BIOGRAPHY
Chinua Achebe (b. 1930). Born in Ogidi, Nigeria, Achebe attended University College, Ibadan (1948-1953) and London University, where he earned a B.A. (1953). After spending some years working in broadcasting in his native country, Achebe began a distinguished academic career as professor of English at Anambra State University of Technology in Enugu. His acclaim as a writer led to many academic appointments and honors, including visiting professorships at the University of Massachussetts-Amherst, the University of Connecticut, and the University of California, Los Angeles.

His numerous literary awards include the Commonwealth Poetry Prize (1972) and a Booker Prize nomination for his novel Anthills of the Savannah (1988). Although Achebes native language is Ibo, he writes in English, a language he learned in his youth. Achebe's novels include Things Fall Apart (1958) and Arrow of God (1964). He has also published volumes of poetry, short stories, and essays.