Home and Exile (The W.E.B. Du Bois Institute Series)
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.36 (942 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0195135067 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 128 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-06-03 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
If you like Achebe, or care about indigenous literature Since the book is already well-summarized above, I'll just give my own reaction.I've read a number of Achebe's novels and one essay (the excellent critique of Heart of Darkness) and really enjoyed the "backstage" feeling of hearing the author's first person voice - an insightful and kindly voice. For me, the effect of Achebe's strong positions is heightened by the dignified presentation, and of course by the poignant and funny stories from his own life that he uses to illustrate those positions. As compared to one of . Long Live our blessed Statesman and elder Long live the proud son of Africa and our respected statesman.Achebe the honest and truthful dispenser of both sides of the story. Colonial griots (to borrow Achebe's words) such as Elspeth Huxley and other apologists have for too long been left alone to justify the dispossession of precious lands and cultures. Until the proud son of Africa made them eat their own words and exposed them for what they are. Dishonest griots deftly laying the groundwork for self-enrichment at the expense of peace loving and decent Human . Insightful ramblings from the ascetic, Achebe The physical brevity of Achebe's "autobiography" truly belies the intrisic wisdom he so effortlessly spews upon his listeners. Mr. Achebe sets out to deconstruct the manifold, post-colonial ills (endemic to the dispossessed of African diasopora) with the assistance of historical literature, creation fables, and his own personal memories. Indeed, a thought provoking manifesto for any fan of the great Achebe; one which will aid the reader to pursue further literature with a new sense of enlightenment.
He argues that if colonial writers try to imitate and, indeed, go one better than the Empire, they run the danger of undervaluing their homeland and their own people. It is a story of the triumph of mind, told in the words of one of this century's most gifted writers.. Stories are a real source of power in the world, he concludes, and to imitate the literature of another culture is to give that power away. Here is an extended exploration of the European impact on African culture, viewed through the most vivid experience available to the author--his own life. Achebe discusses his English education and the relationship between colonial writers and the European literary tradition. His fiction and poetry burn with a passionate commitment to political justice, bringing to life not only Africa's troubled encounters with Europe but also the dark side of contemporary African political life. Achebe reveals the inner workings of the human conscience through the predicament of Africa and h
Naipaul to remind us that all literature reflects its creators' beliefs and prejudices. Based on three lectures distinguished Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe gave at Harvard University in 1998, this short but trenchant work does not pretend to be a full-fledged autobiography. This encounter "called into question my childhood assumption of the innocence of stories," Achebe comments, using scathing assessments of white Kenyan writer Elspeth Huxley and Indian/Caribbean expatriate V.S. Instead, Achebe makes forceful use of his personal experiences to examine the political nature of culture. Born in 1930, the son of a Chri