Things Fall Apart is the most widely read and influential African novel. Published in 1958, it has sold more than eight million copies and been translated into fifty languages. African culture is not familiar to most American readers however, and this casebook provides a wealth of commentary and original materials that place the novel in its historical, social, and cultural contexts. Ogbaa, an Igbo scholar, has selected a wide variety of historical and firsthand accounts of Igbo history and cultural heritage. These accounts illuminate the historical context and issues relating to the colonization of Africa by European powers, in particular Britain's colonization of Nigeria. Fascinating materials bring to light the novel's cultural context--folkways, language and narrative customs, and traditional Igbo religion. Among the documents included are a slave narrative, interviews, journal and magazine articles, and historical essays. Each chapter is followed by questions for class discussion and ideas for student paper topics. A selection of maps and photos of Igbo culture complement the text. Following a literary analysis, historical documents trace the European powers' partition of Africa and the creation and colonization of Nigeria, home of the Igbo people. Several chapters on Igbo cultural harmony feature materials that explain the Igbo view of the world of humans and the world of the spirits, Igbo language, and traditional Igbo religion and material customs. Selections on the African novelists' novel place Things Fall Apart in the context of African literature and emphasize the difference between African and Western elements of fiction. A concluding chapter examines the debate on writingAfrican novels in ex-colonizers' languages. This casebook will greatly enhance the reader's appreciation of the novel and understanding of Igbo history, society, culture, and civilization.

A collection of 11 chapters by Nigerian professors, this book covers such issues as the dignity of intellectual labor; how colonial writings on Africa helped Africans decide to become the interpreters of their cultures; what Nigerian playwrights and poets have in common with authors from other parts of the world; the need to write literature in indigenous Nigerian languages; and critical examinations of the themes of victimization, bad governance, and Igbo social behavior as they are handled in select African and Nigerian literary texts. In discussing the issues, the contributors maintain a historical perspective which allows them to examine very critically the achievements of the founding fathers of Modern African Literatures, and the progress made in the development of African literatures. Also, they suggest what needs to be done to develop the national and ethnic literatures of Africa, as well as indigenous African languages that not only promote further development of the literatures, but also make it easier for Africans to read and appreciate their literatures more fully. Because of its content and developmental perspectives, The Gong and the Flute is a useful reference book for teachers and students of African literatures, and for research institutes and libraries interested in African, Nigerian, and Igbo Studies.

Nigerians first came to the United States to attend American universities, intending to return home. Successive waves of Nigerian students began to stay, and now Nigerian Americans are the largest African immigrant group in the country. Pursuing education to attain professional careers remains the cornerstone of the new Nigerian American families. This book gives students and general readers a clear view of where these immigrants came from, examining the Nigerian values and way of life that have been adapted to American culture, the inroads they have made economically, their relations with other Americans, and their contributions to American society. The author, a Nigerian immigrant, has experienced the process firsthand and represents his community as an insider. He portrays the people as hard working, religious adherents who value family and education above all, and maintain deep ties and keen interest in current events in Nigeria. Tables, photos, and biographical sketches of noted Nigerian Americans accompany the narrative.

Watch Out World, I'm Coming Out! is more than a collection of poems, motivational stories, and inspirational revelations based upon the word of God. It is a compilation of stories that will make you smile, laugh, shout, dance, and even shed a few tears of joy and sadness. This wonderful, inspirational volume can be used as a study guide for the important morality lessons that are taught within this book. It is a handy devotional and motivational companion for all to use. The author has compiled a variety of stories with very important morals that are based upon the teachings in the Bible. Every story ends with the pertinent Bible verse to insure that the reader is touched by the motivation for each piece that is included in Watch Out World, I'm Coming Out!

-The only biography of Achebe, author of the most widely read book in African literature, which covers his full life up to his death in 2013 -Contains a treasure trove of interviews with Achebe, and his family, colleagues and friends -Commissioned directly by Achebe's son, in recognition of the author's considerable expertise and familiarity with Achebe and his family

The Life and Times of Chinua Achebe introduces readers to the life, literary works, and times of arguably the most widely-read African novelist of recent times, an icon, both in continental Africa and abroad.

The book weaves together the story of Chinua Achebe, a young Igboman whose novel Things Fall Apart opened the eyes of the world to a more realistic image of Africa that was warped by generations of European travelers, colonists, and writers. Whilst continuing to write further influential novels and essays, Achebe also taught other African writers to use their skills to help their national leaders to fight for their freedoms in the post-colonial era, as internal warfare compounded the damage caused by European powers during the colonial era. In this book Kalu Ogbaa, an esteemed expert on Achebe and his works, draws on extensive research and personal interviews with the great man and his colleagues and friends, to tell the story of Achebe and his work.

This intimate and powerful new biography will be essential reading for students and scholars of Chinua Achebe, and to anyone with an interest in the literature and post-colonial politics of Africa.

Table of Contents

Introduction Timeline: Key Dates in the Life and Times of Chinua Achebe 1. The Life and Education of Chinua Achebe 2. Chinua Achebe’s Education as Template 3. The Four Phases of Chinua Achebe’s Writing Career 4. Leave of Absence Abroad Interrupted for Patriotic Duties at Home 5. My Interviews with Chinua Achebe 6. The Eagle on Iroko Critically Analyzes the Problem with Nigeria Of Governance, Revolutions, and Victims: Chinua Achebe and Literary Activism inAnthills of the Savannah 8. Year 1990 and After: A New Life and Phase IV of Achebe’s Writing Career 9. My Review of Chinua Achebe’s There Was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra 10. Other Critics’ Reviews of There Was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra 11. Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God: A Foretaste of Igbo Intra-ethnic Democracy in the Present Day Nigerian Geopolitical System 12. Remembering Achebe the Man, His Literary Mission, and His Achievements

My Dad Owns The World is a potpourri of short inspirational Christian stories that doubles as a devotional. It's a collection of motivational messages, poems and inspirational revelations based on the word of God. These stories have inspired faith, courage, hope and love in the hearts of over 10,000 readers. The recurring theme in the book is that no matter the circumstances of life, the fact remains that your Daddy (God Almighty) owns the world, cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. You are the object of His love, the personality of His deepest affection, the apple of His eyes and His treasure of inestimable value

Watch Out World, I'm Coming Out! is more than a collection of poems, motivational stories, and inspirational revelations based upon the word of God. It is a compilation of stories that will make you smile, laugh, shout, dance, and even shed a few tears of joy and sadness. This wonderful, inspirational volume can be used as a study guide for the important morality lessons that are taught within this book. It is a handy devotional and motivational companion for all to use. The author has compiled a variety of stories with very important morals that are based upon the teachings in the Bible. Every story ends with the pertinent Bible verse to insure that the reader is touched by the motivation for each piece that is included in Watch Out World, I'm Coming Out!