Acclaimed Author Imbolo Mbue Visits Kean University for Common Read
Author Imbolo Mbue, center, speaks at Kean University.
Bestselling author Imbolo Mbue spoke to the Kean University community about her novel, How Beautiful We Were, and its themes of social justice during a visit to the Union campus as part of the University’s Common Read program.
Mbue read from her novel, recognized as a top 10 book of 2021 by The New York Times and other publications, during the event on November 19. She also shared her writing process and inspiration for the book, which tells the story of a fictitious African village struggling with an environmental threat.
“I was very sensitive to issues of injustice and had a fascination for people who stood up to power,” she said. “My idea was about a girl in a village fighting an oil company.”
Kean University each year holds the Common Read to build community and encourage discussion through a shared reading experience. More than 2,000 Kean students read How Beautiful We Were, which takes on themes of environmental degradation, social justice, identity, migration and home.
Kean Acting Associate Provost for Special Projects and history Professor Jonathan Mercantini, Ph.D., called the Common Read “one of the highlights of the academic year.”
“President Lamont Repollet has made diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging a centerpiece of the Kean community, and we can be proud that in each year of the Common Read we have grappled with a major social issue,” Mercantini said. “These themes can be difficult to read about, but by discussing them together we learn empathy, reflect on our common challenges, and gain awareness of a larger world.”
Mbue’s novel is set in the fictional village of Kosawa and opens with a scene where villagers are meeting with the fictitious American oil company that poisoned their land. The community fights back in a battle spanning years.
Mbue, who grew up in Cameroon and moved to the U.S. for college, said she first conceived of the novel nearly 20 years ago. She drew further inspiration after the Flint, Michigan water crisis and the Sandy Hook school shooting.
“I thought about what it’s like to be a child and people don’t protect you,” she said. “I would love to lead a movement, but that is not me. All I can do is create a character and give her the space to do what she wants. As a writer, my job is to ask questions.”
The Common Read is sponsored by Kean’s Provost’s Office with support from the Division of General Education and Interdisciplinary Studies, and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The book selection is made through a campuswide nomination process.
Common Read Coordinator Abriana Jetté, Ph.D., a lecturer in writing studies, introduced Mbue and a group of students who shared questions with her. Discussion included cultural beliefs portrayed in the book, gender roles, and parallels between the book and contemporary life.
“I see issues such as climate change now and people pushing to make things better,” Mbue said. “This is happening in this fictional African village, and yet this is also happening in front of me.”
Students also asked her about her writing process.
A business major in college, Mbue said she loved to read but began writing only as a hobby. She has now published two novels and is at work on her third. “I never expected to be a writer,” she said.
Students afterward described Mbue’s visit as “amazing.”
“It was wonderful meeting her,” said Joanne Ero of Union, a sophomore majoring in management – business analytics, one of the students who asked questions. “There is a lot that students can learn from Imbolo about social justice.”
Itzel Sanchez of Perth Amboy, a Kean junior majoring in early childhood education, said Mbue explored important topics.
“It’s beautiful there are people who write about social injustice,” she said. “This is one of those books that talks about inequalities. It’s good there are books like this even if they are difficult to read.”
Many in the audience said they have dreams of becoming writers themselves and appreciated the insight into her creative process.
“I like her perspective so much,” said Amanda Reu, a senior from Iselin majoring in English – writing. “As someone who wants to be a writer, it’s nice to get a sense of what it might be like.”
Kean students, faculty and staff are invited to make recommendations for next year’s Common Read. To recommend up to three books, please visit this link. The deadline for recommendations is Friday, December 20.