Imbolo Mbue’s latest novel, How Beautiful We Were, releases this month as she kicks off a virtual book tour around the United States and Canada.
The Cameroonian-American writer made waves with her debut novel, Behold the Dreamers (2016), which won the PEN/Faulkner award for Fiction and was selected for Oprah’s Book Club.
How Beautiful We Were was released by Random House on March 9, 2021. It takes place in a fictional African village that faces environmental devastation at the hands of an American oil company. The story is told by the children of this village who must fight to reclaim their land and their future.
Though readers will not get the chance to meet Mbue speak in person, the virtual aspect of the tour allows for access from anywhere. Fans can choose to tune in to conversations between Mbue and fellow writers, a filmmaker, and the editors of Random House and the New York Times Book Review among others.
The tour runs from March 9 through April 14, in all likeliness that more events will be announced. Click on the dates below or click here to follow updates on the full list of events.
Click here to order your copy of How Beautiful We Were.
How Beautiful We Were Tour Dates
Most events will be held via Zoom. Registration required.
Imbolo Mbue will be in conversation with David Ebershoff, author of The Danish Girl.
3/10 | Hennepin County Library (MN)
Talk of the Stacks, in conversation with Anika Fajardo, author of Magical Realism for Non-Believers.
Imbolo Mbue will be in conversation with her editor at Random House, Andy Ward.
3/11 | North Central Library (WA)
Attendees will hear from Imbolo Mbue, and then have an opportunity to submit questions through the chat feature for the author to answer live.
Imbolo Mbue will be in conversation with filmmaker Lacey Scwartz-Delgado.
3/13 | Montclair Literary Festival (NJ)
Imbolo Mbue will be in conversation with Liz Egan, an editor at the New York Times Book Review.
Imbolo Mbue will be in conversation with Yiyun Li, author most recently of Must I Go.
3/16 | The Red Balloon Book Shop (St. Paul)
Further details TBA
3/18 | Columbus Metro Library (OH)
Imbolo Mbue joins Columbus Metropolitan Library for a virtual Carnegie Author Series event to discuss her novels, Behold the Dreamers and How Beautiful We Were.
3/19 | National Writers Series (MI)
Imbolo Mbue will be in conversation with Rochelle Riley, director of Arts and Culture for the city of Detroit.
3/21 | Deschutes County Library (OR)
Further details TBA
Further details TBA
3/30 | New York Public Library (NY)
Further details TBA
4/9 | Random House Open House
Further details TBA
4/14 | Toronto Public Library (Canada)
Further details TBA
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