Chimamanda Adichie, the award-winning Nigerian author, has recalled one particularly encounter with a fan in Copenhagen, Denmark, who told her, “You make me feel stronger”.
“In all of my touring, the most moving that actually brought me to tears was a woman in Copenhagen,” she said.
“She just looked at me and she said to me ‘you make me feel stronger’”.
The 47-year-old literary icon also revealed how astonished she is, by the overwhelming support from her readers worldwide.
Chimamanda during a recent interview admitted she still finds it remarkable that her book events sell out within 24 hours, with thousands paying to hear her speak.
Chimamanda said she often questions the phenomenon but remains deeply moved by the profound connection readers have with her work.
She said, “I have never lost my sense of wonder. It is not false modesty, it is, in fact, true that I go through these things, I am just shocked that it (book events) are sold out in 24 hours, that there are 1,000 people there to see me, they bloody paid money to see me.
“There is a part of me that still thinks really why? That is always lovely to just see the kind of connection that people make to my work. I am also very moved by the idea of human connection, so people who are so different from you.
“They read you and they say to you ‘this was me’.”