NoViolet Bulawayo
Full Name and Common Aliases
NoViolet Bulawayo is a Zimbabwean novelist and playwright.
Birth and Death Dates
Born August 9, 1980, in Hwange, Zimbabwe; no known date of death.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Zimbabwean nationality, novelist, and playwright.
Early Life and Background
NoViolet Bulawayo was born on August 9, 1980, in Hwange, a small town in the northwestern region of Zimbabwe. Her childhood was marked by poverty and hardship; her parents struggled to provide for their family amidst the economic challenges facing the country at the time. Despite these difficulties, Bulawayo's father encouraged her love of reading, which would later become the foundation of her writing career.
Growing up in a rural area, Bulawayo drew inspiration from the people and landscapes around her. Her experiences with poverty and inequality would later shape her writing, as she sought to give voice to those silenced by societal pressures. After completing her secondary education, Bulawayo moved to South Africa for further studies, where she began to develop her writing skills.
Major Accomplishments
Bulawayo's breakthrough novel, _We Need New Names_, was published in 2013 to critical acclaim. The book tells the story of a young Zimbabwean girl growing up amidst poverty and violence, and explores themes of identity, belonging, and the complexities of post-colonial life.
The novel received widespread recognition, including being shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the National Book Award. Bulawayo's writing has been praised for its vivid portrayal of life in Zimbabwe, as well as its unflinching examination of the country's troubled past and present.
Notable Works or Actions
In addition to _We Need New Names_, Bulawayo has published several short stories and essays that have appeared in various literary journals. Her writing often explores themes of identity, politics, and social justice, and is characterized by its lyricism and nuance.
Bulawayo's work has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including the 2013 Betty Trask Award for emerging writers. She has also been a fellow at several prestigious literary institutions, including the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa.
Impact and Legacy
NoViolet Bulawayo's writing has had a significant impact on contemporary literature, particularly in the realms of post-colonial and African diasporic studies. Her work has helped to bring attention to the experiences of Zimbabweans and other Africans living in the shadow of colonialism and economic hardship.
Bulawayo's commitment to social justice and her unflinching portrayal of difficult subjects have made her a respected voice in literary circles. Her writing continues to inspire readers around the world, offering a powerful reminder of the importance of storytelling in shaping our understanding of the human experience.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
NoViolet Bulawayo is widely quoted and remembered for her unflinching portrayal of life in Zimbabwe, as well as her commitment to social justice. Her writing offers a powerful counter-narrative to dominant discourses on Africa and its people, instead giving voice to those who have been silenced by societal pressures.
Bulawayo's work has resonated with readers around the world, who are drawn to her lyricism, nuance, and unflinching examination of difficult subjects. Her commitment to storytelling as a tool for social change has made her a respected figure in literary circles, and her writing continues to inspire new generations of writers and readers alike.
Quotes by NoViolet Bulawayo
NoViolet Bulawayo's insights on:
When you look into their faces it’s like something that was in there got up and gathered its things and walked away.
He doesn’t tell Aunt Fostalina she looks good, like I’ve heard other people do; he tells her she looks like sunrise.
Further and further we go, and the sun keeps ironing us and ironing us and ironing us.
If these walls could talk, the buildings would stutter, wouldn’t remember their names.
When things fall apart, the children of the land scurry and scatter like birds escaping a burning sky... They will never be the same again because you cannot be the same once you leave behind who and what you are, you just cannot be the same... Look at them leaving in droves, despite knowing they will be welcomed with restraint in those strange lands because they do not belong.
It’s not the lying itself that makes makes me feel bad but the fact that I’m here lying to my friends. I don’t like not playing with them and I don’t like lying to them because they are the most important thing to me and when I’m not with them I feel like I’m not even me.
We’re hungry but we’re together and we’re at home and everything is sweeter than dessert.
Look at them leaving in droves, arm in arm with loss and lost, look at them leaving in droves.
As for the coldness, I have never seen it like this. I mean, coldness that makes like it wants to kill you, like it’s telling you, with its snow, that you should go back to where you came from.