In Conversation: Angela Flournoy with Sarah Gwonyoma

Angela Flournoy is a novelist and essayist who lives in New York. Her new novel, The Wilderness, was longlisted for National Book Award and the Kirkus Prize in the United States. Her debut novel, The Turner House, was a finalist for the National Book Award, and announced her as a major new literary talent. Her nonfiction has appeared in many publications, including The New York Times, The Nation, The Los Angeles Times and The New Yorker. She was raised in Southern California by a mother from Los Angeles and a father from Detroit. VERVE Books will publish The Turner House in October.

The Wilderness - Desiree, January, Monique and Nakia are in their early twenties and at the beginning: of their careers, of marriage, of motherhood and of big city lives in New York and Los Angeles. Together, they are finding their way through the wilderness, that period of life when the reality of contemporary adulthood – overwhelming, mysterious and full of freedom and consequences – swoops in and stays. Desiree is estranged from her sister Danielle, and the two nurse bitter family wounds in different ways. January’s in a relationship with a ‘good’ man she feels ambivalent about, even after her surprise pregnancy. Monique, a librarian and aspiring blogger, finds unexpected online fame after calling out the university where she works for its plans to whitewash fraught history. And Nakia is trying to get her restaurant off the ground, without relying on the largesse of her upper middle-class family who wonder aloud if she should be doing something better with her life. As these friends transition from young adults to grown women, they must figure out what they mean to one another - amid political upheaval, economic and environmental instability and the increasing volatility of modern life.

Sarah Gwonyoma is the Founder of the popular online platform What Sarah Read Next. With an acute eye for what the hottest books are, Sarah writes regular book reviews for The Sunday Times In Style Magazine and has interviewed an array of notable authors on the literary circuit; Douglas Stuart, Abi Morgan, Annie MacManus, David Nicholls, Elif Shafak and Michael Rosen. In addition to her interviewing skills, She has also been interviewed about her life and work on various platforms including Annie MacManus Podcast ‘Changes’. Sarah has partnered with The Women’s Prize and Booker Prize, and hosted the Nibbies Podcast with Hannah MacInnes. This year Sarah is a Judge for the Nero Book Awards and Nibbies. Sarah will be hosting the brand new Debut Fiction Series at Latitude Festival this Summer.

"In Conversation" has grown into a remarkable event series at Afrori Books. Whether it’s a lively auditorium filled with hundreds or a cosy, intimate setting, these events offer a chance to engage with some of the brightest established and emerging authors and creatives from around the globe. These are one-of-a-kind opportunities to hear personal stories and experiences, shared with honesty and openness. At Afrori Books, we’re committed to providing a safe space for Black creatives to tell their stories in their own voices. We’d love for you to join the conversation.

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