Chinelo Okparanta

Chinelo Okparanta
Born1981 (age 44–45)
Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Alma mater
Occupations
  • Novelist
  • short story writer
Writing career
Notable works
Websitechinelookparanta.com

Chinelo Okparanta pronunciationⓘ (born 1981) is a Nigerian-American novelist and short story writer.[1] She was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, where she was raised until the age of 10, when she immigrated to the United States with her family.[2][3][4] She grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness.[5] In 2012 she was spotlighted as one of Granta’s New Voices.[6][7]

Early life

Chinelo Okparanta was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and at the age of 10 migrated with her family to the US. She was educated at Pennsylvania State University (Schreyer Honors College), Rutgers University, and the Iowa Writers' Workshop.[2][4][7]

Career

Okparanta has published short stories in publications including Granta, The New Yorker, Tin House, The Kenyon Review, The Southern Review, TriQuarterly, Conjunctions, Subtropics, and The Coffin Factory.[8][4] Her essays have appeared in Harper’s Bazaar,[9] Literary Hub,[10] AGNI,[11] The Story Prize blog,[12] and the University of Iowa International Writing Program blog.[13] Okparanta has held fellowships or visiting professorships at the University of Iowa, Colgate University, Purdue University, City College of New York, Columbia University, and Middlebury College. She was associate professor of English & Creative Writing (Fiction) at Bucknell University, where she was also C. Graydon & Mary E. Rogers Faculty Research Fellow as well as Margaret Hollinshead Ley Professor in Poetry & Creative Writing until 2021.[14][4] She is currently associate professor of English and Director of the Program in Creative Writing at Swarthmore College.[15]

Her debut short story collection, Happiness, Like Water (Granta Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), was longlisted for the 2013 Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award,[16] was a finalist for the 2014 New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award,[17] and won the 2014 Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction.[18] She has been nominated for a United States Artists Fellowship[19][7] and was a finalist for the 2014 Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative in Literature.[20] She was also a finalist for the 2013 Society of Midland Authors Award[21] and the 2013 Caine Prize for African Writing.[22][7]

Her short story "Fairness" was included in the 2013 PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories, among 20 other short stories.[23]

Happiness, Like Water was a New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice on September 20, 2013.[3][4] The collection was also listed as one of The Guardian's Best African Fiction of 2013,[24][4] and in December 2014 was announced as a finalist for the Etisalat Prize for Literature.[25][26] At the peak of Nigerian anti-gay legislation in 2015, Okparanta feared for her life and worried about travelling to the country for the prize ceremony.[27]

Her first novel, Under the Udala Trees, was published in 2015.[28] The New York Times reviewer called Okparanta "a graceful and precise writer",[29] and The Guardian described the book as "a gripping novel about a young gay woman's coming of age in Nigeria during the Nigerian civil war" in which "Okparanta deftly negotiates a balance between a love story and a war story."[30]

Under the Udala Trees was a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice[31] as well as a nominee for the 2015 Kirkus Prize in Fiction.[32][33] One of NPR's "Best Books of 2015",[34] it also made "Best of " and "Most Anticipated" lists on BuzzFeed,[35] Wall Street Journal,[36] The Millions,[37] Bustle,[38] Shelf Awareness,[39] and Publishers Lunch.[40] It was longlisted for the 2015 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize,[41] nominated for the 2016 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction,[42] nominated for the 2016 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in Fiction,[43] a finalist for the 2016 Ferro-Grumley Award,[44] a semi-finalist for the 2016 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award,[45] a semi-finalist for the 2016 Chautauqua Prize, and won the 2016 Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction.[46]

Under the Udala Trees also won the 2016 Leimert Park Book Fair Jessie Redmon Fauset Book Award in Fiction[47] and was a 2017 Amelia Bloomer Project selection of the American Library Association.[48] It was also shortlisted for the 2017 International Dublin Literary Award.[49]

In 2017, Okparanta won the Publishing Triangle's 2016 inaugural Betty Berzon Emerging Writer Award.[50]

Pulse Nigeria named Under the Udala Trees one of its 10 Outstanding Nigerian Books for 2015.[51] YNaija listed it as one of its Ten Most Notable Books of 2015.[52] Afridiaspora listed it as one of the Best African Novels of 2015.[53]

In April 2017, Okparanta was selected by Granta for their once-a-decade Best of Young American Novelists list.[54][55]

Her essay "Trump in the Classroom" was included in the 2019 anthology New Daughters of Africa, edited by Margaret Busby.[56]

Chinelo Okparanta was credited for being a champion for marginalized and underprivileged voices throughout her career by novelist Helon Habila. Okparanta began writing about these demographics in a time when it was dangerous to do so especially in Nigeria. In a profile in Open Country Magazine by Paula Willie-Okafor, Okparanta praised her "gentle defiance".[27]

Zimbabwean novelist NoViolet Bulawayo said of Okparanta:

"Chinelo Okparanta is formidable force.” [...] “She doesn’t tell easy stories, she tells necessary, even earth-shifting ones—the initial reception of Under the Udala Trees is a good case of the impact of her work. We know a writer is actually doing their job right when they make people lose their shit. They are also doing an even more important job when they make others possible. In choosing to tell humanizing stories that defied the literary trends and silence around African queer life, Chinelo became an important part of the reason why we are today in a position to celebrate the flourishing of writing that rightly holds African queerness to the sun.”[57]

Works

Awards

Year Nominated work Award Category Result Ref.
2013 "America" Caine Prize Finalist [64]
2014 Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative Literature Finalist [20]
"Fairness" O. Henry Prize Winner [65][66]
Happiness, Like Water Lambda Literary Awards Lesbian Fiction Winner [67][68]
New York Public Library Young Lions Award Finalist [69]
2015 Etisalat Prize for Literature Finalist [70]
Under the Udala Trees Center for Fiction First Novel Prize Longlisted [71][72]
2016 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction Finalist [73]
Publishing Triangle Awards Betty Berzon Emerging Writer Award Winner [74][75]
2017 Granta Best of Young American Novelists Winner [6]
Under the Udala Trees International DUBLIN Literary Award Finalist [76]
Great Immigrants Award Winner [77]
2023 Harry Sylvester Bird Aspen Words Literary Prize Longlisted [78][79]

References

  1. ↑ Rao, Mythili (August 19, 2013). "Champion of the Stifled". The Daily Beast. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  2. 1 2 Winkelstein-Duveneck, Rae (March 19, 2013). "Religion, the Bible, and Personal Morality: An Interview with Chinelo Okparanta". The Iowa Review. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Mishan, Ligaya (September 13, 2013). "How She Left". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wang, Boen (November 7, 2014). "Penn State alumna Okparanta reads short stories at Foster". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  5. ↑ Ramakrishnan, JR (September 22, 2015). "Queerness, Womanity and Hope: A Conversation with Chinelo Okparanta, Author of Under the Udala Trees". Electric Literature. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  6. 1 2 Kingston, Tom (September 1, 2017). "Chinelo Okparanta | Best of Young American Novelists". Granta. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Sigauke, Emmanuel (July 19, 2013). "Chinelo Okparanta". Munyori Literary Journal. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  8. ↑ Munllonch, Montse Domínguez i (July 11, 2019). "Books to read and see. Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta.⁠". misitio. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Chinelo Okparanta". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Chinelo Okparanta". Literary Hub. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Chinelo Okparanta". AGNI Online. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Chinelo Okparanta Paints the Truth". TSP. September 18, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  13. ↑ Okparanta, Chinelo (June 21, 2013). "The Other Side of Reality: A Visit to Turkmenistan". @ Shambaugh House. University of Iowa. Archived from the original on October 1, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Chinelo Okparanta". Aster(ix) Journal. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Program: English Literature". Swarthmore College. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  16. ↑ Dennis-Benn, Nicole Y. (July 22, 2014). "Chinelo Okparanta: Interview". Mosaic Literary Magazine. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  17. ↑ Lange, Jeva (March 28, 2014). "NYPL's Young Lions Award Finalists Take Readers to Unfamiliar Lands". Electric Literature. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  18. ↑ Charles, Ron (June 2, 2014). "Lambda Awards honor best lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender books". The Washington Post.
  19. ↑ "Chinelo Okparanta". PEN America. March 7, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  20. 1 2 "Lannan Resident: Chinelo Okparanta". Marfa Public Radio. June 9, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Celebrated young author to speak at PSU". Pittsburg State University. October 7, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  22. ↑ Brown, Keira (July 16, 2013). "The Missing Women of the Caine Prize". For Books' Sake. Archived from the original on August 21, 2013.
  23. ↑ "The O. Henry Prize Stories 2014: 9780345807311". Penguin Random House. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Best African fiction of 2013". The Guardian. December 17, 2013. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  25. ↑ Sam-Duru, Prisca; Ekwujuru, Princewill (March 11, 2015). "Who wins Etisalat Prize for Literature 2014?". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Candidates announced for Etisalat Prize for Literature". The Nation Newspaper. December 13, 2014. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  27. 1 2 Willie-Okafor, Paula (December 13, 2022). "Cover Story: Chinelo Okparanta, Iconic Storyteller of Queer Femininity, on Writing Race and Defying Convention". Open Country Mag. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  28. ↑ "Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta". Publishers Weekly. August 10, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  29. ↑ Anshaw, Carol (October 23, 2015). "'Under the Udala Trees,' by Chinelo Okparanta". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  30. ↑ Enjeti, Anjali (September 24, 2015). "Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta review – love in the time of Biafra". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  31. ↑ "Under The Udala Trees: Chinelo Okparanta: 9780544003361". The Telegraph Bookshop.
  32. ↑ "The 2018 National Book Awards Longlist: Fiction". The New Yorker. September 14, 2018. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  33. ↑ Mordi, Melissa (March 11, 2019). "Chinelo Okparanta: The Power of Women, Writing and Writing Women". The Guardian Nigeria. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  34. ↑ Baker, Elizabeth (2015). "Best Books of 2015: Under The Udala Trees". NPR. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  35. ↑ Fitzgerald, Isaac (November 30, 2015). "The 24 Best Fiction Books Of 2015". BuzzFeed. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  36. ↑ Gamerman, Ellen (September 3, 2015). "15 Books to Read This Fall". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  37. ↑ "Most Anticipated: The Great Second-Half 2015 Book Preview". The Millions. July 6, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  38. ↑ "2015's 25 Best Books, Fiction Edition". Bustle. December 11, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  39. ↑ Dahl, Marilyn (December 11, 2015). "Our 2015 Best Books of the Year". Shelf Awareness. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  40. ↑ Weinman, Sarah (December 11, 2015). "Favorite Books of 2015, From the News Editor". Publishers Lunch. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  41. ↑ Clift, Elayne. "Under the Udala Trees: A Novel". new york journal of books. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  42. ↑ "Africa's Young Literary Stars". The Single Story Foundation. August 15, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  43. ↑ "Hurston/Wright 2016 Legacy Award Winners Announced". African American Literature Book Club. June 22, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  44. ↑ "The Ferro–Grumley Awards". The Publishing Triangle. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  45. ↑ "2016 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award contest semifinalists announced". VCU Libraries. May 20, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  46. ↑ King, Anna (June 7, 2016). "The Lambda Literary Awards Honor Hilton Als and Eileen Myles, Name Winners in 26 Categories". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  47. ↑ "2018 Permafrost Book Prize in Fiction". University of Alaska Fairbanks. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  48. ↑ "2017 Amelia Bloomer List | Social Responsibilities Round Table". ALA. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  49. ↑ "Under the Udala Trees". International Dublin Literary Award. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  50. ↑ "Chinelo Okparanta". Carnegie Corporation of New York. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  51. ↑ "10 outstanding Nigerian books for this year". Pulse Nigeria. December 15, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  52. ↑ Okiche, Wilfred (December 13, 2015). "#YNaija2015Review: The Fishermen, BlackAss, Under the Udala tree... The 10 most notable books of 2015". YNaija. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  53. ↑ Daniel, Tolu (December 22, 2015). "The Best African Novels of 2015". Afridiaspora. Archived from the original on December 28, 2015.
  54. ↑ "Granta 139: Best of Young American Novelists 3". Granta. Spring 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  55. ↑ "Granta's list of the best young American novelists". The Guardian. April 26, 2017. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  56. ↑ Delgado, Anjanette (May 6, 2019). "New Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Writing by Women of African Descent". New York Journal of Books. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019.
  57. ↑ Willie-Okafor, Paula (December 13, 2022). "Cover Story: Chinelo Okparanta, Iconic Storyteller of Queer Femininity, on Writing Race and Defying Convention". Open Country Mag. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  58. ↑ "Happiness, Like Water by Chinelo Okparanta". Publishers Weekly. May 20, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  59. ↑ "Finding Love And Self-Acceptance 'Under the Udala Trees'". NPR. September 19, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  60. ↑ Edoro, Ainehi (September 28, 2022). "Racism Through the Eyes of Love and Desire | Review of Harry Sylvester Bird by Chinelo Okparanta". Brittle Paper. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  61. ↑ Lounge, Arts (June 17, 2026). "Chinelo Okparanta Announces New Novel This Impossible Life". ARTS LOUNGE MAGAZINE. Retrieved July 18, 2026.
  62. ↑ Uwisike, Blessing (June 11, 2026). "Chinelo Okparanta Announces Her Third Novel, This Impossible Life, Coming This November from Mariner Books". Brittle Paper. Retrieved July 18, 2026.
  63. ↑ "This Impossible Life". HarperCollins. Retrieved July 18, 2026.
  64. ↑ Grunbaum, Misha. "The Caine Prize's Prehistories: Chinelo Okparanta's 'America'". The Airship. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  65. ↑ Kellogg, Carolyn (May 5, 2014). "The O. Henry Prize - and anthology - announces 2014 winners". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  66. ↑ "2014 O. Henry Prize Winners". Publishers Weekly. May 5, 2014. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  67. ↑ "2014 Lambda Literary Award Winners". FictionDB. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  68. ↑ "Winners of the 26th Annual Lambda Literary Awards Announced". Lambda Literary. June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  69. ↑ "Young Lions Award List of Winners and Finalists". New York Public Library. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  70. ↑ "Two South Africans and One Nigerian Battle For £15,000 Etisalat Prize For Literature". Modern Ghana. March 11, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  71. ↑ "2015 First Novel Prize". The Center for Fiction. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  72. ↑ "Center for Fiction First Novel Prize | 2015". LibraryThing. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  73. ↑ "NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction 2016". ShelfEvident. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  74. ↑ "The Betty Berzon Emerging Writer Award". The Publishing Triangle. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  75. ↑ "Triangle Awards Finalists Announced". Publishers Weekly. March 14, 2017. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  76. ↑ Obi-Young, Otosirieze (April 12, 2017). "Chinelo Okparanta, Mia Couto and Jose Eduardo Agualusa Shortlisted for the 2017 International Dublin Literary Award". Brittle Paper. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  77. ↑ "Chinelo Okparanta". Carnegie. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  78. ↑ Murua, James (December 16, 2022). "Aspen Words Literary Prize 2023 longlist announced". Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  79. ↑ "NoViolet Bulawayo and Chinelo Okparanta Longlisted for the 2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize". Afrocritik. December 20, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2026.

Further reading

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