Things Fall Apart

Der Ruhm des jungen Kriegers Okonkwo verbreitet sich wie ein Lauffeuer in West Afrika. Als er jedoch unbeabsichtigt ein wichtiges Stammesmitglied tötet, gerät seine Welt aus den Fugen.

Zusatztext Praise for Chinua Achebe A true classic of world literature...A masterpiece that has inspired generations of writers in Nigeria, across Africa, and around the world. Barack Obama A magical writerone of the greatest of the twentieth century. Margaret Atwood African literature is incomplete and unthinkable without the works of Chinua Achebe. Toni Morrison Chinua Achebe has shown that a mind that observes clearly but feels deeply enough to afford laughter may be more wise than all the politicians and journalists. Time Chinua Achebe is gloriously gifted with the magic of an ebullient, generous, great talent. Nadine Gordimer Achebe's influence should go on and on . . . teaching and reminding that all humankind is one. The Nation The father of African literature in the English language and undoubtedly one of the most important writers of the second half of the twentieth century. Caryl Phillips, The Observer We are indebted to Achebe for reminding us that art has social and moral dimensiona truth often obscured. Chicago Tribune He is one of the few writers of our time who has touched us with a code of values that will never be ironic. Michael Ondaatje For so many readers around the world, it is Chinua Achebe who opened up the magic casements of African fiction. Kwame Anthony Appiah [Achebe] is one of world literature's great humane voices. Times Literary Supplement Achebe is one of the most distinguished artists to emerge from the West African cultural renaissance of the post-war world. The Sunday Times (London) [Achebe is] a powerful voice for cultural decolonization. The Village Voice The power and majesty of Chinua Achebe's work has, literally, opened the world to generations of readers. He is an ambassador of art, and a profound recorder of the human condition. Michael Dorris Informationen zum Autor Chinua Achebe Klappentext "A true classic of world literature . . . A masterpiece that has inspired generations of writers in Nigeria, across Africa, and around the world." -Barack Obama Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American ReadThings Fall Apart is the first of three novels in Chinua Achebe's critically acclaimed African Trilogy. It is a classic narrative about Africa's cataclysmic encounter with Europe as it establishes a colonial presence on the continent. Told through the fictional experiences of Okonkwo, a wealthy and fearless Igbo warrior of Umuofia in the late 1800s, Things Fall Apart explores one man's futile resistance to the devaluing of his Igbo traditions by British political andreligious forces and his despair as his community capitulates to the powerful new order. With more than 20 million copies sold and translated into fifty-seven languages, Things Fall Apart provides one of the most illuminating and permanent monuments to African experience. Achebe does not only capture life in a pre-colonial African village, he conveys the tragedy of the loss of that world while broadening our understanding of our contemporary realities. Chapter One Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. Amalinze was the great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten, from Umuofia to Mbaino. He was called the Cat because his back would never touch the earth. It was this man that Okonkwo threw in a fight which the old men agreed was one of the fiercest since the founder of their town engaged a spirit of the wild for seven days and seven nights. The...

Praise for Chinua Achebe
 
“A true classic of world literature...A masterpiece that has inspired generations of writers in Nigeria, across Africa, and around the world.” —Barack Obama

“A magical writer—one of the greatest of the twentieth century.” —Margaret Atwood
 
“African literature is incomplete and unthinkable without the works of Chinua Achebe.” —Toni Morrison
                                                                                               
“Chinua Achebe has shown that a mind that observes clearly but feels deeply enough to afford laughter may be more wise than all the politicians and journalists.” —Time

“Chinua Achebe is gloriously gifted with the magic of an ebullient, generous, great talent.” —Nadine Gordimer
 
“Achebe’s influence should go on and on . . . teaching and reminding that all humankind is one.” —The Nation

“The father of African literature in the English language and undoubtedly one of the most important writers of the second half of the twentieth century.” —Caryl Phillips, The Observer

“We are indebted to Achebe for reminding us that art has social and moral dimension—a truth often obscured.” —Chicago Tribune

“He is one of the few writers of our time who has touched us with a code of values that will never be ironic.” —Michael Ondaatje
 
“For so many readers around the world, it is Chinua Achebe who opened up the magic casements of African fiction.” —Kwame Anthony Appiah
 
“[Achebe] is one of world literature’s great humane voices.” —Times Literary Supplement
 
“Achebe is one of the most distinguished artists to emerge from the West African cultural renaissance of the post-war world.” —The Sunday Times (London)
 
“[Achebe is] a powerful voice for cultural decolonization.” —The Village Voice
 
“The power and majesty of Chinua Achebe’s work has, literally, opened the world to generations of readers. He is an ambassador of art, and a profound recorder of the human condition.” —Michael Dorris

Autorentext

Chinua Achebe

Klappentext

"A true classic of world literature . . . A masterpiece that has inspired generations of writers in Nigeria, across Africa, and around the world." -Barack Obama Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read Things Fall Apart is the first of three novels in Chinua Achebe's critically acclaimed African Trilogy. It is a classic narrative about Africa's cataclysmic encounter with Europe as it establishes a colonial presence on the continent. Told through the fictional experiences of Okonkwo, a wealthy and fearless Igbo warrior of Umuofia in the late 1800s, Things Fall Apart explores one man's futile resistance to the devaluing of his Igbo traditions by British political andreligious forces and his despair as his community capitulates to the powerful new order. With more than 20 million copies sold and translated into fifty-seven languages, Things Fall Apart provides one of the most illuminating and permanent monuments to African experience. Achebe does not only capture life in a pre-colonial African village, he conveys the tragedy of the loss of that world while broadening our understanding of our contemporary realities.

Leseprobe

Chapter One

 

Okonkwo was well known throughout the n…