Hamish Hamilton scoops 'moving' new novel from Biyi Bandele

Hamish Hamilton has scooped a "moving and ambitious" novel from novelist and filmmaker Biyi Bandele, perhaps best known for his writing and directing "Half of a Yellow Sun" based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Women’s Prize for Fiction-winning novel.

Hannah Chukwu, assistant editor, acquired World English rights (excluding North America) to Yorùbá Boy Running from Jessica Craig at Craig Literary. It will be Bandele's first novel since 2007's Burma Boy; Hamish Hamilton is expected to publish in spring 2023. 

The story follows Samuel Àjàyí Crowther (1809–1891), the first African bishop in the Anglican Church. The book starts in 1821 on the day Àjàyí's hometown Osogun, in what is now southwest Nigeria, is attacked by a Malian slave-raiding army. All 12,000 community members are captured and sold into slavery.

Bandele said: "I have always known the legend of Àjàyí (Samuel) Crowther, the boy-slave who became a bishop in the Anglican Church and had an extraordinary career as a linguist, translator, teacher, and bestselling author which culminated in his being feted at the highest levels of Victorian English society. But it wasn’t until I set out to write about my own family, about my great-great-grandfather, a near contemporary of Crowther’s, that Crowther became the object of my literary attention.

"The life of my great-great-grandfather mirrored Crowther’s in many ways. Like Crowther, he was abducted and sold into slavery and like Crowther, he found his way back to Yorubaland, a missionary, after he was liberated in Sierra Leone and resettled in Freetown. I´m writing Yorùbá Boy Running for all the great Africans whose achievements have been erased or diminished, and I´m thrilled and thoroughly inspired to be starting this important and exhilarating new journey with Hamish Hamilton."

Chukwu added: "This novel documents with real thoughtfulness, an incredibly important chapter of African history. It is witty, moving and ambitious. The writing is so rich – it feels immensely assured and distinctive. The blend of comedy with violence, and satire with grit allow the novel to feel expansive, and gives it real power and reach. I feel so honored to be working with the immensely talented Biyi Bandele on this wonderful book."