Ben Okri je uznávaný básník a prozaik, jehož dílo často čerpá z jeho zkušeností s politickým násilím a chaosem, které zažil během nigerijské občanské války. Jeho rané prózy se zaměřují na mladé muže, kteří se snaží pochopit rozpad své rodiny a země. Okri je známý svým hlubokým vhledem do lidské psychiky a duchovních rozměrů života, zejména v jeho románech, které zkoumají složitou realitu života jako „duchovního dítěte“. Jeho psaní se vyznačuje magickou realitou a poetickým jazykem, který čtenáře vtáhne do bohatých a atmosférických světů.
This collection features 36 remarkable stories from prominent African writers, showcasing a diverse range of voices and styles over the past century. Curated by Ben Okri, a Booker Prize-winning Nigerian poet and novelist, the anthology highlights the richness of African literature and offers readers a profound exploration of the continent's narratives and themes.
Exploring the aftermath of heartbreak, the protagonist Viv organizes a unique party to commemorate the anniversary of her first husband's departure. Alongside her hesitant second husband Alan and friends Beatrice and Stephen, she aims to create a space for those wounded by love. The event's highlight is the appearance of Madame Sosostris, a legendary fortuneteller linked to T.S. Eliot, who may hold the key to healing their emotional scars. Set in a mystical French wood, the gathering promises both disguise and revelation.
The collection showcases a powerful exploration of Africa's complexities, offering vibrant and nuanced portraits that challenge oversimplified narratives of suffering. Through evocative language, the poems celebrate the traditions and resilience of African people, presenting a tapestry of strength and hope. Originally published in 1992, this debut work by the Booker Prize-winning author highlights the rich cultural landscape of the continent, inviting readers to engage with its deeper realities.
'Both a work of lyrical imagination and a warning about the dangers we will face unless we take immediate action' New Yorker 'An artist's ardent plea for change' Kirkus This earth that we love is in grave danger because of us. Forests are becoming legends, rare as unicorns...If we continue to live as we do now, there will be no world left for us to fix, Booker Prize-winner Ben Okri argues in this evocative collection. He imagines messages - sent to us from beyond the end, from those who saw it coming - exhorting us to change now.Combining fiction, essay and poetry, Tiger Work displays Okri's classic blend of storytelling, fantasy and magic.
A novel about life in the time immediately before the arrival of the Atlantic slavers. Two lovers meet for the first time. One is the son of a king, struggling to find his place in the world, the other is the gifted daughter of a master craftsman from a famous but secretive tribe...
In this environmental fairytale made for our times, a little girl must go alone into the forest to find a special flower to cure her sick mother. Written to be read by adults and children, from the Booker Prize-winning author of The Famished Road.
Two actors, a thousand characters, and the story of how a kingdom is changed... An epic new adaptation of the 4,000-year-old Egyptian poem about the Warrior King, Sinuhe written by Booker Prize-winner Ben Okri that captures the essence of humanity and the complexities of immigration. This edition of Changing Destiny is published to coincide with the world premiere performance at London's Young Vic Theatre, directed by Young Vic Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah. Ben Okri is a poet, novelist, essayist, short story writer, anthologist, aphorist, and playwright. He has also written film scripts. His works have won numerous national and international prizes, including the Booker Prize for Fiction. He has also received many honorary doctorates for his contribution to Literature, and his novel, Astonishing the Gods, was selected as one of the BBC's '100 Novels That Shaped Our World' Recently, his Grenfell poem, on Channel Four's YouTube page, has received more than 6 million views.
A collection of new and recently completed poems by Ben Okri covering topics of the day, such as the refugee crisis, racism, Obama, the Grenfell Tower fire, and the Corona outbreak.
These poems range across a wide variety of subjects, from the autobiographical to the philosophical, from war to love, from nature to the difficulty of truly seeing.
Topical and timely, Booker Prize-winning author Ben Okri's new collection of short stories blur parallel realities and walk the line between darkness and magic. Is what you see all there is? Look again. Playful, frightening, even shocking – the stories in this collection blur the lines between illusion and reality. This is a writer at the height of his power, making the reader think, making them laugh, and sometimes making them want to look away while holding their gaze. Stories here are set in London, in Byzantium, in the ghetto, in the Andes, in a printer's shop in Spain. The characters include a murderer, a writer, a detective, a man in a cave, a man in a mirror, two little boys, a prison door, and the author himself. There are twenty-three stories in all. Each one will make you wonder if what you see in the world is all there is...