Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions

By: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Narrated by: January LaVoy

Length: 1 hr and 1 min

Publisher's Summary

From the best-selling author of Americanah and We Should All Be Feminists comes a powerful new statement about feminism today - written as a letter to a friend.

A few years ago, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie received a letter from a dear friend from childhood, asking her how to raise her baby girl as a feminist. Dear Ijeawele is Adichie's letter of response.

Here are 15 invaluable suggestions - compelling, direct, wryly funny, and perceptive - for how to empower a daughter to become a strong, independent woman. From encouraging her to choose a helicopter and not only a doll as a toy if she so desires; having open conversations with her about clothes, makeup, and sexuality; debunking the myth that women are somehow biologically arranged to be in the kitchen making dinner and that men can "allow" women to have full careers, Dear Ijeawele goes right to the heart of sexual politics in the 21st century. It will start a new and urgently needed conversation about what it really means to be a woman today.

©2017 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

"January LaVoy's narration of this short work is intentional, assertively warm, and grounded.... There is wisdom in her voice conveying a lived experience." ( AudioFile)

Love, love, love!!!

Chimamanda busted the lid of female expectations. Reading/listening was a breath of fresh air. I am going to make my children listen to this.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Feminism 101

Amazing. This is an absolute must read for all parents, moms and dads to boys and girls.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

This should be required reading for all humans.

This book should be required reading, not just for the parents of baby girls, but for all adult humans. I bought both the Kindle and Audible versions of this book, and I know I'll refer to both versions regularly.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie dispenses some serious wisdom with honesty, warmth, and compassion. I can't recommend this more highly. Loved it.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

amazing whirlwind

what would you expect a book of this title to offer? I wondered. until I read it. there is not a woman... or man who should not read it... I recommend it to everyone. and hope these brief powerful suggestions are the topic of many conversations to come... worldwide. heart wide open.

Raising Modern Day Queens

Amazing read and suggestions that challenge both your own fallacies and upbringing while seeking to raise a more informed, equal gender future society.

Feminist Idealism

She looks at feminism as straight cut responsibilities between a man and a woman but she needs to remember that even though anybody can do anything, it is ideal for either a man or a woman to do the job. Can a man bear a child? Can a woman impregnate a man? This may be possible with scientific innovation but ideally it is not supposed to be so. Consequently what she advocates for can be dangerous to our young ladies who may mis-interprete it to mean that feminism means being an independent woman or anti-male.

Wise Words, Well-crafted

As the mother of a grown daughter who is a feminist, I would have loved to read this book as a young mother to give me greater guidance and affirmation. It is a book for ALL to read--parents of daughters and sons... and all others. These are wise words, well-crafted. I will be recommending this book to young parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents and child care workers because it takes a village to raise a child... and to raise a feminist.

Loved This

Chimamanda has a brilliant way with words and I love reading her views and opinions. January did an excellent job of the narration!

Full of insight and truth

About traditional female roles. Shattered the rules that hold the roles in place. Revealed the roles for both women and men as unhealthy and not leading to happiness or becoming one's true self. I cried as I realized how much I had given up of myself in order to fit into this narrow, confining, suffocating script of Woman and make myself acceptable to men and also to other women who had also accepted the bonds of limitation to a role. MA

Not Just for Nigeria

Feminism as it should be. Intersectional, aware, honest.
Great suggesstions for raising a daughter. Great suggestions for raising a son. Great suggestions for raising a human being.