Things Fall Apart
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Things Fall Apart
Chinua Achebe
Literature
Jul 26, 2018
Composed in English and published in 1958, two years before Nigeria declared independence, Things Fall Apart was the first African novel to attain a wide international readership. It is a short, sparely told tale that nevertheless embraces themes of enormous import: fate and will, the determining influences of familial inheritance, the consequences and consolations of custom, the legacy of colonialism. It also illuminates the personal and political crises provoked by the failure of individuals and societies to grow while maintaining their identities in the face of change. And while the novel is steeped in Achebe’s native Igbo culture and alert to the conflicts inherent in the historical moment it depicts, its action seems to unfold on a universal stage; it is as rich in human substance as Greek tragedy, and just as mysteriously powerful in its effect.
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Oct 30, 2018
beautifully written and an insightful glimpse into village life in Nigeria before it was ruined by imperialism
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Nov 28, 2018
Gives great perspective on a different world and time.
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Yes
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Dec 4, 2018
Superb allegory
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Dec 25, 2018
It really affected me, and I think I really need to reread it sometime
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Jan 7, 2019
transforms you to another time and place
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Feb 5, 2019
We all need to learn about and understand different cultures...even if through novels.
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Feb 19, 2019
I read this in my freshman year of college. It shows the impact of colonization of Africa...
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Mar 12, 2019
Great book!
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Mar 26, 2019
Always something
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Mar 26, 2019
Fantastic tale. It really made me think about how societies change and how the colonization of Africa changed it so much.
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Mar 27, 2019
Did not really enjoy the story but the themes involved were very jarring to my Western experience. They pop back into my mind from time to time
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Mar 30, 2019
Been meaning to.
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Apr 1, 2019
This is as good an entrance into African literature as exists.
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Apr 7, 2019
Inspiring core reading from a Postcolonial Geography module I took in the final year of my degree.
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Apr 17, 2019
good book!
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May 30, 2019
This is an absolutely haunting book that has stuck with me ever since I read it. I can never hear the phrase "things fall apart" now without experiencing a sinking feeling in my stomach because of the poignant melancholy the book elicited from me. I really felt as if I had been there in Okonkwo's village.
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Jun 25, 2019
I read this due to many positive recommendations and didn't enjoy it at all until the last page .
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Sep 30, 2019
An important counterpoint to all the colonial narratives told from European perspectives.
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Oct 3, 2019
Great book
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Oct 7, 2019
This novel tells the story of colonialism and despite it, pride.
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Oct 8, 2019
Insightful look at village life in Nigeria before Brits took over. We all need to understand other cultures, even if it's only from novels.
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Oct 29, 2019
Great read.
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Jan 30, 2020
great book!
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Mar 4, 2020
Another example of colonialism desiccation
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May 1, 2020
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Jun 26, 2020
Interesting perspective and story. It's certainly a story that needs to be heard.
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Jun 28, 2020
This reads like a parable, but the history behind it is painfully real & Achebe was a massive influence on the later literary giants like Adichie.
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Oct 18, 2020
A book that holds on, forces you to attention. I taught it once; I know it demands to be reread.
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Nov 18, 2020
Read in college in the 1980's and has stayed with me since.
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Jan 14, 2021
Enjoyed reading it in college.
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Feb 19, 2021
Sad story of the clash of tradition and colonialism
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Feb 27, 2021
I read this book for a literature course at university many years ago. I remember it was one of the few books chosen for the course that I genuinely loved.
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Oct 19, 2021
Great book!
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Nov 4, 2021
This book was excellent, interesting perspective on colonization, society, manhood
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Dec 8, 2021
Good.
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Dec 14, 2021
Seeing this book, I needed it in hand again. I retrieved it from my shelves and held it, trying to remember it, remember something other than I liked it. Yes, but why? Maybe 1000 Books is important not just for inspiring a To Read List, but a To REread List. TFA is certainly added to that. And that tells me something about it even if I forget everything else!
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Jun 9, 2022
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Jan 11, 2023
classic
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Feb 6, 2023
Really liked this one
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Feb 19, 2023
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Apr 1, 2023
As a Novice reader I can't go into great detail about the book or the historic period, but it is definitely worth a read. As much as the story focuses on a Nigerian setting and the influence Christianity had on the country I find the character of Okonkwo to be brutal but an honest depiction of a man trying to prove himself as the ideal model of his generation. In my eyes this book is not only about the struggles of a rapidly developing African society, but it also has a lot to say about human nature and our fears of change and progress.
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Jan 7
I don't read enough African writers
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