Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s perspective on the end of the world.
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's perspective on the end of the world.
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah: The Elegant Writer Who Wouldn’t Even Hurt a Butterfly
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, a successful and wildly talented writer, has a soft spot for butterflies. In fact, he once felt genuinely rueful for thinking he had crushed one. Luckily, the butterflies at the Museum of Natural History are safe from harm, as their vivarium tickets are sold out. So, we watch through Plexiglas as their gemstone bodies flicker and mesmerize a lucky group of schoolchildren and stylish Europeans with their graceful dance.
Adjei-Brenyah, in his elegant forest green trilby hat, captivates even the security guard, who momentarily strays from corralling unruly tweens just to compliment his fashionable headwear. Little does the guard know that this unassuming gentleman is the author of two explosive literary sensations. Adjei-Brenyah’s story collection, Friday Black, and his debut novel, Chain-Gang All-Stars, have propelled him to the forefront of contemporary literature, earning him critical acclaim and a spot on the prestigious National Book Award for Fiction shortlist.
Described as “brutal, maximalist, and often gorgeously profane missiles of dystopian satire,” Adjei-Brenyah’s writing is a whirlwind of social commentary and imagination. It is no wonder that even Jenna Bush Hager, unlikely as it may seem, chose his book for her Today-show club. Adjei-Brenyah’s ability to tackle pressing social issues, such as the U.S. prison-industrial complex, while maintaining mass appeal is unparalleled. He effortlessly slips social-justice pills into the chunky peanut butter of his narratives, creating an exhilarating and profound reading experience.
But Adjei-Brenyah’s path to success was anything but conventional. Born to Ghanaian immigrants in Queens, he grew up in Spring Valley, a diverse town composed mostly of first- and second-generation immigrants. Money was tight, but books were abundant. Adjei-Brenyah and his friends would spend hours at the library, writing fantasy stories and immersing themselves in their own imaginative worlds. Writing became an escape, a way to navigate the challenges of life.
As a teenager, Adjei-Brenyah faced financial instability and mental-health issues within his family, taking on various retail jobs to help make ends meet. These experiences formed the backbone of some of his signature stories in Friday Black. In one unforgettable tale, set on a Black Friday shopping spree, materialism takes a comically deranged turn. Zombified shoppers fight and trample over discounted items, while stoic employees casually clean up the aftermath.
Despite the hardships, Adjei-Brenyah’s determination never wavered. He enrolled in SUNY Albany and discovered influential mentors who helped shape his unique writing style. Thanks to the guidance of Lynne Tillman and the discovery of George Saunders, Adjei-Brenyah found his voice and gained the courage to pursue a creative writing degree. His time at Syracuse University, where Saunders taught, further honed his skills and solidified his commitment to using fiction as a vehicle for social change.
Saunders, a former teacher and mentor, wholeheartedly believes in Adjei-Brenyah’s ability to captivate readers. He describes him as a lovely person, both generous and funny, who takes on difficult human problems and infuses them with energy and compassion. Through his writing, Adjei-Brenyah breaks free from conventional storytelling and forces us to examine the world with fresh eyes.
In his novel, Chain-Gang All-Stars, Adjei-Brenyah tackles the concept of incarceration in a near-future dystopia, where convicted prisoners fight for freedom on a televised gladiator circuit. Through vivid characters, biting condemnations, and corporate branding, he dissects a broken system and prompts us to question our own complicity in its existence.
Adjei-Brenyah firmly believes in the intrinsic value of every human being. Activated by the tragic death of Trayvon Martin, he shines a light on the injustices embedded in the criminal justice system. Cash bail, solitary confinement, and systemic violence are just some of the issues he confronts in his work. His writing calls upon us to acknowledge these problems and become catalysts for change.
Despite his rapid rise to fame, Adjei-Brenyah remains humble and grounded. He acknowledges that external recognition and success do not bring happiness. Instead, he finds joy in the act of writing itself, in being fully present in the sentence. The genuine connection he forges with readers is what fuels his creativity and motivates him to continue telling stories.
As he navigates the world of literary stardom, Adjei-Brenyah is already envisioning the adaptation of his works into other mediums. All twelve stories from Friday Black have been optioned for the screen, and he dreams of talented directors, such as Hiro Murai, Jordan Peele, or Gina Prince-Bythewood, bringing his stories to life. However, the ongoing strikes in Hollywood have momentarily put these plans on hold.
For now, Adjei-Brenyah is settling back into his Bronx home, working on his next story collection, and embracing a life of writing. And as he heads off to another reading, surrounded by ordinary butterflies in the Upper West Side, he remains unbothered and free, true to his elegant and compassionate nature.
Leah Greenblatt is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer and member of the New York Film Critics Circle.
