Achebe, Chinua

New York. 1989. October 1989. Doubleday. 1st American Edition. Very Good in Dustjacket . 0385247303. 188 pages. hardcover. Jacket illustration by Sally Sturman. keywords: Nigeria Africa Literature Essays . FROM THE PUBLISHER - Chinua Achebe's first novel portrays the collision of African and European cultures in people's lives. Okonkwo, a great man in Igbo traditional society, cannot adapt to the profound changes brought about by British colonial rule. Yet, as in classic tragedy, Okonkwo's downfall results from his own character as well as from external forces . . From PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - Achebe's powerful critique of Joseph Conrad's HEART OF DARKNESS as a racist mirror of Eurocentric attitudes leads off this challenging collection of essays on art, literature and social issues. The famed Nigerian novelist (THINGS FALL APART ) views literature as a medium that can help Africa regain a belief in itself to replace a posture of self-abasement instilled by its traumatic historical encounter with the West. Tributes to novelists Amos Tutuola and Kofi Awoonor, as well as discerning appraisals of writers such as V. S. Naipaul and James Baldwin, reflect his belief in the power of fiction to give us a 'handle on reality.' Overall, these concise essays deliver a forceful commentary on Afro-American life and letters. Summing up Nigeria's recent sociopolitical history as 'a snatching of defeat from the jaws of victory,' Achebe calls active participation in the political process a prerequisite for his country's, and Africa's, regeneration. inventory #12700 ISBN: 0385247303.