Chigozie Obioma’s The Road to the Country is a part of this year’s Joyce Carol Oates Prize longlist. The prize is sponsored by New Literary Project, a non-profit that hopes to support authors while fostering social change and artistic power. The Joyce Carol Oates Prize celebrates authors who have published at least two notable books of fiction, but has yet to receive capstone recognition for their work.

Set in 1960s Nigeria, Chigozie Obioma’s The Road to the Country is about a young man, Kunle, who finds himself on a rescue mission to save his younger brother who disappears when civil war breaks out. Kunle has to fight a war that he can’t understand in order to redeem himself and find his brother. Obioma combines themes of brotherhood and courage to create an emotionally powerful story that has connected with so many people.

Here’s what The Wall Street Journal has to say about Chigozie Obioma:

Chigozie Obioma is that rare thing: an original. His world is a mix of the real and the folkloric, and his writing sounds like no one else’s.

Nigerian writer Chigozie Obioma has published three novels. His first two novels, The Fishermen and An Orchestra of Minorities were both shortlisted for The Booker Prize and have won prizes including the FT/Oppenheimer Award for Fiction, an LA Times Book prize, and more. The Joyce Carol Oates Prize is a wonderful opportunity for Obioma to add to his already great achievements.

The longlisted authors were chosen by official submissions by a range of publishers, agents, authors, and author representatives. The finalists for the prize are expected to be announced in March 2025 and the winner is expected to be announced in April 2025.

The recipient of the prize will receive $50,000 and the opportunity for a Fall 2025 residence at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Bay Area. They will be able to give readings, talks, teach classes, and make other appearances.

The Joyce Carol Oates Prize was created to honor author Joyce Carol Oates. She is on the New Literary Project Board of Directors as an honorary member. Oates is committed to enhancing “the lives of students, readers, and writers across generations and diverse communities.”

Joyce Carol Oates also recently joined the Hogarth Books community who also published Chigozie Obioma’s The Road to the Country. Her novel, FOX, is set to be published by Hogarth in June of 2025.

The Joyce Carol Oates Prize is a great opportunity for writers to celebrate past achievements and support their upcoming work, read more about what else the New Literary Project has to offer here!

Congratulations to Chigozie Obioma on being included in the longlist!

See Chigozie Obioma’s Instagram announcement below: