Areas of Specialization

Poetics and Poetry, Creative Writing, Postcolonial Literature (African and Caribbean), Twentieth Century Literature (British and American), Gender Studies, Jazz and West African Music.

Education

• Ph.D. Literature and Creative Writing. 2004
  University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA.
  
  
• M.A. English. 2002.
  University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA.
  
  
• M.A. Gender, Society, and Culture. 1995.
  Birkbeck College, University of London, UK.
  
  
• B.A. magna cum laude in English and Literary Studies. 1991.
  Imo State University, Imo, Owerri, Nigeria, West Africa.

Honors and Awards

• 2009 - John Simon Guggenheim Foundation fellowship in fiction

• 2008 - Winner, PEN Beyond the Margins Award for Song For Night.

• 2008 - Nominated for Lamada Award (the Virgin of Flames)

• 2008 - Recipient, Distinguished Humanist Award (UC, Riverside)

• 2007 - Pushcart Nomination for Sanctificum. (poetry)

• 2007 - New York Times Editor's Choice (Song for Night)

• 2007 - Finalist, PEN Beyond the Margins Award (Becoming Abigail)

• 2007 - A Barnes and Noble Discovery Selection (The Virgin of Flames)

• 2007 - A New York Times Editor's Choice (The Virgin of Flames)

• 2007 - A New York Libraries Books For Teens Selection (Becoming Abigail)

• 2006 - A New York Times Editor's Choice (Becoming Abigail)

• 2006 - A Chicago Reader Critic's Choice (Becoming Abigail)

• 2006 - A selection of the Essence Magazine Book Club (Becoming Abigail)

• 2006 - A selection of the Black Expressions Book Club (Becoming Abigail)

• 2006 - Pushcart Nomination (poetry) for "A Way To Turn This To Light."

• 2006 - Finalist for IMPAC Dublin Prize (GraceLand)

• 2005 - Winner, PEN Hemingway Book Prize. (GraceLand)

• 2005 - Winner Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for Debut Fiction (GraceLand)

• 2005 - Silver Medal, California Book Award for Fiction. (GraceLand)

• 2005 - Finalist, Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction. (GraceLand)

• 2005 - Finalist, Commonwealth Writers Prize, Best Books (Africa Region). (GraceLand)

• 2005 - Pushcart Nomination for "Blooding." StoryQuarterly.

• 2004 - Barnes and Noble Discover New Writers. (GraceLand)

• 2004 - New York Times Editor's Choice (GraceLand)

• 2004 - Nominated for The Kingsley Tufts Prize for Poetry (Dog Woman)

• 2004 - Nominated for The Griffin Prize in Poetry (Dog Woman)

• 2003 - Lannan Literary Fellowship in Poetry. USA.

• 2003 - Hellmann/Hammett Grant from Human Rights Watch. USA.

• 2002 - Imbongi Ysizwe Poetry International Award. South Africa.

• 2001 - PEN Center USA West International Freedom-to-Write Award. USA.

• 2001 - Prince Claus of the Netherlands International Writing Award. The Netherlands.

• 2001 - Middleton Fellowship, University of Southern California, USA.

Teaching Experience

Appointments

• Visiting Assistant Professor. Creative Writing. University of California, Riverside. 2003-2004
• Associate Professor. MFA Creative Writing. Antioch University, Los Angeles. 2001 to date.

Publications

Books

Poetry:

• Dog Woman. Red Hen Press, California, USA. Fall 2004.
• Maar mijn hart is onvergankelijk (My Heart Is Unending): Selected Poems (In Bilingual English-Dutch translation) Wagner & Van Sauten, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. 2003.
• Daphne's Lot. Red Hen Press, California, USA. 2003.
• Kalakuta Republic. Saqi Books, London, UK. 2000.

Novels:

• Graceland. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, USA. 2004.
• Masters of the Board. Delta, Nigeria. 1985.

Plays

• The Poet, The Soldier, The Lover and The Paper-Kite Maker. Commissioned by The Kennedy Foundation as a play for young adults and staged at The Actor's Gang, Hollywood. Written and directed by Chris Abani. Co-director, Antonia Carneval. 2003.
  
  
• Song of a Broken Flute. Commissioned by Center for Igbo Studies, Imo State University, Nigeria. Written and Directed by Chris Abani. 1990.
  
  
• Room at the Top. Imo State Broadcasting Station (Television), Nigeria. Written by Chris Abani. 1985.