Reading the Ceiling
![]() Book cover | |
Author | Dayo Forster |
---|---|
Language | English |
Publisher | Simon & Schuster (UK) |
Publication date | May 2007 |
Media type | |
ISBN | 9781416527640 |
Reading the Ceiling is a 2007 debut novel by Dayo Forster. Forster was born in the Gambia, studied at the London School of Economics, and she now lives in Kenya.[1][2]
Forster's book tells the story of eighteen-year-old Ayodele and explores three paths her life could take. Ayodele is a Gambian schoolgirl entering adulthood. One path takes her to university in England, and another to polygamy and motherhood.
Reception
[edit]Owen Richardson, reviewing the novel in The Age, compared it to Philip Roth's The Counterlife.[1] A reviewer for The Point praised Forster's use of local terminology and accurate portrayal of Gambian society, especially regarding the roles of women.[3]
In 2007, Reading the Ceiling was shortlisted for a Commonwealth Writers' Prize.[4] In 2019, the novel was one of The New York Times' travel selections, "52 Books for 52 Places"/[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Richardson, Owen (28 July 2007). "Reading the Ceiling". The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ^ Bournand, Dawn (2 June 2015). "TRIUM Global EMBA Alumna Proves Women In Africa Can Have A Positive Impact On The Global Economy". QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- ^ "Reading The Ceiling". The Point. Bakau. 16 May 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- ^ "Dayo Forster". Dean Street Press. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- ^ "52 Books for 52 Places". The New York Times. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
External links
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