“Everything’s changed,” says author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. “I’ve changed, and every book is a different person.” It’s true: in the 12 years since the release of her best-seller, Americanah, Adichie has oscillated between beloved novelist, public intellectual, and feminist icon. This spring, however, she’s returned to her true love: fiction.

We sat recently to discuss her excellent new book, Dream Count(5:20), the decade-long writer’s block she pushed through to publish again (7:00), the profound, familial loss that upended her life (9:55), and the experience that turned her into a feminist (21:20). Then, Adichie reflects on her childhood growing up in the aftermath of the Biafran War (34:42), the importance of seeing yourself in literature (39:00), her affinity for American universities (41:50), and how her racial awakening culminated in Americanah (44:49).

On the back-half: a wide-ranging, candid exchange around the erosion of free speech (53:36) and the American left (56:12), how she’s grappled with backlash (58:45), her case for intellectual curiosity (1:11:40), the prophetic work of W.E.B. Du Bois (1:13:40), and where she finds inspiration for the page (1:19:00).

Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at mail@talkeasypod.com.

&ldquo;Everything&rsquo;s changed,&rdquo; says author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve changed, and every book is a different person.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s true: in the 12 years since the release of her best-seller, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/878/americanah-by-chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/">Americanah</a>, Adichie has oscillated between beloved novelist, public intellectual, and feminist icon. This spring, however, she&rsquo;s returned to her true love: fiction.
We sat recently to discuss her excellent new book, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/753002/dream-count-by-chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/">Dream Count</a> (5:20), the decade-long writer&rsquo;s block she pushed through to publish again (7:00), the profound, familial loss that upended her life (9:55), and the experience that turned her into a feminist (21:20). Then, Adichie reflects on her childhood growing up in the aftermath of the Biafran War (34:42), the importance of seeing yourself in literature (39:00), her affinity for American universities (41:50), and how her racial awakening culminated in Americanah (44:49).
On the back-half: a wide-ranging, candid exchange around the erosion of free speech (53:36) and the American left (56:12), how she&rsquo;s grappled with backlash (58:45), her case for intellectual curiosity (1:11:40), the prophetic work of W.E.B. Du Bois (1:13:40), and where she finds inspiration for the page (1:19:00).
Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at mail@talkeasypod.com.

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso is a weekly series of intimate conversations with artists, activists, and politicians. Where people sound like people. Hosted by Sam Fragoso. New episodes every Sunday.

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