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Summary: would rather eat maggots
Review: I was forced to read this book for my high school lit. class and I am truly convinced that the teacher did it for cruel and unusual punishment. It is almost impossible to concieve how boring this novel was. The main character was very annoying. He was arrogant and never interesting. you never got to get personal with the character's. It was like reading a quick obituary. The plot never got good and there was no humor. only flat meaningless words.I'm not the only one who felt this way. No one in my class liked the book and we complained everyday. my best friend was incapable finishing the book. if you're a kid in school don't even try it.
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Summary: One of the Best Books Ever Written - Great African Novel!
Review: I was required to read this book in a college literature class and actually dreaded reading it because I really had no interest in Africa. After reading this book by the amazingly talented Chinua Achebe, I became more interested in Africa than I would have ever thought possible! Achebe has masterful skill in portraying African culture to the readers. He colors Africa in a magnificent yet somewhat tragic shade.I wrote an essay in college based on the Nigerian folktales in this book and received a 100% from my professor. This book has the power to touch lives and I recommend it to absolutely everybody on the planet. I have given my copy to my brother in hopes of educating one more person in this world on African culture. If you think this book is just for African Americans you're wrong... I am caucasian and this book has become my absolute favorite ever! Please buy this book and when you've read it pass it along to someone else. This book really enlightens people and makes the world more aware of the great and slightly overlooked continent of Africa - and in particular, Nigeria. I will travel to Africa someday solely because of this book!
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Summary: Deceptively Simple
Review: Things Fall Apart reads so simply. The sentences are so concise and direct, attacking the reader. This novel doesn't seduce you the reader; instead, it forces you to put aside all of your prejudices inherited from your own culture, and the novel compels you to enter Okonkwo's own violent, beautiful culture. Then, once you are in, Achebe pummels you, making you feel a sense of destruction similar to that of a culture being destroyed by colonialism. The novel is simple, and at the same time, it's not. Things Fall Apart is much more than just an indictment of Western Culture. It explores complex questions about the clash of cultures. It explores the meaning of truth, and everything relates to Western culture itself as it is sucked into W.B. Yeats's gyre along with the Igbo. Things Fall Apart is one of the powerful stories of the Twentieth Century, and it is a novel which will stand far past the Postmodern era.
Rating: 
Summary: So-So
Review: This book really is good to read if you want to know about Nigerian culture in the 1800's. I learned a lot from this book. However, I didn't really enjoy reading though. It was hard to like the book, when I really didn't like the main character, Okonkwo. Okonkwo was really hateful, but I sort of understood where he was coming from. He was really tough on everyone because he didn't want to be seen as weak, like his father, unoka, was. It's an ok book, but not great.
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Summary: Masterwork by a Literary Master
Review: Even a casual read through this classic demonstrates what it takes to construct a literary masterpiece: humanity, humor, relevance and universality. The great works are universal because they are so rooted in their time and place and in so being they demonstrate the essential humanity of their characters. Greek tragedies, Shakespeare's plays, the 19th century Russian novelists all appealed to their contemporaries and history as a consequence of such traits. This novel falls into this category and is simply a MUST read for any serious reader. Every couple years when I return to it, I find the depth of wit and wisdom with which Achebe presents the conflict of generations and cultures, an essential sameness those cultures miss in judging by superficial traits, and in that I am assured of the skill that modern literature still demonstrates.
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Summary: Things did Fall Apart
Review: Chinua Achebe is the author of the novel of Things Fall Apart. This novel is about a great warrior who goes by the name of Okonkwo and lives in the village of Ufuomia. The events, which took place in this novel, gasp the reader's attention throughout the story, which consisted of only two hundred and nine pages. Achebe, without any warning shows the reader how things fall apart in the blink of an eye. The reader must also have prior knowledge about the African cultures to be able to understand the events, which took place throughout the story.
I recommend this book for people who are interested in the history of African. The story took place in the "bush", which is the deepest part of Africa, thousands of miles from the city life.
If you have a good imagination, you should really enjoy the story.
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Summary: No better the second time...
Review: This is the second time that I have read Things Fall Apart and I didnt like it any better this time. Although the book incorporates two very important concepts, hubris and the unability to grow and change with society, I still found the book boring and difficult to read. I definately wont be reading this one a third time.
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Summary: Foced out of a cocoon of customs
Review: Achebe's Things Fall Apart is written in simple imagery to describe tribal life in Nigeria. The main character, Okonkwo, is a hard working tribal leader with pride in the customs of his tribe. When he is forced into exile from the village Okonkwo is forced to learn about different people and traditions. This book has a lot of symbolism and many lessons to teach.
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Summary: The Tragic fate of men
Review: This book was magnificent in that it had a lot to say while actually explaining very litte. I've always admired artists who could accomplish this task. Primitive cultures have always interested me in that modern man seems unhappy with his existence. I think I'm gonna read it over again! If you want real African Literature, pick up this book!
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Summary: Things Fall Apart- Ms. Scott
Review: Umofia was a very religious and great African tribe with many wise and respected men. One of these respected men was Okonkwo. Okonkwo was Unoka's son. Unlike many other sons who respected their fathers in Umofia, Okonkwo hated his father. He hated his lack of strength, his failure, and the fact that he had not taken a title in Umofia during his life. Okonkwo however had taken a title and became a well known and respected man at a very young age. Okonkwo lived in his own farm with his three wives and children. Okonkwo and the elder men of Umofia were called for a meeting. It was concerning the death of a clansman's wife of Umofia, who had been killed by another tribe. As compensation for the loss a young man and a virgin was brought to Umofia. Ikemefuna, the young man, was decided by the elders to stay in Okonkwo's care. Okonkwo and his family soon grew fond of the boy. Nwoye, Okonkwo's son, and Ikemefuna became very close and came to see each others as brothers. As the years passed Okonkwo was able to grow a good harvest. Nwoye was becoming a man in Okonkwo's eyes and this was because of Ikemefuna who had taught him so much. Ikemefuna had spent three years in Okonkwo's household. One morning a group of elders came to Okonkwo's house and called Ikemefuna to be sent back to his homeland. Nwoye cried over this. Okonkwo, Ikemefuna, and the elders set for the journey. After a long walk Ikemefeuna had been killed by the men and by Oknokwo as a sacrifice.When Okonkwo returned home Nwoye knew Ikemefuna had been killed. Nwoye feared his father after that night.
Umofia was at mourning for Ezeudo's death and everyone in the village attended his funeral. During th traditional ceremony a cry of agony was heard it was Ezeudo's son. He layed dead on the floor. Okonkwo's gun had accidentally exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy's heart. Okonkwo's only option was to flee with his family to Mbanta, his mother's homeland. He would be able to return to Umofia after seven years. He build his own home and settled in Mbanta for seven years. During these seven years a white man had been traveling to every tribe spreading christanity. The white man and his followers built their own churches and schools. Among these followers was Nwoye. He became a christian and Okonkwo disowned him. Okonkwo returned to Umofia, but it was differnt then the way he had left it seven years ago. Okonkwo was angered and saddened by how christianity had changed his homeland. The only answer Okonkwo saw was war.
A masquerader who impersonated one of the ancestors spirits of the village destroyed the church. A couple of days after the destruction of the church the District comissioner of the church sent for the leaders of Umofia to meet in his headquarters. Among the leaders was Okonkwo. They were held captive until they agreed to pay 200 pounds of cowries as a fine. They were held prisoners and were whipped and mistreated. After their release a town meeting was held and Okonkwo feared his tribe's lack of strenth to call a war. The district comissioner's messengers were sent to sop the meeting. Okonkwo drew his machete and killed the man. The comissioner and other clansmen arrived at Okonkwo's home and found him dangling from a tree. He had comitted suicide.
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