Aminatta Forna, a writer of Scottish and Sierra Leonean heritage, began her literary career with the 2002 memoir The Devil That Danced on the Water: A Daughter's Quest. This initial work, which examined the political imprisonment and execution of her father, established a career defined by exploring the intersections of personal memory, private narrative, and the long-term aftermath of historical conflict.
Early Life and Education
Born in Bellshill, Scotland, in 1964, Forna spent her childhood in diverse regions, including Sierra Leone, Iran, Thailand, and Zambia. Her father, Mohamed Sorie Forna, was a Sierra Leonean physician who served as his country’s finance minister following independence. During her youth, her father was arrested by secret police and later executed for treason in 1975. Following his death, Forna moved to England, where she completed her secondary education and eventually earned a degree in law at University College London.
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Before focusing exclusively on literature, Forna worked for the BBC between 1989 and 1999 as a reporter and documentary filmmaker. Her broadcast work frequently addressed political and artistic themes, with a specific focus on Africa through documentaries such as Through African Eyes, Africa Unmasked, and The Lost Libraries of Timbuktu. She also authored the 1998 nonfiction work Mother of All Myths, which analyzed social constructions surrounding motherhood.
Novels and Literary Recognition
Forna has published four novels: Ancestor Stones (2006), The Memory of Love (2010), The Hired Man (2013), and Happiness (2018). Her fiction often utilizes shifting timelines and multiple perspectives to analyze psychological trauma. The Memory of Love received the 2011 Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book. In 2021, she expanded her repertoire by publishing The Window Seat, a collection of essays. Her contributions to literature have been recognized with appointments including an OBE in 2017 and a Windham–Campbell Literature Prize in 2014.
Academic and Institutional Roles
Beyond her writing, Forna has held several academic and advisory positions. She served as Professor of Creative Writing at Bath Spa University and as the Sterling Brown ’22 Visiting Professor of Africana Studies at Williams College. Since 2012, she has acted as the Director and Lannan Foundation Chair of Poetics at Georgetown University. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and has contributed to the governance of various literary institutions, including the Royal Literary Fund.
Fast facts
- Born: 1964, Bellshill, Scotland
- Education: University College London
- Notable Memoir: The Devil That Danced on the Water (2002)
- 2014 Windham–Campbell Prize winner
- Appointed OBE: 2017
- Academic role: Georgetown University, Lannan Foundation Chair
- Languages: English
Questions readers ask
What is the primary focus of Aminatta Forna's writing?
Her work primarily investigates the aftermath of war, the impact of historical trauma on the individual, and the tension between private memory and official history.
Has she received significant awards for her fiction?
Yes, notably winning the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book in 2011 for The Memory of Love and the Windham–Campbell Literature Prize in 2014.
Achievements
- Commonwealth Writers' Prize
- Windham–Campbell Literature Prizes — 2014
- Notable work: The Devil That Danced on the Water: A Daughter's Quest
