11 books Butter Honey Pig Bread author Francesca Ekwuyasi loved reading

Francesca Ekwuyasi is a Halifax writer, artistand filmmaker born in Lagos, Nigeria. Her work explores themes of faith, family, queerness, lonelinessand belonging.

Her writing has appeared in the Malahat Review, Guts and Brittle Paper and she waslonglisted for the 2019 Journey Prize.Butter Honey Pig Breadis her first book.

Butter Honey Pig Breadtells the interwoven stories of twin sisters, Kehinde and Taiye, and their mother, Kambirinachi. Kambirinachi is convinced she was born an ogbanje, a spirit that plagues families with misfortune by dying in childhood to cause its mother misery.When the estranged women meet years later, they confront their past and find forgiveness through food from their childhood.

Butter Honey Pig Breadwas on the2020 Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist.Chef, recording artist and TV hostRoger Mookingis championingButter Honey Pig BreadonCanada Reads2021.

Canada Readswill take place March 8-11.The debateswill be hosted byAli Hassanandwill be broadcast onCBC Radio One,CBC TV,CBC Gemand onCBC Books.

• Meet theCanada Reads2021 contenders

"In my life, books have been my comfort, friendship, and a healthy form ofescape," Ekwuyasi told CBC Books."I feel readingignitesmy imagination. Itoffers hopeforfuture possibilities.I think ofstorytellingasa way tocomfort us through weird times and to help us imagine other futures. When I read a book, I like to feel I'm beingteleported to wherever the writertakes me."

Ekwuyasi told CBC Books about some of the books she loves.

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

"I read Purple Hibiscus when I was about 14 or 15.It was the first book I read that was about a life I knew immediately because it was a summer that took place in places I knew in my own personal life. It was about a young woman who was my age.

Reading this book was just so close to my own experience.Itwas really empowering.

"Upuntil then, the books I'd been reading were either British or American orNigerian folklore books that took place in rural areas, or hadheavy magical realism.

"And so reading this book was just so close to my own experience. It was empowering.It made me realize I could write what I knew.Before that, my short stories were always about white people;this book really opened my mind."

• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on why she can't stay silent

Everything Good Will Come by Sefi Atta

"Sefi Atta is another Nigerian woman writer. Everything Good Will Come is inspiring because she was writing about the neighbourhood and era I grew up in.

Everything Good Will Come is inspiring because she was writing about the neighbourhood and era I grew up in.

"She also writes aboutthe pastwhen my parentshadbeen growing up, and about places I knew intimately, like the Jazzhole, which is a music and bookstore in Lagos.

"And again, I was learning that I could write what I knew."

Anthills of the Savannah by Chinua Achebe

"Anthills of the Savannah by Chinua Achebe was written, I think, in the 70s or 80s,so I wasn't born yet. But the characters were so relatable.

It is about young people during a time in Nigerian politics. They are just trying to make sense of where their place was.

"It is aboutyoung people during a time in Nigerian politics. They are just trying to make sense of where their place was. I was so moved by it."

• Chinua Achebe on redefining Nigeria with his writing

White Teeth by Zadie Smith

"I read White Teeth when I was a teenager. I read it again in my 20s because it's a fairly dense book, butit was amazing.It's about twins. It's aboutLondon. It's aboutBlackness and race."

There's something about the first book, where you're not following any rules.

"It was Zadie Smith's first book.I think there's something about the first book, where you're not following any rules.

"I'm sure nowI can look backand see she was clearly following rules. She writes in the tradition of Beckett and other British and Irish writers, but it meant so much to me."

• Zadie Smith's latest book, Intimations, reflects deeply on isolation and injustice

The Opposite House by Helen Oyeyemi

"Helen Oyeyemi is one of my favourite writers. She writes magical realism and folklore.She reworksfairy tales. It's just incredible what she does. The Opposite Houseis a story about a young woman named Maja, who's a Cuban immigrant. It's also about a Yoruba deity namedYemaya.I just love the way she usesmagical realism.

I love work that isn't necessarily plot driven, but more about the mundane elements of the main character's lives.

"Helen Oyeyemi is a prodigy.She wrote her first novel as a teenager.

"The OppositeHouseisn'treally plot driven. I love work that isn't necessarily plot drivenbut more about the mundane elements of the main character's lives.There aretwo parallel stories: it's dense with beauty and aboutinternal worlds andanxiety and identity. It's incredible."

• Helen Oyeyemi's new novel, Boy, Snow, Bird exhibits her fascination with doubles and with fairy tales

Open City by Teju Cole

"Open City is a slim book, but it literally took me years to finish because it's so dense withcultural references to art and music.It's mostlyreferences to European art andmusic and it's very reflective of Teju Cole, from what I know of his life.I just know that he's an art historian.

Open City taught me how to write with the world andwrite with references to art that exists in the world.

"I hate the main character of this book. It's not plot driven, but ittaught me how to write with the world andwrite with references to art that exists in the world.

"This book puts you, as a reader, in a specific place, which I adore. And I learned that from Open City."

• Teju Cole, Madeleine Thien and Dionne Brand on the places and spaces that inspire their writing

Her Body and Other Parties & In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

"Her Body and Other Parties isexcellent.It's a collection of short stories. The theme is about the body horror experiences of women. So it's very much afeminist lens around deep body horror, around assault,around beingvulnerable, but also aroundrage.

Each chapter is a different genre and Carmen Maria Machadois a master of her craft. She's an incredible writer.

"Her memoir, In the Dream House,came out last year.I hada hard time with it emotionally because it just shows the insidiousness ofemotional abuse, but with a queer relationship.

"There's all the stereotypes about how abuse between women is not real between queer people, butthis book just shows you it. Each chapter is a different genre and Carmen Maria Machadois a master of her craft. She's an incredible writer."

• Carmen Maria Machado tackles queer Disney villains and surviving abuse in her memoir, In the Dream House

Said the Shotgunto the Head by Saul Williams

"Said the Shotgun to the Headis a poetry collection by Saul Williams, who is a BlackAmerican musician and poet. It's just one long love poem, andI love it.

It's just one long love poem, andI love it.

"I read it when I was 22 anditwas justthe right time for me to be moved by it. I'll read it again this year to see if I'm still moved by it. But I reallylove it andSaul Williamsis so cool. I enjoy his music and his activism."

• 'The sharing process is to disrupt the system': Saul Williams on the power of poetry, on stage and on the page

The God of Small Things byArundhati Roy

"I read The God of Small Thingsa few years ago and it wasdevastating. It takes place in India and it's about twins.

Arundhati Royis a legend.

"Arundhati Roy is a legend. And I think this is her first book as well. I always love to read about twins."

• Arundhati Roy on love, war and the fragility of happiness

Citizen by Claudia Rankine

"Citizen isa collection of essays andmusings about anti-Black racism in America. It uses pop culture references.It's devastating.

Claudia Rankine isin a league of her own in the wayshe writes about racism through art and through pop culture.

"Claudia Rankine isin a league of her ownin the wayshe writes about racism through art and through pop culture. It's still very human and very painful. I cry whenever I read the book."

• Why American poet Claudia Rankine decided to talk to white men on airplanes about privilege

Francesca Ekwuyasi's comments have been edited for length and clarity.

TheCanada Reads2021 contenders

• Rosey Edeh championsThe Midnight Bargainby C.L. Polk
• Scott Helman championsTwo Trees Make a Forestby Jessica J. Lee
• Devery Jacobs championsJonny Appleseedby Joshua Whitehead
• Paul Sun-Hyung Lee championsHenchby Natalie Zina Walschots
• Roger Mooking championsButter Honey Pig Breadby Francesca Ekwuyasi