Released on March 11, 2021, How Beautiful We Were is Imbolo Imbue’s follow-up to her critically acclaimed debut novel, Behold the Dreamers. Like her debut novel, Imbue’s follow-up is primarily concerned with amplifying the voices of those most hard-hit by corporate greed. Her first novel deals with the effects of the 2008 financial crisis on a working-class immigrant family and a wealthy family in New York City. Her new novel is grounded in the fictional African town of Kosawa, and details the community’s various experiences of environmental degradation due to an oil spill by an American company.
How Beautiful We Were is a timely interrogation that looks at the intersections of corporate greed, environmental violence, and colonial legacies. In doing so, Imbue centers the people of Kosawa and their continued resistance that spans generations.
How Beautiful We Were can be purchased at A Different Booklist for pickup or delivery.