Dog Woman

Chris Abani grew up in Nigeria. His poetry celebrates the triumph of the human spirit in the face of horrific circumstances. Abani draws upon his own life stories, which have been both amazing and horrifying. Abani has been a political victim since the tender age of 18 where he was arrested and held for six months in a Nigerian prison. While in prison he was starved, beaten and tortured. He was arrested again two years later in 1987, after the publication of his second novel, Sirocco. The government seized this book and Abani was imprisoned for sedition of performing anti-government plays. In 1991, he was arrested for a third time, charged with treason and sentenced to death without a trial. Abani was put on death row with rapists, murderers and convicted criminals for eighteen months, six of which were spent in solitary confinement. Abani’s previous collection of poetry, Kalakuta Republic, sold 10,000 copies in its first print and is based on his political imprisonment from 1985 to 1991. His most recent work, a collection of poetry entitled Daphne’s Lot, chronicles the Nigerian Biafran Civil War in which one million people starved to death. Abani’s lucid, poignant style makes this collection an accessible, intriguing, moving book for everyone. Abani has received awards from PEN/West and the Prince Claus Fund of the Netherlands. He currently teaches at the University of Southern California.Abani, Chris is the author of 'Dog Woman ', published 2004 under ISBN 9781888996821 and ISBN 188899682X.