Elnathan John
{{short description|Nigerian novelist, satirist and lawyer (born 1982)}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Elnathan John
|image = Elnathan John.jpg
|image_size = 350
|caption = Picture of Elnathan John
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1982}}
| birth_place = Kaduna, Nigeria
| occupation = Writer (English, Hausa)
| nationality = Nigerian
| alma_mater = Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| notable_works = Born on a Tuesday, Be(com)ing Nigerian
| awards = Betty Trask Award
}}
Elnathan John (born 1982) is a Nigerian novelist, satirist and lawyer whose stories have twice been shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing.{{Cite web|title=Previously Shortlisted|url=http://caineprize.com/previously-shortlisted|website=The Caine Prize for African Writing|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-29}}
Career
Elnathan John was born in Kaduna, in north-west Nigeria, in 1982. He attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the Nigerian Law School, where he obtained law degrees.[http://www.reportsafrique.com/top50/ "#RA_top50 | Top 50 Social Media Personalities & Brands To Follow In Nigeria"], Reports Afrique News, 25 August 2015.
His short story Bayan Layi, published in Per Contra, was shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing in 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.msafirimag.com/featured-article/the-caine-prize-for-african-writing/|title=The Caine Prize for African Writing|website=Msafiri|date=September 1, 2013|accessdate=August 14, 2021}} He was shortlisted again for the Caine Prize in 2015 for his short story Flying.{{Cite web|title =Sixteenth Caine Prize for African writing shortlist announced|url =http://caineprize.com/press-releases/2016/2/19/sixteenth-caine-prize-for-african-writing-shortlist-announced|publisher =The Caine Prize|date=5 May 2015|accessdate = 18 July 2015}}
His writing has been published in The Economist, The Guardian, Per Contra, Hazlitt, ZAM Magazine, Evergreen Review, and Chimurenga's The Chronic.{{Cite news|url=https://www.1843magazine.com/dispatches/how-to-walk-through-a-berlin-park-0|title=How to walk through a Berlin park|date=15 February 2018|newspaper=The Economist|access-date=30 January 2019}}
John's first novel, Born on a Tuesday{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/28/born-on-tuesday-by-elnathan-john-review|authorlink=Chika Unigwe|title=Born on a Tuesday by Elnathan John review – a compelling debut set in northern Nigeria|last=Unigwe|first=Chika|work=The Guardian|date=28 April 2016|access-date=}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/03/books/review/born-on-a-tuesday-elnathan-john.html|title=Growing Up in Radicalized Nigeria: A New Novel Shows the Gritty Reality|last=Rocco|first=Fiammetta|work=New York Times Book Review|date=1 July 2016|access-date=}} was published in 2016 by Cassava Republic Press in 2015 and in the US by Grove Atlantic.{{Cite book|url=http://www.groveatlantic.com/?title=Born+on+a+Tuesday|title=Born on a Tuesday by Elnathan John|website=Grove Atlantic|access-date=11 July 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/03/elnathan-john-born-on-a-tuesday-interview-nigeria|title=Elnathan John: 'I want to show that things are never simple'|last=Kellaway|first=Kate|authorlink=Kate Kellaway|date=3 April 2016|work=The Observer|access-date=}}{{cite web|url=http://www.premiumtimesng.com/arts-entertainment/artsbooks/192825-elnathan-johns-debut-novel-out-november-12.html|title=Elnathan John's debut novel out November 12|website=Premium Times|date=November 8, 2015|author=Times, Premium|access-date=August 14, 2021}} Born on a Tuesday was shortlisted in September 2016 for the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature, Africa's largest literary award{{Cite web|url=http://www.nlng.com/Media-Center/Lists/Press%20Releases/DispForm.aspx?ID=18&RootFolder=%2FMedia%2DCenter%2FLists%2FPress%20Releases&Source=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Enlng%2Ecom%2FMedia%2DCenter%2FPages%2FPress%2DRelease%2Easpx|title=Nigeria LNG Ltd|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=14 September 2016}} it won a Betty Trask Award.{{Cite web|title=Hurston/Wright Foundation {{!}} Elnathan John|url=https://www.hurstonwright.org/authors/elnathan-john/|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-29}} Translated into French as Né un mardi by Céline Schwaller, it received the Les Afriques prize in 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.afrolivresque.com/elnathan-john-est-le-laureat-du-prix-les-afriques-2019/|title=Elnathan John est le lauréat du Prix Les Afriques 2019 !|website=Afrolivresque|date=June 22, 2019|author=Afrolivresque|access-date=November 28, 2023}}
His second book, Be(com)ing Nigerian, A Guide, a collection of satirical pieces, was published by Cassava Republic Press in 2019.{{Cite web |title=Be(com)ing Nigerian |url=https://cassavarepublicpress.biz/product/becoming-nigerian-a-guide/?v=f003c44deab6}}{{Dead url|date=January 2025}}
His third book, a graphic novel,{{cite web|title=On Ajayi Crowther Street|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/mar/21/on-ajayi-crwther-street-elnathan-john-review|website=The Guardian|date=March 21, 2020|access-date=August 14, 2021}} was published by Cassava Republic Press in November 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://cassavarepublicpress.biz/product/on-ajayi-crowther-street/?v=f003c44deab6|title=On Ajayi Crowther Street}} The book is illustrated by Alaba Onajin.
Elnathan John is a Civitella Ranieri Fellow.{{Cite web|title = Fellows - Civitella Ranieri|url = http://www.civitella.org/fellows|website = www.civitella.org|accessdate = 18 July 2015|first = |last = }} He writes a weekly satirical column for the Sunday Trust Newspaper{{Cite web|title=Because I care |url=http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sunday/index.php/because-i-care |website=www.dailytrust.com.ng |accessdate=18 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713003637/http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sunday/index.php/because-i-care |archivedate=13 July 2015 }} and speaks regularly on Nigerian literature, media and politics. He is one of the judges of the 2019 Man Booker International Prize.{{Cite web|url=https://themanbookerprize.com/author/elnathan-john|title=Man Booker International Prize 2019}}
Awards and listings
- 2013: Shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing{{Cite news|date=2013-07-05|title=The Caine prize for African writing shortlist – in pictures|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/gallery/2013/jul/05/caine-prize-african-writing-shortlist-pictures|access-date=2020-05-29|issn=0261-3077}}
- 2015: Shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing{{Cite web|title=2 Nigerians shortlisted for 2015 Caine Prize for African Writing - Premium Times Nigeria|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/182461-2-nigerians-shortlisted-for-2015-caine-prize-for-african-writing.html|last=Ibekwe|first=Nicholas|date=2015-05-05|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-29}}
- 2016: Shortlisted for the Nigeria Prize for Literature{{Cite web|title=11 authors shortlisted for The Nigerian Prize For Literature 2016|url=https://guardian.ng/art/11-authors-shortlisted-for-the-nigerian-prize-for-literature-2016/|date=2016-07-17|website=The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-29}}
- 2017: Longlisted for the Etisalat Prize for African Literature{{Cite web|title=Nine Authors Make Etisalat Prize for Literature 2016 Longlist|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/01/05/nine-authors-make-etisalat-prize-for-literature-2016-longlist/|last=admin|date=2017-01-05|website=THISDAYLIVE|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-29}}
- 2017: Shortlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize{{Cite web|title=Crowdfunded small-press prize announces inaugural shortlist|url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/11/neil-griffiths-republic-consciousness-small-press-prize-inaugural-shortlist|date=2017-01-11|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2020-05-29}}
- 2017: WINNER Betty Trask Award{{Cite web|title=Previous winners of the Betty Trask Prize and Awards|url=https://www.societyofauthors.org/Prizes/Fiction/Betty-Trask/Past-winners|date=July 21, 2018|website=Society of Authors|language=en-GB|accessdate=August 15, 2021|archive-date=May 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518125852/https://www.societyofauthors.org/Prizes/Fiction/Betty-Trask/Past-winners|url-status=dead}}
- 2018: Miles Morland Writing Scholarship{{Cite web|title=Morland Writing Scholarships 2017 Winners Announcement|url=https://milesmorlandfoundation.com/2017-morland-writing-scholarships-winners-announcement/|date=2017-12-05|website=The Miles Morland Foundation|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-29}}
- 2019: WINNER Prix Les Afriques{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=17 August 2019|title=Kaduna born Elnathan John wins 2019 Prix Les Afriques|url=https://tribuneonlineng.com/kaduna-born-elnathan-john-wins-2019-prix-les-afriques-2/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190828140411/https://tribuneonlineng.com/kaduna-born-elnathan-john-wins-2019-prix-les-afriques-2/ |archive-date=2019-08-28 |access-date=2021-02-05|website=tribuneonlineng.com}}
Bibliography
- Bayan Layi (2013)
- Flying (2015)
- Born on a Tuesday (2016)
- Be(com)ing Nigerian (2019)
- On Ajayi Crowther Street (2019)
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.elnathanjohn.com/ Elnathan John] official website
- [http://elnathanjohn.blogspot.co.uk/ Elnathan's Dark Corner] blog
- [https://twitter.com/elnathan_john Elnathan John] on Twitter
- Gen de Botton, [http://www.bookweb.org/news/indies-introduce-qa-elnathan-john-33972 "An Indies Introduce Q&A With Elnathan John"], ABA – American Booksellers Association, 5 July 2016.
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:John, Elnathan}}
Category:Ahmadu Bello University alumni
Category:Nigerian male novelists
Category:Nigerian satirical novelists