When was Chinua Achebe born and when did they die?

Chinua Achebe was born in 1930 and died in 2013, living to about 83 years old.

Who was alive at the same time as Chinua Achebe?

Chinua Achebe's closest contemporary was Nelson Mandela, with whom they shared 83 years of overlapping lifetimes. Explore more contemporaries on Timeliner.

Chinua Achebe

Q: What was Chinua Achebe known for?

Chinua Achebe was known for: Things Fall Apart, father of modern African literature. Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic who is regarded as a central figure of modern African literature. His first novel and magnum opus, Things Fall Apart (1958), occupies a pivotal place in African literature and remains the most widely studied, translated, and read African novel. Along with Things Fall Apart, his No Longer at Ease (1960) and Arrow of God (1964) complete the "African Trilogy". Later novels include A Man of the People (1966) and Anthills of the Savannah (1987). Achebe is often referred to as the "father of modern African literature", although he vigorously rejected the characterization.

1930 – 2013

Literature

Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic who is regarded as a central figure of modern African literature. His first novel and magnum opus, Things Fall Apart (1958), occupies a pivotal place in African literature and remains the most widely studied, translated, and read African novel. Along with Things Fall Apart, his No Longer at Ease (1960) and Arrow of God (1964) complete the "African Trilogy". Later novels include A Man of the People (1966) and Anthills of the Savannah (1987). Achebe is often referred to as the "father of modern African literature", although he vigorously rejected the characterization.

Chinua Achebe

Contemporaries

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