Day 20 of 28 – Black History Month – Chinua Achebe

By: Jacqueline McKay

Chinua Achebe (Nov. 16, 1930 – Mar. 21, 2013)

http://www.citelighter.com/current-events/trending-topics/knowledgecards/chinua-achebe

Nigerian-born Chinua Achebe is known as the Father of African Literature.

Professor, Essayist, Poet and Novelist, Mr. Achebe has gained world-wide recognition for his first novel Things Fall Apart, which has sold about 8 million copies world wide and has been translated into 50 languages. He tells the story of a strong and successful African man dealing with the juxtaposition of tribal life and the coming of colonialism. Things Fall Apart has recently been placed on the list of the top 100 books to read in your lifetime.

His more popular books have become standards in college literature classes. Things Fall Apart, and later No Longer at Ease were probably where I began seeking out and loving African literature. His writing style is simple yet full of depth and effective in drawing you into the lives of his characters and onto the Continent. His work should be on your bookshelf.