Born in Nigeria, Chinua Achebe was among the first students to pursue a degree at the University College of Ibadan. He later worked for the Nigerian Broadcasting Company. He is perhaps best known for his first four novels, Things Fall Apart (1958), No Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964) and A Man of the People (1966), which examined the clash between tradition and modern civilization. A prolific writer, his other works include Ant Hills of the Savannah (1988) and Hopes and Impediments (1989).

Achebe's often angry, deft satire and his keen ear for spoken language have made him one of the most highly esteemed African writers in English. In 1990 Achebe was involved in an automobile accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Since the accident, Achebe has lived in the United States, teaching at Bard College. In 2000 he published a book of essays, Home and Exile.