Author's Corner: Uwem Akpan Biography, Education, Books, Notable Works, Awards And Religion Faith.

Name: Uwem Akpan

Age: 52

Occupation: Writer

Nationality: Nigerian

Biography

Uwem Akpan is a writer of fiction and a Catholic priest, born on May 1971 (52 years old), in . Akpan's collection of short stories about children in Africa, entitled Say you're one of them, has made him world-famous. Say You're One of Them published in (2008), is a collection of five stories (each set in a different African country).

Religion Faith

Uwem Akpan is a member of the
Society of Jesus. In 2003, Akpan was ordained a Jesuit priest. He speaks English and Pidgin frequently.

Books

Uwem Akpan has been touring American with his books and Nigeria too. Some of his notable works is "Fattening for Gabon",  in an interview he said was attached to the main character, a little girl, after finding out she would not escape but her brother would. In the interview, Uwem Akpan confessed he could not write for one month.

Education:

Uwem Akpan attended the University of Michigan, Creighton University, and the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. In his early age, he attended Saint Paul's Primary School, Ekparakwa; Methodist Primary School, Usung Ibong; and Saint Anne's Primary School, Ifuho; and his secondary education was at Queen of Apostles, Afaha Obong, all in Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria.

After studying humanities and philosophy at Creighton University and Gonzaga University, he received a theology degree from the Catholic University of East Africa in Kenya. Uwem Akpan is also a graduate of the University of Michigan's MFA program.

Awards And Achievements

Uwem Akpan book Say You're One of Them (2008), inspired Angélique Kidjo to write the song "Agbalagba". It made the Best of the Year list at People magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and other places. The New York Times made it the Editor's Choice, and Entertainment Weekly listed it at No. 27 in their Best of the Decade. 

Say You're One of Them also won the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Africa Region), the Open Book Prize, and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award. A New York Times and Wall Street Journal No. 1 bestseller. The book has been translated into 12 languages. It won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, the PEN Open Book Award, and was picked by the Oprah Winfrey Book Club September 17, 2009, in Central Park.

Two months later, Oprah interviewed Uwem in Chicago as part of her bookclub event with Anderson Cooper giving short commentaries on some of the African countries in Uwem's book. The interview was streamed live simultaneously from Oprah.com, Facebook and CNN