Akata Woman

There are times where you have all the tools you need and all there is to do is to do it.

Seeing is not the same as caring,” the magician replied. “You’re American; you should understand that more than anyone.

Common sense is the result of the truest education. Education is like wine. It takes time. It's a process. The young sometimes have to go through it. And sometimes, they die trying. Sincerely, The Obi Library Collective of Leopard Knox, Department of Responsibility

There are places where you belong, where blood gives you access. However, they aren't always the best places to go.

We don’t care if you are afraid. We don’t care if someone told you not to read books like this. We don’t care if you think this book will bring you good luck. We don’t care if you are an outsider. We just care that you read this warning and are thus warned. This way, you have no one to blame but yourself if you enjoy this story.

Where the baobab tree was the soul of the village, the palace was its heart, the inner machinations of what we were. Anarchic, mystical, complete. It was a hut the size of three houses and just as spacious inside. There were sleeping and cooking and bathing spaces, all separated by piles of strategically grouped books. It was the chaos of Nimm organized into one large space. You could walk through the open entranceway and see across the huge palace. My way was blocked by a great stack of vertically organized books.