Foreign Gods, Inc. / Okey Ndibe.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ndibe, Okey, 1960-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Taxicab drivers--Fiction.

Taxicab drivers.

Arts, Nigerian.

Art thefts.

Nigerian Americans.

New York (State)--New York.

Nigerian Americans--Fiction.

Art thefts--New York (State)--New York.

Arts, Nigerian--New York (State)--New York.

Genre:

Fiction.

Physical Description:

330 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York City : Soho Press, [2014]

Summary:

"Foreign Gods, Inc., tells the story of Ike, a New York-based Nigerian cab driver who sets out to steal the statue of an ancient war deity from his home village and sell it to a New York gallery. Ike's plan is fueled by desperation. Despite a degree in economics from a major American college, his strong accent has barred him from the corporate world. Forced to eke out a living as a cab driver, he is unable to manage the emotional and material needs of a temperamental African American bride and a widowed mother demanding financial support. When he turns to gambling, his mounting losses compound his woes. And so he travels back to Nigeria to steal the statue, where he has to deal with old friends, family, and a mounting conflict between those in the village who worship the deity, and those who practice Christianity. A meditation on the dreams, promises and frustrations of the immigrant life in America; the nature and impact of religious conflicts; an examination of the ways in which modern culture creates or heightens infatuation with the "exotic," including the desire to own strange objects and hanker after ineffable illusions; and an exploration of the shifting nature of memory, Foreign Gods is a brilliant work of fiction that illuminates our globally interconnected world like no other"-- Provided by publisher.

ISBN:

9781616953133

1616953136

9781616953140

1616953144

1616954582

9781616954581

OCLC:

853618620

Online:

Cover image