BIOGRAPHY ALBERT ACHEBE

Albert Chinualumogu Achebe,was born in Ogidi in Eastern Nigeria, in 1930. Was a novelist, poet and critic. He studied in the University College of Ibadan. He was an English professor at the University of Massachusetts and a literature professor at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka. One of the most famous African novels in English was Things Fall Apart which he wrote in 1958, this novel has been translated in to many languages and it recreates the traditional life in African villages, before the coming of modernity. It focuses mainly on the head strong Okonkwo who opposes with tragic consequences, to both the converted Christians as well as the British invasion.

He also wrote many other novels, such as, No Longer at Ease, Arrow of God, The African Trilogy and A Man of the People and others. As a literary and critic Achebe has always focus on the fact that an African novel most show social realities and avoid huge universality. He is known as the avocate by colonialist critics. In 1969 he went on a tour with Gabriel Okara and Cyprian Ekwensi, to help the Biafran cause. He also wrote a novel based on his reaction towards the Nigeria Civil War, this novel is known as Girls at War and other stories. After that he wrote some essays, two of his most contoversial are “The Novelist as Teacher´” and “An Image of Africa”. He wrote as well some children books one of them call Anthills of the Savannah. Achebe is also the editor of The Heinemann Book of Cotemporary African Short Stories.

En.wikipedia.org (1930) Chinua Achebe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinua_Achebe [Accessed: 22 Mar 2013].Bing.com (n.d.) ALBERT ACHEBE - Bing Afbeeldingen. [online] Available at: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=ALBERT+ACHEBE&view=detail&id=3742E70DDA7BB522EF96DB0A0D45A00BBFA4CDAA [Accessed: 22 Mar 2013].