartic’, Griffin added. 

Accepting the award on her social media page, Chimamanda said: “I have always felt like there is nothing more life-affirming and meaningful than going into an independent bookshop because you know that the people there actually love books. So, I think independent bookshops are the best things ever. 

“I am so grateful, I am so moved, and I am so pleased to have Notes On Grief honoured with the Indie. And it is mostly because I love Independent bookshops and also because this book is so meaningful to me. I hope that it brings some kind of comfort to other people who have experienced grief.” 

This accolade acknowledges not only the exceptional storytelling prowess of Adichie but also the evocative power of the book’s title. Notes on Grief invites readers to embark on an emotional journey, contemplating the various dimensions and stages of loss and grief. This award reaffirms Adichie’s status as the world’s literary icon, further highlighting the profound impact her writing has on readers around the world.

Adichie’s literary achievements have garnered global acclaim and cemented her status as one of the most influential voices of all time. Her previous works, including “Purple Hibiscus,” “Half of a Yellow Sun,” and “Americanah,” have garnered numerous accolades and captivated readers worldwide. With “Notes on Grief,” Adichie seamlessly blends social commentary with exceptional storytelling to create a lasting impact. 

Books by Barbara Kingsolver, A.F Steadman, and Jarvis were also picked as the best titles of the summer by independent booksellers. Barbara Kingsolver won in the Fiction category for her book Demon Copperhead, a novel based around the story of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield. Fantasy author Steadman won in the Children’s Fiction category for Skandar and the Unicorn Thief. 

The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is the largest International awards program for indie authors and independent publishers. In its 17th year of operation, the award was established to recognise and honour the most exceptional independently published books in 80+ different categories for the year.