Medaya Ocher and Eric Newman speak with the Nigerian writer Pemi Aguda about her debut novel,
One Leg on Earth. Set in Lagos, a young woman is at the start of a promising new architecture career working on an ultra-luxury development when she becomes pregnant after a one night stand. As she's coming to grips with what it will mean to be a mother, a rash of pregnant Lagosians suddenly are drowning themselves. As she navigates this disturbing mystery, secrets about the city's past, present, and future are revealed. Drawing on Aguda's background in architecture and land development,
One Leg on Earth explores the tensions between urban expansion and historical erasure, as well as the relationship between place, the body, and agency.
One Leg on Earth is the LARB Book Club selection for summer. To become a member of the book club, and experience the other perks of supporting LARB, including a subscription to the LARB Quarterly journal and exclusive events other members and LARB staff, visit
lareviewofbooks.org/membership.
