Christopher Abani (or Chris Abani) (born December 27, 1966) is a Nigerian author.

He was a political prisoner in Nigeria at various times during 1985 and 1991. At times he was held in solitary confinement and he was held on death row for some time after being sentenced to death for treason.

He is a Professor at the University of California, Riverside and the recipient of the PEN USA Freedom-to-Write Award, the 2001 Prince Claus Awards, a Lannan Literary Fellowship, a California Book Award, a Hurston-Wright Legacy Award and the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award. Selections of his poetry appear in the online journal Blackbird.

Works

Novels

• The Virgin of Flames (Penguin, 2007)
• GraceLand (FSG, 2004/Picador 2005)
• Masters of the Board (Delta, 1985)

Novellas

• Becoming Abigail (Akashic, 2006)
• Song For Night (Akashic, 2007)

Poetry

• Hands Washing Water (Copper Canyon, 2006)
• Dog Woman (Red Hen, 2004)
• Daphne's Lot (Red Hen, 2003)
• Kalakuta Republic (Saqi, 2001).

Awards, grants and honors

2006

• A New York Times Editor's Choice (Becoming Abigail)
• A Chicago Reader Critic's Choice (Becoming Abigail)
• A selection of the Essence Magazine Book Club (Becoming Abigail)
• A selection of the Black Expressions Book Club (Becoming Abigail)
• Pushcart Nomination (poetry) (A Way To Turn This To Light)
• Shortlisted for International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award (GraceLand).

2005

• Winner, Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award. (GraceLand)
• Winner, Hurston-Wright Legacy Award (GraceLand)
• Silver Medal, California Book Award for Fiction (GraceLand)
• Finalist, Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction. (GraceLand)
• Finalist, Commonwealth Writers Prize, Best Books (Africa Region)(GraceLand)
• Pushcart Nomination for Blooding. StoryQuarterly.

2003

• Lannan Foundation Literary Fellowship, USA
• Hellman/Hammet Grant from Human Rights Watch, USA.

2002

• Imbongi Yesizwe Poetry International Award, South Africa.

2001

• PEN USA West Freedom-to-Write Award, USA.
• Prince Claus Awards.
• Middleton Fellowship, University of Southern California, USA

External links

• Official Website
• Poems in Blackbird
• Biography from the international literature festival berlin
• June 2007 TED Talk entitled "Learning the stories of Africa"