Never Look an American in the Eye: A Memoir of Flying Turtles, Colonial Ghosts, and the Making of a Nigerian American Summary
Ndibe, Okey

Never Look an American in the Eye: A Memoir of Flying Turtles, Colonial Ghosts, and the Making of a Nigerian American Overview

Okey Ndibe's memoir Never Look an American in the Eye: Flying Turtles, Colonial Ghosts, and the Making of a Nigerian American portrays episodes in the author's life surrounding his emigration from Nigeria to America and his eventual obtaining of American citizenship. While Ndibe's position as an immigrant enables him to mediate on American stereotypes about Africa, he is ultimately most concerned with his own transformation into a wiser, more loving person as a result of his experiences across continents. Told in the first person, the memoir explores themes of cross-cultural communication, Nigerian and American identity, and the radical power of literature.