Nigerian writer, Chinua Achebe has passed away at the age of 82.

By far one of Africa’s most famous writers, Achebe died after “a brief illness,” according to his agent.

Achebe is best known for his novel, Things Fall Apart:

Chinua Achebe who taught at colleges in the United States made literary history with his 1958 best-seller Things Fall Apart, a sobering tale about Nigeria at the dawn of independence.

Achebe, 82, played a critical role in establishing post-colonial African literature and is known to students all over the continent for his seminal novel, Things Fall Apart. Achebe’s masterpiece has graced countless school and college syllabuses and is translated into fifty languages worldwide.

It is often cited as the most read book in modern African literature and has sold more than 12 million copies.

 

Read more at NPR.

 

Fortunately for us, Achebe left behind an impressive body of work that we can read.

 

There’s no better time than now to (re-)familiarize yourself with Achebe’s work. May he rest in peace.

 

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