Chinua AchebeChinua Achebe, Nigerian novelist born in 1930.
Born in eastern Nigeria, Chinua Achebe worked in broadcasting and the civil service before becoming a novelist.
In his first and most famous novel, Things Fall Apart (1958), he describes the breakdown of African tribal life after the arrival of the British colonizers during the last century.
In his memorable description of a traditional family, Achebe shows an understanding of the way the different cultures and rituals of Africa so often puzzle outsiders.
Another novel, A Man of the People (1966), describes a dishonest African politician who wants to make as much money as he can while he has the chance.
It is a funny sad story, pointing out how difficult it can be for a country unused to political power to run itself properly during the first years of independence.
Achebe has since written several children’s books and has greatly helped younger African writers in their efforts to get their books published.
Nigerian novelist: Chinua Achebe
