"Osondu's story hooks you from its first few lines, using direct address. Who is the character talking to? It's apparently narrated by a clever man from Nigeria who has figured out how to maneuver through America. To this character, the U.S. is a tribal country that doesn't like foreigners. Nonetheless, it appreciates the simple things, like watching baseball and listening to it on the radio. "Play it loud and let your neighbors hear what you are listening to; it will calm them and put them at ease about you." In short, "Debriefing" is about undocumented America past the glittering boutiques and bars and shopping malls. It's about a country made up of those just looking to survive."
About the Author:
E.C. Osondu was born in Nigeria. He earned an M.F.A from Syracuse University and is the author of the collection of stories Voice of America published 2010 by HarperCollins in the U.S. and GRANTA in the U.K He is a winner of the Caine Prize, also known as the African Booker, and a Pushcart Prize. He also won the Allen and Nirrelle Galson Prize from Stone Canoe. His fiction has appeared in The Atlantic, AGNI, n+1, Guernica, Kenyon Review, McSweeney's, New Statesman, and many other places. His novel This House is Not For Sale is due out from HarperCollins in Spring 2015, and is to be published by GRANTA in the U.K, Farafina in Nigeria, and Nerri Pozza in Italy.
About the Guest Editor:
Guernica is an award-winning online magazine of literature, art, politics, and ideas, celebrating 10 years of changing the conversation. Contributors come from more than sixty countries, write in dozens of languages, and offer original - at times radical - takes on global issues. The magazine is published twice monthly, with Guernica Daily showcasing new work every weekday.
About Electric Literature:
Electric Literature is an independent publisher amplifying the power of storytelling through digital innovation. Electric Literature's weekly fiction magazine, Recommended Reading, invites established authors, indie presses, and literary magazines to recommended great fiction. Once a month we feature our own recommendation of original, previously unpublished fiction. Stay connected with us through our eNewsletter (where you can win weekly prizes), Facebook, and Twitter, and find previous Electric Literature picks in the Recommended Reading archives.
About the Author:
E.C. Osondu was born in Nigeria. He earned an M.F.A from Syracuse University and is the author of the collection of stories Voice of America published 2010 by HarperCollins in the U.S. and GRANTA in the U.K He is a winner of the Caine Prize, also known as the African Booker, and a Pushcart Prize. He also won the Allen and Nirrelle Galson Prize from Stone Canoe. His fiction has appeared in The Atlantic, AGNI, n+1, Guernica, Kenyon Review, McSweeney's, New Statesman, and many other places. His novel This House is Not For Sale is due out from HarperCollins in Spring 2015, and is to be published by GRANTA in the U.K, Farafina in Nigeria, and Nerri Pozza in Italy.
About the Guest Editor:
Guernica is an award-winning online magazine of literature, art, politics, and ideas, celebrating 10 years of changing the conversation. Contributors come from more than sixty countries, write in dozens of languages, and offer original - at times radical - takes on global issues. The magazine is published twice monthly, with Guernica Daily showcasing new work every weekday.
About Electric Literature:
Electric Literature is an independent publisher amplifying the power of storytelling through digital innovation. Electric Literature's weekly fiction magazine, Recommended Reading, invites established authors, indie presses, and literary magazines to recommended great fiction. Once a month we feature our own recommendation of original, previously unpublished fiction. Stay connected with us through our eNewsletter (where you can win weekly prizes), Facebook, and Twitter, and find previous Electric Literature picks in the Recommended Reading archives.
Used availability for E C Osondu's Debriefing