One LUNATIC is here talking about Achebe rejecting National Award, which value does National Award has when Rats, mosquitoes, criminals, murderers have been awarded.

EzeUche0:

Things Fall Apart is not actually his best novel in my honest opinion. It is a good novel, but that title should go to Arrow of God.

That cannot be understated! His novel was thee first to speak from the African Perspective.

I'd've thought we were up to something here, EzeUche0; but it appears you've disappeared from this discussion.
You state 2 two things that appear interesting, if perhaps contradictory:

1) that "Arrow of God" is Achebe's best novel
2) that "Things Fall Apart" was the first to speak from the African perspective (emphasis added)

Would you care to develop these thoughts?

And, furacao, any responses forthcoming?

SEFAGO: Good post Physics QED- I have read the works of several of these literary figures and truth be told- they surpass Achebe in maturity and depth. Writers like Brecht's Threepenny Opera , and Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment (None of Achebe's books will ever touch the metaphysical questioning or intellect represented in this book) make several African writers even Achebe look like elementary writers.

Nevertheless, Achebe's work is brilliant- I personally think "Arrow of God" was his best because it showed the tussle between two gods and how it manifested in the lives of ordinary people but too much focus has been on "things fall apart" because it extensively talks about europeans lol. He is likely one of the first authors who introduced philosophy into his works. The "things fall apart," "no longer at ease," "arrow of god" redefine what is good and bad and give a very different perspective from pervasive and sometimes suffocating western ideologies of good and bad.

word