Ben Okri muses that the death of his mother opened an abyss, a sudden loss that felt like standing on nothing. He says the best writing isn’t about the author but about the reader, and that stories can lift souls upward. He compares Africa’s past, present and future to a rough jazz and describes fire as the temperament behind his work.
Rate this collection:★★★★★
No ratings yet
Ben Okri is a writer from Nigeria, best known for The Famished Road.
Quick Facts About Ben Okri
Born
March 15, 1959
Nationality
Nigeria
Profession
Writer
Notable works
The Famished Road
Known for
The Famished Road, Starbook, Songs of Enchantment, Every Leaf a Hallelujah
About Ben Okri
He is often compared to Salman Rushdie and Gabriel García Márquez and is regarded as a leading African writer of post‑modern and post‑colonial literature. In 2023 he was knighted for his services to literature.
Awards & Honors
Booker PrizeKnight BachelorOfficer of the Order of the British EmpireFellow of the Royal Society of Literature
![“It is easier to get lost within sight of the palace. [...] Hope makes all things near, and so can prove treacherous.” quote by Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/ben-okri-3640_hope_it-is-easier-to-get-lost-within-sight-of_2855036.jpg)
