Chinua Achebe - There Was A Country

New York Times“Plain-spoken, yet misplaced nostalgia...” We get glimpses of immense tragedy, but mostly Achebe’s account is tinged with odd nostalgia... His judgment on contemporary Nigeria seems excessive — more the products of a writer’s jaundiced backward glances than a coming to grips with realit

The Independent“A picture more passionate and idealistic than fiction...” It takes us behind the imagery to explore the human nuances of conflict... If it's partisan, then it is honestly so. Achebe gives us guidance as to how to read when he cautions that historical narratives may be "to wonderful to be absolutely true"...

Scotsman“Achebe can't quite bear the recollections...” It's a blend of historical overview, personal memoir and political manifesto. The trouble is that the elements chafe awkwardly against one another. While the history is fascinating – horrifying – Achebe’s personal recollections lack atmosphere.

Guardian“An engrossing new memoir...” It makes you pine for the likes of Achebe to govern. But sadly, he's not writing a manifesto; instead, we have in There Was A Country an elegy from a master storyteller who has witnessed the undulating fortunes of a nation...

The Telegraph“A mixed bag...” Flashes of wonderful writing sit next to many sentences that don’t earn their keep. The scholarly apparatus does not hide a failure to fully organise the material. It feels like an old man’s book – but what a man; what a life...