Description
Book SynopsisThe first full biography of Chinua Achebe, author of Things Fall Apart.
Trade Review... this is, in all senses of the word, a serious biography of Chinua Achebe, and the only one published so far that has set out to document his life in full. - -- C.L. Innes * WASAFIRI *
In writing this biography, Ezenwa-Ohaeto achieves for African literary criticism something that he attests Achebe has achieved through his writing: an equal valorisation of an author from the South by the same means and methods usually applied to renowned authors of the North or West. -- Eckhard Breitinger * ANGLIA *
... All serious scholars of African literature and fans of Chinua Achebe's work in particular will welcome this thorough and readable biography ... A sense of communal pride in Achebe's achievement comes across loud and clear from this biography ... a kind of extended praise song to and of Achebe: intimate, knowing, very well researched but essentially respectful ... this book is a valuable resource which any library with an interest in African literature or the history of West Africa in this century should own. -- Stewart Brown * AFRICAN AFFAIRS *
... a monumental tribute to an author of international reputation and influence. It is an act of enthusiastic yet diffident celebration of its subject, a work of tireless, devoted and thorough research over an extended period in a style which is for the most part as engrossing and compelling as the life it celebrates. -- Douglas Killam * AFRICAN LITERATURE TODAY *
... he reports, summarizes, and celebrates well. He writes with a certain calm efficiency and at least persuades us to stay with the narrative to the end. Above all, he has done something noble and immensely valuable: he has produced the first full biography on Achebe. -- Kwame Dawes * WORLD LITERATURE TODAY *
Table of ContentsMissionaries and masquerades, 1930-35; primary school, 1936-43; government college, 1944-47; at the university, 1948-53; teaching and talks, 1954-57; the young controller, 1958-60; the voice of Nigeria, the married man, the General Editor, 1960-62; from "Arrow of Gold" to "A Man for the People", 1963-66; genocide, war and the leopard's claws, 1966-67; the idea of Biafra, 1976-69; art in the midst of war and in the aftermath, 1969-71; collections, controversies and conferences, 1971-72; an American expedition, 1973-75; return to Nsuku, 1975-79; education, culture, politics, 1979-83; an ambassador for literature and justice, 1983-87; leaders, prizes and "Anthills of Savannah", 1987-89; masquerades, celebrations and survival, 1989-93.
