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Summary: Well-rounded character study and excellent storytelling.
Review: Overall, this story is an easy, quick reader. The author integrates internal and external conflicts seemlessly. This character study is complete with predictable and shocking behavior. It appreciate the unpopular perspective of the historical setting. The dichotomy created is on one hand the power of christianity versus the disrespect of others way of life.
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Summary: Informative, but Bad
Review: This book is just a fictional text book. The first 100-150 pages are just information that is not important in the long run. We finally get to the plot after 150 pages, but by then it has taken too long. If you want to be put to sleep, please read this book. If you want no real plot, please read this book. If you want a text book on African culture, read this book. If you want a good book that keeps you interested all the way through, read something like Elie Weisel's Night. Just don't read this book.
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Summary: Africa's most valuable gift to fiction
Review: Things Fall Apart, as the title suggests,is a tragedy. It's a tragedy to beat all Greek tragedies (whose influence on Achebe is more than pronounced). It is also perhaps the most important contibution of what is called the Third World to English fiction. But at the same time, it is more misundersttod than is appreciated. Misunderstood? How? Forstly, it is not primarily about the disintegration of a pure tribal society caused by the `civilsed' English missionary. Missionaries come only otwards the end of the book. By then large part of Okonkwo's life has laready become a tragedy. As i understood the book, what Achebe intends and has achieved is portraying ultimate human tragedy in the face of what we call the norman course of life. In the Nigerian tribal society, this normal course is not normal enough---that's tha tragedy!
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Summary: The story of the European colonization of the world...
Review: This book provides and insightful example of how a society once rich in culture and tradition was dissolved by the capitalist mentality of Europeans. It is the story of how Europeans have used religion, education, and technology to disintegrate cultures all over the world by getting the people to doubt everything that they have ever believed or been taught while robbing them of their resources and "setting up shop." It also illustrates how the authors of textbooks and of history may have truly been totally ignorant of what they were writing about, and there ignorant standpoints are now what those who seek "education" are required to learn. I though that the book perhaps started out slowly, offering many background details with no defined plot. Later, i understood that Achebe was providing cultural information as well as illustrating how a rich history and tradion of a people was wiped out in a small amount of time by european colonialists. I highly reccommend this book to mature readers everywhere.
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Summary: Achebe's Brilliance Here is unmatched
Review: Achebe does a wonderful job illustrating the exploitation of native Africans. Okonkwo is a brilliant character. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone!
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Summary: Okonkwo's conflict and tragedy
Review: Okonkwo is a prominent member of the Ibo tribe. He is a well respected wrestler who accidentally kills someone while firing guns at a party. After being exiled for this crime for seven years, Okonkwo returns to find white missionaries have arrived. These Europeans eventually bring in armed guards. Okonkwo pleads with his people not to give up their way of life as the missionaries turn his village into a prison. "Things Fall Apart" deals with issues many men and women have faced over history's path. Okonkwo must deal with the assimilation of his tribe, what seems to be the end of his culture. Okonkwo's exterior and interior conflicts make this an enjoyable, universally truthful book comparable to a Greek tragedy. Achebe has created a meaningful book, which can be useful to anyone who wants wo know about the European takeover of Africa, the African culture, or simply wants a good read. "Things Fall Apart" is has a strong message to deliver to today's society--fight for what you believe in, and never give up.
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Summary: If you want the other side of the story. . .
Review: Achebe's novel is one that is certainly different in terms of narrative style and content. What I believe it is trying to do is portray African life before the colonists invaded. Africa did exist as an independent, intelligent culture before the British arrived, and one must keep in mind Achebe's motives while reading the novel to get the most out of it. Personally, I think the novel is wonderful if you are in the mood for some intellectual stimulation, although it comes across a light read.
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Summary: A touching story of the crumbling lives of tribal Africans.
Review: This book is a must! Okonkwo, an African tribal man, lives in a changing society. White men come to the tribes of Umufia, transforming their way of life, and Okonkwo cannot adapt. Chinua Achebe makes it possible for readers to have a true taste of reality. You won't be able to put this magnificent book down until you are finished! The detailed writing creates vivid imagery that is very realistic. I recommend this book to every reader out there. It's the best book I've ever read.
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Summary: insightful with universal themes
Review: After reading some African proverbs and learning about the rich tradition of oral storytelling in African culture, this story simply illuminated so much for me. The main character, though certainly flawed even in the eyes of his own tribe, carries his pride and hubris at a breathtaking pace. Though some may not care for such character development, I appreciated the author's style in illuminating even the secondary characters as each piece fell into place when the diffusion of colonialism took place. Fiction such as this is even more powerful when one takes time to get background knowledge about the Ibo of south Nigeria and their aspirations for preserving their identity - not only in the face of Christian missionary zeal, but also in the face of conflict and tragedy with the central government of Nigeria as seen in the Biafra civil war of the 1970's.
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Summary: This book is awesome...
Review: Things Fall Apart was a very good book. I am in 9th grade and I had to read it for World Studies this year. At first I thought it was just going to be boring like alot of other school books are, but this one was different. I could actually visualize the different scenes as I read them. I don't think I've ever read a school book that I actually wanted to continue to read. Well there's a forst time for everything.
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