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Chinua Achebe, African Literary Titan, Dies at 82 (2013)
- stephenhuey 12y agoYears before I read the novel, I actually saw his "Things Fall Apart" performed as a play when I was a kid living in Lagos in the early 90s. The novel itself may not be the best fiction ever written by an African author, but it's the most widely known novel to come out of Africa and does a great job of highlighting the harsh transition to colonialism.
- okal 12y ago"most widely known novel to come out of Africa" [Citation needed]
- zo1 12y agoWell, it is the only one I know of off the top of my head. And I've lived in Africa for close to two decades. Granted, I'm not big into literature, so that may have something to do with it as well. Though I do view it as some sort of "cut-off" filter, anyways.
- okal 12y ago"Known by whom?", is what I should have asked. The claim makes assumptions about its audience that simply have no way of being substantiated.
- arandomafrican 12y agoI can't think of any other likely candidate for that "title". And I'm into litterature. And I'm Francophone (which makes me more likely to consider non-anglophone litterature).
- foxhedgehog 12y agochecking dates, as relevant now as it was in 2013
- natrius 12y ago[2013] This article has been popping up on Facebook today as well. On the plus side, not very many people get the world to pay attention to their passing twice. The social media age is weird.
- dang 12y agoNo kidding. That's so weird we didn't even think to look at the date like we usually do. I'm embarrassed not to have remembered that Achebe had died a while ago.
- liamzebedee 12y agoThe ending of Things Fall Apart was one of the most emotionally impactful endings in such a brief manner that I've ever read: "Obierika, who had been gazing steadily at his friend’s dangling body, turned suddenly to the District Commissioner and said ferociously: “That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog…” He could not say any more. His voice trembled and choked his words." Even now as I search for the quote I'm amazed after two years I can still remember the exact wording -- 'he will be buried like a dog'. Rest in peace, this wonderful author.
- elcct 12y agoIs he implying that the way dog is being buried is typically disrespectful?
- gsk 12y agoYes, If I may: in countries like Africa, dogs are usually on their own (even if they are nominally someone's pet) and quite often get run over on the road. They are left there to rot before someone buries them or throws them over to rot elsewhere without affecting traffic or roadside business. It is undignified for dogs, especially so for humans.
- okal 12y agoCountries like Africa?
- henrygrew 12y agosema Okal, huyu jamaa anajifanya anajua kumbe ni ujinga wake anaonyesha.
- gsk 12y agoOh my! That was harsh and cleverly concealed too! My observation was lost in translation. I have nothing against Africa. I read Achebe and consider Things Fall Apart to be one of the best books I have read along with Hundred Years of Solitude.
- yurylifshits 12y agoGreat intro to his work — Crash Course lectures by John Green: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Kw94qjdQA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Kw94qjdQA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyvDYZ6hJNA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyvDYZ6hJNA
- rwhitman 12y agoChinua Achebe died 2 years ago.