Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe's debut novel Things Fall Apart was published in 1958 and is considered a foundational text of modern African literature. It was one of the first novels to portray African society from an African perspective, countering the colonial narratives found in works like Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.

The novel follows Okonkwo, a proud Igbo warrior and leader in a Nigerian village, as European colonialism and Christian missionaries begin to dismantle his traditional way of life in the late 19th century. Okonkwo's tragic downfall mirrors the collapse of Igbo society under colonial rule.

Achebe wrote two sequels forming the African Trilogy: No Longer at Ease (1960) and Arrow of God (1964), as well as A Man of the People (1966) and Anthills of the Savannah (1987). He also wrote poetry, essays, and children's books.

In his 1975 lecture 'An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness,' Achebe argued that Conrad's novel was fundamentally racist in its depiction of Africa and Africans. The lecture sparked ongoing debate about colonialism, race, and the literary canon.