#115: Aminatta Forna, novelist and non-fiction writer

<p>Simon and Rachel speak with Aminatta Forna, a novelist and non-fiction writer. She is the author of a memoir, “<a href="https://aminattaforna.com/the-devil-that-danced-on-the-water.html" target="_blank">The Devil that Danced on the Water</a>”, about her father—a dissident who was executed in Sierra Leone—as well as several award-winning novels, including “<a href="https://aminattaforna.com/happiness.html" target="_blank">Happiness</a>”, “<a href="https://aminattaforna.com/the-hired-man.html" target="_blank">The Hired Man</a>”, “<a href="https://aminattaforna.com/the-memory-of-love.html" target="_blank">The Memory of Love</a>” and “<a href="https://aminattaforna.com/ancestor-stones.html" target="_blank">Ancestor Stones</a>”. She has recently published “<a href="https://aminattaforna.com/the-window-seat-essays.html" target="_blank">The Window Seat</a>”, a collection of essays. Her work has been translated into more than 20 languages and she is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. We spoke to Aminatta about her early work at the BBC, the similarities between creative non-fiction and fiction and her decision to take up a post at Georgetown University.</p> <p>You can find us online at <a href="https://www.alwaystakenotes.com/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">alwaystakenotes.com</a>, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/alwaystakenotes" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">facebook.com/alwaystakenotes</a>. Our crowdfunding page is <a href="https://www.patreon.com/alwaystakenotes" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">patreon.com/alwaystakenotes</a>. Always Take Notes is presented by Simon Akam and Rachel Lloyd, and produced by Artemis Irvine. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.</p>