Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe (1930-2013) was an author who set out to write the story of his Nigerian people that had been left out by Europeans who had colonized his country. He is most famous for writing the fiction book "Things Fall Apart". In "Things Fall Apart", rather than sugarcoating, Achebe illustrates the flaws and strengths of both Igbo (native Nigerian) culture/religion, as well as the flaws and strengths of the colonial British, bringing the religion of Christianity. Through this balanced, realistic approach, Achebe uses fiction as a way to express the truth and reality of Nigeria in the 19th century and British colonialism. "Things Fall Apart" became so popular internationally because people from so many different places could connect with their country being colonized, causing a part of the book to resonate with them. On top of "Things Fall Apart", Achebe wrote many other nonfiction and fiction works as well as poetry, and his beautiful writing is admired in many school classrooms to this day.