This book celebrates Chinua Achebe, one of the most profound and famous African writers of our time, and his widely read masterpiece, Things Fall Apart . The novel remains a must read literary text for reasons the many contributors to this book make clear in their astute readings. Their perspectives offer thought provoking and critically insightful considerations for scholars of all ages, cultures and genders.

Unlike any existing books or materials related to Things Fall Apart, this project provides a broader scope to better help readers appreciate Chinua Achebe's writings Features contributions from world-renowned African Literature specialists Chapters from lifetime friends of Achebe's bring a unique perspective to understanding of Achebe in particular and African Literature in general.

Autorentext

Désiré Baloubi is Professor of English and Linguistics and Department Head of English and Foreign Languages at Norfolk State University, USA. He is a founding member of the Southeast African Languages and Literatures Forum. He edited The Africa We Know (2009) and co-edited African American Perspectives (2010).

Christina R. Pinkston is Assistant Professor of English at Norfolk State University, USA. Her research focuses on the social-political-cultural voice of African and African-Americans.

Inhalt

1. Chapter One: Memories of Chinua Achebe at the University of Texas at Austin.- 2. Chapter Two: From the Boundaries of Storytelling to the History of a People.- 3. Chapter Three: Language Alternation Strategy: An In-depth Appraisal of Achebe's Things Fall Apart.- 4. Chapter Four: My English, My Literature: Owning our African Englishes and Literatures.- 5. Chapter Five: Linguistic Pragmatism versus Linguistic Imperialism.- 5. Chapter Six: The Role of Women in Things Fall Apart.- 7. Chapter Seven: Manhood in Things Fall Apart.- 8. Chapter Eight: Utilizing Cosmic Feminism and Critical Organic Writing (COW) to Deconstruct Female Oppression: A Connection with Women in Things Fall Apart. - 9. Chapter Nine: Encouraging American Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Teach African Languages and Cultures.- 10. Chapter Ten: Intercultural Connections: Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart in Swahili Classrooms.- 11. Chapter Eleven: Studying Chinua Achebe in American Schools: A Means to an End or an End in Itself?.- 12. Chapter Twelve: Religious Violent Extremism: Lessons from Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart.- 13. Chapter Thirteen: Turning the Tides for African Literary Criticism: Achebe's An Image of Africa as a Founding Text of Africana Studies.- 14. Chapter Fourteen: Chinua Achebe and Joseph Conrad: Irreconcilable Differences?.- 15. Chapter Fifteen: Things Fall Apart and the Modern African Hero.