Things Fall Apart

Written by Chinua Achebe

Narrated by Peter Francis James

Okonowo is the greatest warrior alive and one of the most powerful men of his clan. Determined not to be like his father, he refuses to show weakness to anyone - even if the only way he can master his feelings is with his fists. When outsiders threaten the traditions of his clan, Okonowo takes violent action. Will the great man's dangerous pride eventually destroy him?

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. F. Howes Audio
• Release date: Jan 7, 2010
• ISBN: 9781407400525

Reviews for Things Fall Apart

[eumaeus · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Things Fall Apart (1958) is a magnificent novel. Like all great writers, Achebe is at once compassionate and detached, and his story is both intensely local and universal. One of the great strengths of the novel is its refusal to do the reader’s work for him and interpret the events as they unfold. Achebe, in his strong, classical prose is the ideal artist described by Hamlet, “whose end, both at the first and now, was and is, to hold, as ’twere, the mirror up to nature.” Achebe grew up in a devout Christian home, and it is not difficult to detect in Things Fall Apart the literary style and influence of the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, the Hymn Book, and Pilgrim’s Progress. Achebe is deeply respectful of his ancestral Ibo culture, but does not equivocate in post-modern fashion with regard to monstrous aspects of that culture, such as the throwing away of twins and the killing of Ikemefuna. Although no doubt disagreeable to some secular readers, Achebe beautifully conveys the way the Christian faith grew because it answered a longing in the hearts of reflective people such as Nwoye: “It was not the mad logic of the Trinity that captivated him. He did not understand it. It was the poetry of the new religion, something felt in the marrow. The hymn about brothers who sat in darkness and in fear seemed to answer a vague and persistent question that haunted his young soul—the question of the twins crying in the bush and the question of Ikemefuna, who was killed. He felt a relief within as the hymn poured into his parched soul. The words of the hymn were like drops of frozen rain melting on the dry palate of the panting earth.” Achebe’s depiction of the primitive church in Nigeria is entirely convincing. His father, Isaiah, was an early Ibo convert to Christianity, and doubtless many of the details of the Christian community in Things Fall Apart come from his reminiscences. The principal value of the pre-Christian Ibo culture will be familiar to readers of Homer: honor. Like Homer’s Greeks, this culture emphasized nobility, courage, loyalty, and generosity. More skeptically, one might add to this list, the domination of women. Kwame Anthony Appiah, however, in his introduction to the Everyman’s Library edition, writes that the Ibo culture of Things Fall Apart was not characterized by domination of women, but “a balance between masculine and feminine that [Okonkwo] does not acknowledge in part because he is ashamed of his father who has failed to be a real man.” Appiah’s view seems to me especially apt because one of the principal dynamics of the book is the powerful, even menacing Oedipal temper that drives the protagonist. Okonkwo loathes his father, and in the end, his hatred leads to his destruction.As a western, Christian reader, it is tempting to assume that Achebe regards the end of Ibo independence and traditional culture as a small price to pay for the coming of Christianity. The novel’s title, however, taken from a line in Yeats’ poem The Second Coming, suggests that Achebe is ambivalent about the coming of the white man: Turning and turning in the widening gyreThe falcon cannot hear the falconer;Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhereThe ceremony of innocence is drowned;The best lack all conviction, while the worstAre full of passionate intensity.Things Fall Apart was followed in 1960 by No Longer at Ease, and in 1964 by Arrow of God. No Longer at Ease is the story of one of Okonkwo’s Anglicized grandsons, and Arrow of God takes place amongst the Ibo villages in the 1920s. Together, Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease, and Arrow of God are sometimes referred to as The African Trilogy.

[nicolewbrown · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Set in the late 1800s in Niger, Okonkwo lived in one of the nine villages of the Igbo people named Umuofia and had managed to become successful on his own by borrowing yam seeds from a richer man and from his mother's family in order to farm his land. He also at one point wrestled the great Amalinze the Cat and threw him from the ring making him famous. His fields flourished and he was able to pay back what he owed and one day he became his own man with three wives and some titles to go with them. His dream is to get all four titles and be the man with the highest honor in the village.His father was lazy and had no titles and owed money to everyone. Okonkwo was ashamed of his father and while no one held what your father was against you--everyone was their own man--he felt the specter of his father over him and did everything to prevent himself from being like his shiftless father who played the flute and died a dishonorable death.Okonkwo's first son, Nwoye had a bit of his grandfather in him and Oknokwo tried to beat it out of him with some success. But this son will wind up being a disappointment to him. His daughter, Eximima, by his second wife he believes has the temperament to be a good son but sadly was born a daughter. She also is born very sick until the local medicine man helps her out, which is good since his second wife had had many stillborns and this was her only child.In another village, a man kills a man from this village's wife so compensation is agreed upon instead of going to war. A woman is sent over to be his wife and a young man is sent over as well. This man is Ikemefuna and he comes to live with Okonkwo for three years until the village has decided what to do with him. He is to be killed, likely because Okonkwo broke the Peace Weak by shooting his gun at his second wife. He pays compensation but that may not be enough, the boy needs to be sacrificed as well. The elder of the village tells Oknokwo that he is not to touch him because the boy calls him father and it would be wrong. But when it comes time to kill him Oknokwo lets his sense of not wanting to look weak overtake him and he strikes the boy causing his own downfall.I had been looking forward to reading this book because I had heard great things about this book, but I found it rather boring and plodding. It does pick up at the end when the white men come and try to make a mess of things. It will really piss you off, at least it did me. But that section is very small and it's at the very end. He uses the descriptions of the village as building blocks that will be affected by the white people coming in with their religion. This book just didn't live up to expectations. I give it three and a half out of five stars.

[eilonwy_anne · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Understated, evocative and elegant. A beautiful model of how to write a 'simple' story that has impact and resonance. The simplicity is deceptive -- it goes hand in hand with a narrative detachment which allows the story to shift points of view easily. Also, the matter-of-fact writing, applied to a culture where the fantastic and the 'real' interplay every day, makes the cultural context of Igbo beliefs easy for the reader to access; they are neither analyzed nor mystified, simply accepted, as they would have been for the characters in the novel.

[maryh10000 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My first introduction to an African social structure.

[quondame · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story of a determined man impelled not to repeat the debt accumulation of his father in Nigerian village coming increasingly under the sway of Christianity and western imperialism. The majority of the book is a passage through Ibo life punctuated by the toxic masculinity of the main character, while the finish is his hardships due to his own traditions and the rule of imperialism. Compelling if not in a pleasant way.

[therebelprince · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A haunting parable. The final chapter of this book still stings my western heart with every reading. Others have written eloquently on this work - and some reviews on here posit an alternative viewpoint on the apparently uppity and unreasonable, if not downright ungrateful aims of postcolonialist literature - so you can make up your own mind on that. But gosh I think this was an important novel 60 years ago, and it remains so. A challenge to its western readership, from the use of untranslated words to its matter-of-fact, quasi-Dickensian ironic descriptions of the local culture as seen through the protagonist, and sometimes his children - already questioning their own culture, as we all do.

A complex portrayal of colonialism that twists the knife very well indeed.

[kakadoo202 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

21% in i decided to stop reading. Story is just too slow.

[sprainedbrain · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I’m not sure ‘enjoyed’ is the correct word, but I was very invested in this 60-year-old story of pre-colonial Africa and what happened when Europeans began to arrive on the scene. While it’s hard to like Okonkwo and some of the elements of Igbo culture as depicted here, it’s impossible not to feel heartbroken as the arrival of white missionaries begins to destroy a culture and way of life. Achebe’s writing is masterful.

[bookomaniac-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Vrij kort, neutraal relaas van het leven in een dorp van de Ibo-stam (Nigeria), tijdsvak aanvankelijk onbepaald. Hoofdfiguur Okonkwo lijkt op weg om op eigen verdienste een man van aanzien te worden, maar door ongeluk, en uiteindelijk door de komst van de blanke kolonisator (dus eind 19de eeuw) stort zijn wereld in. Mooie evocatie van het stamleven, volgens de oude gebruiken; en schets van de overgang naar een koloniaal regime. Opvallend is de onthechte beschrijving, geen aanklacht, hoewel je onvermijdelijk toch een zekere sympathie met de hoofdfiguur en het "oude "leven krijgt, ondanks de donkere, wrede kanten die door Achebe niet onvermeld worden gelaten.

[brokensnowpea_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fantastic read.

[littlelotusflower · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A fantastically written story.

[m.akter.tonima · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The best possible post-colonial novel recommended for a post-colonial reader, that would neither leave a negative or a positive view on the reader regarding neither of the colonizers or colonized.

[over.the.edge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

# 6 of 100 Classics Challenge

Things Fall Apart🍒🍒🍒🍒
By China Achebe
1959

Awesome book. A must read!
"The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peacefully with his religion. We were amused by his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that hold us together and we have fallen apart. "

The culture.....The religion. ....the religion of culture, the culture of religion....the humanity of all people and beliefs....This hit me on so many levels, I'm unsure how to describe it's influence....

In Part One, this book explores the culture in Africa, in the small village of Ibo, in Nigeria. It is the story of Okonkwo, the greatest wrestler in 9 villages whose wealth include 3 wives, numerous children and 2 barns of yams. His brutal, selfish manner is feared, his beliefs fearfully followed and never questioned. His rise to power is followed by his quick fall.
Part Two, the white Christians begin to appear and are considered devils and weak. Men were considered effeminate and referred to as women.
When one of Okonkwo sons become interested in this new kind of belief. This enraged Okonkwo and he begins to unravel. ....soon more and more are joining this church, and rejecting the old ways.

[gypsysmom_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Well, it is easy to see why this book is on so many book lists. The latest is the PBS Great American Read list. Achebe really was a master. It is amazing that this was his first published book written when he was still in his 20s. The book is set in Nigeria prior to and then after colonization by England. I've read a few books that have been set in this period but this may be the first one written by a Nigerian who may have heard stories about that time from his grandparents. It centres around a successful man, Okonkwe, who had risen in his tribe despite his father's bad reputation as a wastrel and a coward. Then, really through no fault of his own, Okonkwe was exiled from his village and had to start over in his mother's village. After seven years he could return to his own village but in that intervening time colonization had come to his village. He saw his way of life disappearing; even his son joined the Christian religion. Although there were many things about the old tribal ways (twins were abandoned in the forest, wives were at the beck and call of their husband, violence and wars were common) that I did not like, at the end I felt very sorry for Okonkwe. I just read another book about how the coming of the whites to the Great Plains destroyed the tribal life of the Comanches. Colonization always seems to result in some group losing their heritage; let's hope than when humans do eventually reach the stars we do a better job.

[borrows0n0wants · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Things Fall Apart is the story of a man named Okonkwo who is a member of an African tribe. He is a very proud man and he is set in his ways and traditions. Christian missionaries come into the tribe and threaten his way of life and also convert his son. This book reminded me a lot of The Good Earth, so if you liked The Good Earth, you will more than likely enjoy Things Fall Apart as well. I would recommend this book to anyone.

[amaraki-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

'The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act as one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together, and now we have fallen apart.'

[joeydag · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this when I was still in college. I had no idea what I was reading about and I can't say I remember much, but I do remember reading it. It was a sad story about post-colonial cultural failure, I think. Perhaps I should read it again. I believe it was part of a trilogy but I never read another thing by Acheb.

[olongbourn · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Thank goodness for John Green's youtube video to help me understand why this is such a highly regarded book.

[kamgeb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Interesting book. Thought provoking about how Christian missionaries ruined Africe. Shows European egocentrism. Names were hard to follow. Might want to read again.

[kvrfan9 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dissatisfied with Western novels about Africa, Chinua Achebe sought to present Africa as an African. I found the immersion into the tribal culture of his protagonist, Okonkwo, totally absorbing.

Fully the first three-quarters of the book essentially depict the day-to-day events of village life. Through them, Okonkwo enjoys his successes and suffers his tragedies, and through them all proves to be a proud man unyielding in his values.

It's not until the later chapters that the white man appears bringing his customs and religion and conflict is heightened. That opening 3/4 of the book is critical, however, for the reader to know what is at stake in the confrontation.

I found Achebe to be remarkably fair in his depiction of the Westerners. He seems to have no argument with the content of the new religion (Christianity) and principles of government (English law) that are introduced, but rather with the ham-handed--and sometimes violent--manner in which they were imposed. Those of Okonkwo's village themselves show an amazing tolerance for the belief-systems of the newcomers, possessing a pretty libertarian attitude: "We say he is foolish because he does not know our ways, and perhaps he says we are foolish because we do not know his."

But as we know from the history of Africa, things do not end well. For all that the Okonkwo's people had and were, things fall apart.

And after we see it happen in Achebe's telling, his final paragraph becomes an absolute gut-wrencher.

[amelia_smith-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I have been meaning to read this book for years. I wanted to like it, but just couldn't get into it. I appreciated the portrayal of pre-colonial Africa, but the narrator's voice never really grabbed me. The two other big problems were that the main character isn't likeable, and only a little sympathetic, and the plot is too loose, arguably not a plot at all. I was disappointed.

[trilliams · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While not as complex in plot, or even vocabulary, as most books I read, Achebe's narrative was so curiously different that I'm glad I read it.

[lynnb_64 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book provides an understanding of tribal life, and what was at stake when the missionaries arrived with the Christian religion and with their legal system. For me, the characters weren't developed enough for me to really get into the story -- and there isn't much of a story until the last part of the book. That said, I understand why this book has endured. The last paragraph just blew me away and made me appreciate the book. It is, upon reflection, an exploration into what it means to be a man in society.

[hae1yu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Things Fall Apart was a landmark for African literature. It was the first to write about African society from the point of view of African society. Achebe described the complexities of native cultures from a relatively neutral perspective - the good and the bad. Unlike the Europeans, both sympathetic or otherwise, Achebe was not condescending. Igbo tribesmen were not "noble savages" or just "brutes" but people. What makes this a work of literature isn't a narrow discussion on colonialism, but that it transcends its setting and can apply to cultures, nations and times far removed from the original. Readers with a bit of wisdom will look behind the setting and see how customs and traditions are a society's framework, allowing individuals to conduct their daily lives and thrive. When these frameworks are disrupted unrest and even violence result. Things fall apart. Set in Nigeria just before and during the periods of missionary work and colonialism, the story focuses on one man, Okonkwo, who made a successful and respected name for himself. Punishments and rewards were predictable and accepted by all to the point of punishing oneself according to the respected and accepted traditions. Everyone knew the rules. When missionaries arrive, some customs were disturbed, but not so much as to cause violence. More aggressive, arrogant missionaries arrive who disregard local customs and abuse the backing of newly instated colonial authorities, resulting in clashes. Villagers, elders, and others do not know how to act or react. Their daily interactions were disturbed to the point of social paralysis, chaos and individual uncertainty and agitation.The writing is deceptively straightforward; simple scenes portray complex cultural interactions. This book is a quick read but provides fodder for many years of thought.

[ted_newell-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Actually I got stuck at page 80 and never got back into it (18 months ago). Can t see how else to get it off the pending list on Goodreads.

[cecrow · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the story of a man who resorts to anger to overcome, to solve and to justify. There's more to say about him and where this leads him, but I was more caught up by the cultural depiction. This novel initially reminded me of The Good Earth, depicting a non-Western culture invested in farming and the land. I could soon admire the society, if not the central character Okonkwo who is big on bluster and routinely threatens and beats his wives. The myths and superstitions are especially intriguing, but also the harvest cycle, the politics within and between tribes, the household structure. It's a world apart from everything I'm familiar with. There's a startling scene where a cloud of locusts appears and I predicted horror, but instead these pests are met with delight.As the title and cover of my edition foreshadows, the white man is coming. The influence of Christian missionaries makes itself in the gradual unravelling of tradition and a culture that has worked and thrived for centuries under its own system of beliefs. The author conveys both sides without prejudice, expressing an understanding of the nuances of both cultures. What stood out to me most as a result of their clash is the sad discovery that, although both systems are designed to reward the righteous and punish the wicked, they can find no common ground in their definitions of justice. It is made explicitly clear that what looks like irrational "lashing back" to a third party is actually each culture's attempt at reparations that will balance the scales of justice and allow for peace, but the act of doing so causes the other's set of scales to tip beyond tolerance.Clearly written and objectively told, it's no wonder this has become a modern classic and it's one I'll highly recommend.

[cbl_tn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Okonkwo is an Igbo man whose greatest desire is to be the successful man his father wasn't. Tragically for Okonkwo, the rules for success change during his lifetime with the arrival of British colonial government and the influence of Christian missionaries.Achebe gives the reader an insider's perspective on the culture of Umuofia, Okonkwo's Nigerian village. Viewed from the inside, one can discern the source of many of the traditions and values of Okonkwo's world. The life and stability of the community takes precedence over individual rights, and men take precedence over women and children. In Umuofia, an entire village bears the weight of guilt for one man's crime, and it is considered just to execute an innocent man as payment for this collective guilt. Under such circumstances a clash with Western/European culture is inevitable.Achebe's novel addresses universal themes of family, generational conflict, fear of failure, fear of change, friendship, religion, and social conflict. It's a must-read for anyone preparing to live and work in a cross cultural setting.

[lhlogan1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Difficult to read at times, but only because of how upset I became at the injustices in the story. Really great piece of literature.

[ellsbethb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is another book that has been on my list for some time. It was an intriguing flashback to my college courses on African history and my independent study in African literature. I find myself really wanting to discuss this book with other people.

[lucybrown_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As spare as a Sophoclean tragedy, Things Fall Apart chronicles the downfallen of a pride and fear driven patriarch. Unable to accept change or to countenance any thing like weakness in his friends or family, Okonkwo sees his life and position in his village crumble to nothing. Achebe creates a scathing picture of both what is wrought by an arrogant imperialisn and a wholesale rejection of new ideas.