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Things Fall Apart. [Paperback]

Chinua. Achebe (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (282 customer reviews)

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Product Description

Things Fall Apart tells two intertwining stories, both centering on Okonkwo, a "strong man" of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first, a powerful fable of the immemorial conflict between the individual and society, traces Okonkwo's fall from grace with the tribal world. The second, as modern as the first is ancient, concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo's world with the arrival of aggressive European missionaries. These perfectly harmonized twin dramas are informed by an awareness capable of encompassing at once the life of nature, human history, and the mysterious compulsions of the soul.
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First Sentence
Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Cultural Awakening Dec 20 2005
By Sancho Mahle
Format:Paperback
Okonkwo epitomized a die-hard African traditionalist with a firm conviction in the destiny of his people, yet a man who failed to accept the inevitable changes in his world. Things fall apart exposes us to the culture of the Ibo people of Nigeria and brings out the characters to the understandable to the reader. In our own little ways, we are like Okonkwo, caught in a world where we have little influence. The lesson is that No matter how powerful we are, we should not impose our wills on others, especially a will that reflects our egos and not the interest of humanity. Clash of cultures is what this book tells us about. Just as in THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES, OLD MAN AND THE MEDAL,TRIPLE AGENT DOUBLE CROSS,NO LONGER AT EASE,one gets a better idea of what Africans and other native peoples went through after being left with no choice but to accept the values and laws of the foreign powers that came into their lives.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A classic story Feb 22 2006
By Edward Tem
Format:Paperback
This was one of the first books in African literature that I read and I was not disappointed. It is amazing. The larger than life character of Okonkwo is reduced to disillusioned man because he could not adapt to the changing times. The big lesson is that we should never attempt to have control of everything beyond ourselves.DISGRACE, DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE are fine and hilarious books to read.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Wish there were more like this Sep 25 2010
By Bryden
Format:Paperback
An excellently written novel that shows a way of life that I otherwise would have been very ignorant of. I hope to read more like this in the future. I couldn't put it down and read it in 3 sittings. Achebe is a genius at giving the tribal perspective yet somehow delicately showing it's flaws, while at the same time showing the European missionaries in a similar light. This balance in perspective was, I think, perfect.
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Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Wonderful
I loved this book. Achebe's style of writing reminds me a lot of Maya Angelou's, it's so simple yet very eloquent and moving. Read more
Published on Oct 12 2009 by A. Regis
5.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling Read
Native of Nigeria, Africa, Chinua Achebe wrote his own masterpiece fictional novel entitled "Things Fall Apart," which took place in his own country during the 19th century. Read more
Published on Dec 1 2007 by Zadius Sky
5.0 out of 5 stars A Cultural Awakening
Okonkwo epitomized a die-hard African traditionalist with a firm conviction in the destiny of his people, yet a man who failed to accept the inevitable changes in his world. Read more
Published on Jan 26 2005 by "sancho_111"
3.0 out of 5 stars Heinemann edition doesn't add much to the novel
While the story of Okonkwo is a powerful one, and reading "Things Fall Apart" certainly enlarged my perspective, Achebe's writing style is poor indeed. Read more
Published on April 15 2004
4.0 out of 5 stars Starts a Little Slow
This book was a required reading for one of my college history classes. It does start a little slow, but once it picks up, it is almost impossible to put down. Read more
Published on Nov 16 2003 by Sara Swihart
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting peek into African colonialization
This is no guilty account of colonialization as written by an anglo author; this is the genuine article as written by a Nigerian native who's father was a converted... Read more
Published on Jun 5 2002 by Curtis Lane
5.0 out of 5 stars A "classic" that really is
A thousand people have said this before me, but THINGS FALL APART is truly a wonderful piece of fiction. Read more
Published on April 16 2002 by Amazonbombshell
5.0 out of 5 stars ...some powerful ish...
...i'm jus no good at pickin up a 'simple' read...
i seem to thrive on difficulty...and this book was certainly difficult! Read more
Published on April 14 2002 by R. Davis
5.0 out of 5 stars Achebe's Presentation
Things Fall Apart is the first of the four African novels that I've read, and it struck me as a wonderful novel, concentrating more on the society more than character. Read more
Published on April 14 2002 by Jiniwin
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book to learn about some of the customs in africa
Okonkwo is the main characther, one of the strongest warriors in his villiage, he never wants to be the weakling that he considered his father to be. Read more
Published on April 7 2002 by "July Lady"
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