Never Look an American in the Eye: Flying Turtles, Colonial Ghosts, and the Making of a Nigerian American

Ndibe (Foreign Gods, Inc.) shares his story of coming to America from Nigeria with a strong command of and love for the English language, playing with words in a way that creates an engaging read. Born into an age of independence in Nigeria, the author's childhood dreams were of escaping the grasslands of his home country for the big cities of Great Britain or America. After meeting writer Chinua Achebe, Ndibe's dreams of prosperity in a new world seem to be coming true when Achebe suggests Ndibe run a literary magazine in America. When Ndibe leaves for the United States, many of his ideas about its citizens come from movies about the Wild West. Actual life in the city is much different, and chasing the American Dream turns out to be more difficult and humorous than Ndibe expects. He shares stories of many amusing run-ins of cultural differences, including explaining to friends his love for his in-laws and his attempt at understanding Americans' love for their pets.