Things Fall Apart
by Chinua Achebe · first published 1958
64% recommend36% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Short, devastating novel of colonialism's arrival in an Igbo village, told from the African side. Suits readers wanting postcolonial literature; its brief, emotionally striking ending stays with people.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Things Fall Apart is the debut novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, first published in 1958. It depicts pre-colonial life in the southeastern part of Nigeria and the arrival of Europeans during the late 19th century. It is seen as the archetypal modern African novel in English, and one of the first to receive global critical acclaim. It is a staple book in schools throughout Africa and is widely read and studied in English-speaking countries around the world. The novel was first published in the UK in 1962 by William Heinemann Ltd, and became the first work published in Heinemann's African
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2009–2022Hyperspace
Michio Kaku
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 64 recommend · 6 mention4 recommend · 64 recommend
2010–2026Mockingbird
Walter S. Tevis
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 33 recommend · 3 mention3 recommend · 33 recommend
2009–2026All the King's Men
Robert Penn Warren
Recommended by 9 · mentioned by 99 recommend · 9 mention9 recommend · 99 recommend
2007–2024Bridge of Birds
Barry Hughart
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 76 recommend · 7 mention6 recommend · 76 recommend
2009–2026The Eye of the World
Robert Jordan
Recommended by 5 · mentioned by 125 recommend · 12 mention5 recommend · 125 recommend
2007–2025Galatea 2.2
Richard Powers
Recommended by 8 · mentioned by 108 recommend · 10 mention8 recommend · 108 recommend
2010–2026Children of the Mind
Orson Scott Card
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 143 recommend · 14 mention3 recommend · 143 recommend
2012–2025My Ántonia
Willa Cather
Recommended by 11 · mentioned by 1411 recommend · 14 mention11 recommend · 1411 recommend
…By the way, if you find something on there you like, then go give an upvote to ekm2: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4955541 From that list, I would recommend the following to anybody: (Achebe - Things Fall Apart), (Austin - Pride and Prejudice), (Laxness - Independent People), (Marquez - Love in the Time of Cholera), (Gogol - Dead Souls [translation by MacAndrew is the most fun one I've read]), (Twain - Huck…
on “Ask HN: classic literature recommendations?” ↗Oh my! That was harsh and cleverly concealed too! My observation was lost in translation. I have nothing against Africa. I read Achebe and consider Things Fall Apart to be one of the best books I have read along with Hundred Years of Solitude.
on “Chinua Achebe, African Literary Titan, Dies at 82 (2013)” ↗A few tips: ”One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich” by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, ”Things fall apart” by Chinua Achebe, ”Wide Sargasso sea” by Jean Rhys, poetry by Anna Achmatova, ”My life in the bush of ghosts” by Amos Tutuola, ”A personal matter” by Kenzaburo Oe, ”Woman in the dunes” by Kobo Abe, ”The…
on “The Bookish Life: How to Read and Why” ↗Instead of reading crap on the internet, I recommend this classic book on colonialism in Africa: https://www.amazon.com/Things-Fall-Apart-Chinua-Achebe/dp/03...
on “‘Decolonizing’ Math and Science” ↗I don't have a favorite book quote, as my choice depends on what I'm going through or experiencing at a particular point in my life. As at today, my favorite quote that comes to mind is from Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe - Okonkwo stood looking at the dead man. He knew that Umuofia would not go to war. He knew because they had let the other messengers escape. They had broken into tumult instead of action.…
on “Ask HN: What is your favorite quote from a book?” ↗…http://books.google.com/books?id=L1USAAAAIAAJ&printsec=f... Needless to say, neither of these books is popular in the university. In fact, a professor would almost certainly get fired for teaching the latter book. I did enjoy Things fall apart. Note that Achebe wrote it and it became popular before he was a professor. Was there value-add on the part of the university? And again the point about intellectual diversity. If you actually want…
on “Colleges Consider 3-Year Degrees To Save Undergrads Time, Money” ↗I'm not sure I have two most favored books. But, I'll recommend two: The Life and Death of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
on “Ask HN: Please name two of your most favorite books.” ↗Some favorites: Pale Fire by Nabokov Ulysses by Joyce Et Tu, Babe by Leyner Metamorphosis by Kafka (more a long story) Things Fall Apart by Achebe Hamlet and Coriolanus by Shakespeare The Code of the Woosters by Wodehouse The Doorbell Rang by Stout
on “Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read? ” ↗I'd add to this list Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and "The wind-up bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
on “The non-western books that every student should read” ↗…more anecdotal and transition-based, all short i) Ryszard Kapuściński, both the The Emperor and the Soccer War ( half of this is about Africa, other half is South/Central America) ii) Chinua Achebe - Things Fall Apart - fiction but feels 'truthy'
on “Ask HN: 2018 Summer Reading List?” ↗…"expand" your vision of things, one thing I tried to do, and loved, is reading as much as possible books from other cultures, for example postcolonial literature. I particularly liked Chinua Achebe's "things fall apart". Somewhat related, "the moon and the bonfires" was deeply moving to me, the life of a man in agricultural Italy after ww2. The reason why I put these together is that they do something extraordinary:…
on “Ask HN: Which books you have read till now that were worth investing time in?” ↗Good point The examples I picked weren't fiction. Which weakens the argument. But, not sure we can say they aren't 'Art'. How about 'Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe. That is fiction, and painful. And is moving in a way that makes you want to maybe do something to improve the world. That was more what I was trying to get at. Art can't all just…
on “In "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," Feeding Your Family Comes First” ↗…indoctination of students is to present them with multiple works with differing viewpoints and have them debate them on the merits - e.g. have them read Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness' as well as Chinua Achebe's 'Things Fall Apart' and let them come to their own conclusions. Also, stop excluding fantasy and science fiction literature from the academic curriculum! The Three-Body Problem is highly suitable for a high school literature…
on “The Atlantic Did Me Dirty” ↗Hard to interpret that comment as anything but racist. Chinua Achebe is widely considered one of the greatest modern novelists. He was 28 when he wrote Things Fall Apart.
on “Sora 2” ↗…them or not, in the end they manage to bribe their way out of it.. crazy stuff, they even go visit some tribal ossuaries where the bones of the enemies are kept. Can't help but think of 'Chinua Achebe - Things Fall Apart' .. if you haven't read the book, you really should
on “I can't stop thinking about Papua New Guinea” ↗