Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe was born in Nigeria on November 16, 1930. He was raised in the southeastern part of this country. Since his early studies he started to write stories about African culture. He graduated at the University College in Nigeria. Afterwards he started working at a radio station as the Director of External Broadcasting. Do to the upcoming Biafran War he left his job at the radio station. Achebe began giving lectures at The University of Nigeria and then at The University of Massachusetts and also at The University of Connecticut. He is one of the most, if not the most, recognized African writer. Achebe writes not only novels but also short stories, essays, poetry and children's books. His most famous and recognized title is "Things Fall Apart" which he wrote on 1958. Other Achebe's important novels are "No Longer At Ease", "Arrow of God", "A Man of the People" and "Anthills of the Savanna".He has also won many prizes and awards such as The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize 2010, Man Booker International Award 2007, 1st Living Author presented in the Everyman's Library collection by Alfred A. Knopf 1992, Rockefeller Fellowship 1960, UNESCO Fellowship for Creative Artists 1960, Margaret Wrong Prize, The New Statesman Jock Campbell Prize and The Commonwealth Poetry Prize. In the present Achebe is 82 years old and lives in New York with his family while teaching at the Bard College.  


Brown university (2012), Chinua Achebe, Available from:  http://brown.edu/Departments/Africana_Studies/people/achebe_chinua.html [Accessed: Jan 20, 2013].


Achebe, C, (1959), Things fall apart, Anchor Books, New York.