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Elnathan John (born 1982) is a Nigerian novelist, satirist and lawyer whose stories have twice been shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing.[1]
Elnathan John | |
|---|---|
 Picture of Elnathan John | |
| Born | 1982 (age 41–42) |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Alma mater | Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria |
| Occupation(s) | Writer (English, Hausa) |
| Notable work | Born on a Tuesday, Be(com)ing Nigerian |
| Awards | Betty Trask Award |
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Elnathan John was born in Kaduna, in north-west Nigeria, in 1982.[2] He attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the Nigerian Law School, where he obtained law degrees.[3]
His short story Bayan Layi, published in Per Contra, was shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing in 2013.[4] He was shortlisted again for the Caine Prize in 2015 for his short story Flying.[5]
His writing has been published in The Economist, The Guardian, Per Contra, Hazlitt, ZAM Magazine, Evergreen Review, and Chimurenga's The Chronic.[6]
John's first novel, Born on a Tuesday[7][8] was published in 2016 by Cassava Republic Press in 2015 and in the US by Grove Atlantic.[9][2][10] Born on a Tuesday was shortlisted in September 2016 for the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature, Africa's largest literary award[11] it won a Betty Trask Award.[12] Translated into French as Né un mardi by Céline Schwaller, it received the Les Afriques prize in 2019.[13]
His second book, Be(com)ing Nigerian, A Guide, a collection of satirical pieces, was published by Cassava Republic Press in 2019.[14]
His third book, a graphic novel,[15] was published by Cassava Republic Press in November 2019.[16] The book is illustrated by Alaba Onajin.
Elnathan John is a Civitella Ranieri Fellow.[17] He writes a weekly satirical column for the Sunday Trust Newspaper[18] and speaks regularly on Nigerian literature, media and politics. He is one of the judges of the 2019 Man Booker International Prize.[19]
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- 2013: Shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing[20]
- 2015: Shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing[21]
- 2016: Shortlisted for the Nigeria Prize for Literature[22]
- 2017: Longlisted for the Etisalat Prize for African Literature[23]
- 2017: Shortlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize[24]
- 2017: WINNER Betty Trask Award[25]
- 2018: Miles Morland Writing Scholarship[26]
- 2019: WINNER Prix Les Afriques[27]
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- Bayan Layi (2013)
- Flying (2015)
- Born on a Tuesday (2016)
- Be(com)ing Nigerian (2019)
- On Ajayi Crowther Street (2019)
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