There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra

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There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra

3.69 of 5 stars 3.69 · rating details · 183 ratings · 59 reviews

From the legendary author of Things Fall Apart comes a longawaited memoir about coming of age with a fragile new nation, then watching it torn asunder in a tragic civil war

The defining experience of Chinua Achebe’s life was the Nigerian civil war, also known as the Biafran War, of 1967–1970. The conflict was infamous for its savage impact on the Biafran people, Chinua Ache...more From the legendary author of Things Fall Apart comes a longawaited memoir about coming of age with a fragile new nation, then watching it torn asunder in a tragic civil war

The defining experience of Chinua Achebe’s life was the Nigerian civil war, also known as the Biafran War, of 1967–1970. The conflict was infamous for its savage impact on the Biafran people, Chinua Achebe’s people, many of whom were starved to death after the Nigerian government blockaded their borders. By then, Chinua Achebe was already a world-renowned novelist, with a young family to protect. He took the Biafran side in the conflict and served his government as a roving cultural ambassador, from which vantage he absorbed the war’s full horror. Immediately after, Achebe took refuge in an academic post in the United States, and for more than forty years he has maintained a considered silence on the events of those terrible years, addressing them only obliquely through his poetry. Now, decades in the making, comes a towering reckoning with one of modern Africa’s most fateful events, from a writer whose words and courage have left an enduring stamp on world literature.

Achebe masterfully relates his experience, both as he lived it and how he has come to understand it. He begins his story with Nigeria’s birth pangs and the story of his own upbringing as a man and as a writer so that we might come to understand the country’s promise, which turned to horror when the hot winds of hatred began to stir. To read There Was a Country is to be powerfully reminded that artists have a particular obligation, especially during a time of war. All writers, Achebe argues, should be committed writers—they should speak for their history, their beliefs, and their people.

Marrying history and memoir, poetry and prose, There Was a Country is a distillation of vivid firsthand observation and forty years of research and reflection. Wise, humane, and authoritative, it will stand as definitive and reinforce Achebe’s place as one of the most vital literary and moral voices of our age.(less)

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published October 11th 2012 by Penguin Press HC, The

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Mar 22, 2013 Rowena rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone interested in Africa, African history and Negritude mvt in the 60s

Shelves: african-lit, history, autobiography, favorites, favourite-authors

When I first read Chinua Achebe at age 11 (Things Fall Apart), he was one of the few African writers I'd read growing up. As an African I often wondered why there weren't too many books about Africa written by Africans. Things are changing now but when I was growing up that wasn't the case.As such, Achebe holds a special place in my heart.

I was really excited to read this autobiography and I wasn't disappointed. In the first part, Achebe talked about his childhood, pre-Independence Nigeria, and...more When I first read Chinua Achebe at age 11 (Things Fall Apart), he was one of the few African writers I'd read growing up. As an African I often wondered why there weren't too many books about Africa written by Africans. Things are changing now but when I was growing up that wasn't the case.As such, Achebe holds a special place in my heart.

I was really excited to read this autobiography and I wasn't disappointed. In the first part, Achebe talked about his childhood, pre-Independence Nigeria, and the great educational institutions the British established that helped him to become a writer. Then he talked about the positive mood of the country after it had gained independence, which unfortunately wasn't to last long.

One of the most important parts of the book for me was the history of the Biafran War, the genocide that killed a large number of ethnic Igbos. I'm actually embarrassed to admit that I had never even heard of this war, despite its magnitude and how atrocious it was. I was surprised to read that many people outside Nigeria (including John Lennon, Kurt Vonnegut, and Charles De Gaulle) were very much involved in denouncing the atrocities.The descriptions of the war (some eye witness accounts) were so gruesome and shocking; I wonder why it's not talked about more.

Throughout the book, Achebe was very blunt about many things. He stated clearly that he was for a new seceded state of Biafra, he also stated how idiotic tribalism is (Nigeria has over 250 tribes). He even went on to talk about corruption in Nigeria and the African knack for choosing awful heads of states.You could feel the passion for his country, for his continent, for the arts etc.

This was an amazing read and one I will definitely be buying.

Disclaimer - reading this book will probably make you add more books to your to-read list (Garvey, Senghor, Nyerere and Aime Cesaire are just a few writers that were mentioned). I guess that's often the case in the autobiographies of writers!

March 22, 2013 - I'm extremely sad to hear of Achebe's death.He did so much for African literature and inspired so many young Africans to write, know their history and be proud of their culture. May his legacy live on.(less)

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Oct 20, 2012 Ethan rated it 4 of 5 stars

New Achebe? ON IT.

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May 13, 2013 Tim Roast rated it 5 of 5 stars

Chinua Achebe has been given the accolade "the father of modern African writing" and very few critics can dispute this fact.

I have over the years read numerous works by Achebe the `master story teller' and to date, Things Fall Apart remains my favourite - this novel depicted the life of an `Igbo Man' called Okonkwo. Okonkwo was a tragic leader and a die-hard African traditionalist with a firm conviction in the destiny of his people, yet he was a man who failed to accept the inevitable changes in...more Chinua Achebe has been given the accolade "the father of modern African writing" and very few critics can dispute this fact.

I have over the years read numerous works by Achebe the `master story teller' and to date, Things Fall Apart remains my favourite - this novel depicted the life of an `Igbo Man' called Okonkwo. Okonkwo was a tragic leader and a die-hard African traditionalist with a firm conviction in the destiny of his people, yet he was a man who failed to accept the inevitable changes in his world. The book ended with Okonkwo finding totally unacceptable the influence of British colonialism and Christian missionaries on his Igbo community, culminating in his unfortunate suicide. Conflicts between modern societal beliefs and Igbo traditionalism continue to exist.

Achebe's book `There was a country - A personal History of Biafra' will not disappoint his numerous fans - it is is in my opinion a beautifully written account of his personal experiences of the Biafran War. He takes us on a journey of his early life in Nigeria. He speaks candidly about his personal experiences and discusses the principal actors and major players at the time.

The book in itself is a lament on the failure of a giant that never was; Achebe mourns Nigeria's failures, the greatest and most devastating of which in his opinion was Biafra; a nation and a vision that did not come into fruition.

Achebe being Achebe is brilliant in interweaving his narration with proverbs and idioms. He got straight into the act right from in the `Introduction' using the well known Igbo proverb - `A man who does not know where the rain began to beat him cannot say where he dried his body'. He then set out his stall by saying that the `rain' or to put it concisely `the problem' of Africa started four to five hundred years ago by the `discovery' of Africa by Europe through the transatlantic slave trade; to the Berlin Conference of 1885 which precipitated the `Scramble for Africa''. The colonisation that ensued created artificial boundaries leading to tension-prone modern states due to the merging of people from diverse ethnicities and tribes with little or nothing in common. The plethora of nations created were without a doubt dysfunctional, recipes for disaster, catalysts for chaos, anarchy and ticking time bombs.

Part one of the book deals with Professor Achebe's family life, Part 2 and 3 provide an insight into the Biafran war and Part 4 is an analysis of Nigeria's present situation which profoundly illustrates that the country is tethering on the brink as it is currently saddled with the burden of "corruption, tribalism, nepotism and political ineptitude."

Achebe however does not conclude that the game is over but challenges Nigerians to throw down the shackles and embrace the spirit of change.

I strongly recommend this book and give it a Five Star rating.

- Chuka(less)

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Jan 29, 2013 Chris Demer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, memoir

This is an interesting book from the standpoint of history. Many of us from the 1960's remember Biafra. The fighting, famine and suffering. There were organizations and a few countries that helped send aid to the starving Biafrans. But our lives went on. What ever happened to Biafra?

The answers are in this book, that is part memoir, by the acclaimed Igbo writer, Chinua Achebe. I have not read "Things Fall Apart" but I understand it is a terrific book. This one, however, is a bit tedious in its d...more This is an interesting book from the standpoint of history. Many of us from the 1960's remember Biafra. The fighting, famine and suffering. There were organizations and a few countries that helped send aid to the starving Biafrans. But our lives went on. What ever happened to Biafra?

The answers are in this book, that is part memoir, by the acclaimed Igbo writer, Chinua Achebe. I have not read "Things Fall Apart" but I understand it is a terrific book. This one, however, is a bit tedious in its detail, thus the 3-star rating.

Briefly, this is the history: Nigeria, a country colonized by the British, consists of an area home to several dozen different tribes with their own languages and cultures. The predominant groups are the Hausa/Fulani in the north who are mostly Muslim, the Yoruba in the western part of the country- a group that dominated post colonial politics, and the Igbo in the east. Due to some efforts on the part of the British in general and Missionaries in particular, the educational system was quite good. The Igbo in particular took advantage of educational opportunities. When Independence from Britain was declared in 1960 (I think) The Igbo, although composing a large segment of the educated class and providing a large contribution to the management of the government, the press and education were in a minority.
Due to ancient rivalries and jealousy, the Igbos were persecuted by the new government leaders, mostly Yoruba. In the north, there were violent clashes in which the Igbos were the main targets. Understanding that they were not welcome in the new, independent Nigeria, they formally seceded from the country, creating Biafra. This move resulted in a tremendously bloody civil war. The UK and many other countries basically supported the Nigerian troops because a united Nigeria was in their best economic interests. Out-manned and out-gunned by the Nigerian army, the Biafrans were eventually blockaded from ports- thus the sad plight and the thousands of deaths by starvation and illness. Eventually, the Nigerian Army was able to retake most of the Biafran territory and the nation of Biafra ceased to be.

While the book is history, it is written somewhat as a memoir, as Achebe played a significant part in the events described above as did many of those with whom he was educated and with whom he worked.

While the detail may be off-putting for some readers, I would recommend it to anyone seriously interested in history, particularly African history.(less)

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Jan 10, 2013 Osita Ebiem rated it 5 of 5 stars

Biafran - Nigeria war ended forty three years ago. The war was fought between 1967 and 1970. The ethnic/religious cleansing or genocide against the Igbo that necessitated the war took place from 1966 to July 1967 when the actual war began. Chinua Achebe in his characteristic sincere and honest narration clearly stated in this long awaited book that it is because there was genocide against the Igbo people then there became a country Biafra. It must have been extremely difficult on Achebe to maint...more Biafran - Nigeria war ended forty three years ago. The war was fought between 1967 and 1970. The ethnic/religious cleansing or genocide against the Igbo that necessitated the war took place from 1966 to July 1967 when the actual war began. Chinua Achebe in his characteristic sincere and honest narration clearly stated in this long awaited book that it is because there was genocide against the Igbo people then there became a country Biafra. It must have been extremely difficult on Achebe to maintain a balanced position since he was personally involved on the Biafran side but because he is an expert, he succeeded in writing an objective account of what happened. Because Achebe's There Was A Country is written so lucidly and honestly it should be taught in schools for the benefit of generations who did not witness the war.

Achebe in very plain language calls out those who were behind the crimes against humanity on his people, the Biafrans. It is particularly in this area that Achebe's critics come heavily on him. The parts played by Obafemi Awolowo, Yakubu Gowon and Harold Wilson during the war in deliberately starving to death Biafran children and their parents are just plain enough for all to see. In this aspect of mentioning those who did or did not do anything in Biafra, Achebe is careful and, like he anticipated the criticisms of the Awoists (Awolowo fans), he only recounts by citing copiously statements and verifiable evidences that clearly indict these men. More than three million (20% of the population) of Biafrans, mostly civilians were killed in the space of two and half years. Achebe's critics would have worth any consideration if they had come up with any credible counter arguments rather than simply trying to shout down their presumed opponent only because they do not like the sound of his voice since what he is saying makes them uncomfortable.

In the past many months since the book came out, it has succeeded in refocusing the world's attention on the genocide that took place in Biafra. In all, Chinua Achebe's There Was A Country is an important book by an important and credible witness. And for a better and a more just world, Achebe's account in this book should be taken seriously.(less)

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Jan 04, 2013 Louise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: africa

The title: "There was a Country" could easily refer to Biafra, or given the state of Nigeria as described by Achebe, could be to Nigeria itself. The tragedy of the 1970's war continues to this day.

This book is part memoir, part history of the Biafran War and part a survey of Nigerian literature. It also has a sampling of the poetry of the author... something rarely found in a war history.

In the memoir part Achebe describes how he and many other Igbos benefited from the educational system put in...more The title: "There was a Country" could easily refer to Biafra, or given the state of Nigeria as described by Achebe, could be to Nigeria itself. The tragedy of the 1970's war continues to this day.

This book is part memoir, part history of the Biafran War and part a survey of Nigerian literature. It also has a sampling of the poetry of the author... something rarely found in a war history.

In the memoir part Achebe describes how he and many other Igbos benefited from the educational system put in place by the British. As the war began, his writing makes him a target and he fled to "Biafra". His life there briefly had some semblance of normalcy: He and a friend start a publishing enterprise for children's books. Then his apartment was bombed. He moved in with relatives. Achebe moved several times again. (Like a 1950's dad, he says very little about the three (?) children he is moving about.) The publishing enterprise is later bombed out and the friend goes on to perish in the war. The memoir also includes his involvement in peace negotiations.

How the war began and continued are what makes this book most valuable for the general reader. Achebe is non-technical in his approach. He minces no words. The murder of Igbos in the north (after the suspicious killing of military officers) is ethnic cleansing. Achebe feels that the secession that followed was inevitable. The resulting genocide was committed by "uneducated" Nigerians who like subsequent politicians had "low IQs".

It is Achebe's belief that had an independent Biafra been achieved, it would have been a model for the continent. He provides support for this argument by describing the many accomplishments of the Igbo people. He also shows how Igbo culture supports achievement (rejection of superstition and kings, embrace of education and democracy) compared to the other cultures of Nigeria.

Nigeria's vast oil reserves are making fortunes for the victors of the Biafran war. Achebe shows how these winners have no concept as to what a government is or what it should do for the people. He compares them to Eyadema of Togo, who sees his leadership as a family business and not a governing unit. Nigeria, unlike Togo, is a large country that once had an infrastructure, has something of a democracy and is rich in resources.

Achebe ends the book with proposals to deal with the corruption and poverty that has evolved since and from the war. The most overriding issue is that of money in politics. Large sums of money are needed to run for office which precludes real competition. This is true in the US and elsewhere, but in Nigeria the problem is deeply entrenched because there are no institutions to counteract its effect and violence goes unpunished. Achebe calls for international awareness, oversight and help.

This is an informative book and will be of interest to anyone interested in Nigeria and Africa.(less)

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Dec 19, 2012 Muyiwa is currently reading it · review of another edition

Shelves: african

There hasn't been a book that i've wanted to buy more than this one of late. I know what I'll be getting might not be the most unbiased account of what happened back then, but atleast, its something.
Nigerians shy away from the war like it never happened; as if, if they don't talk about it for long enough, everyone would forget and it would just be a distant memory. However, there are several underlying factors which caused the war that are yet to be resolved, and the new generation is repeating...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye rated it 5 of 5 stars

At last, the world is hearing from Professor Chinua Achebe, Africa’s foremost novelist, distinguished intellectual and author of the classic, Things Fall Apart, on the Nigeria-Biafra war. In a new book (There Was a Country – A Personal History of Biafra, New York: Penguin, 2012), Achebe presents a detailed account of what is widely regarded as the ‘genocidal Biafran war’ prosecuted forty-two years ago in which about 3 million people (mostly, unarmed civilians, including women and children) were...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Adebayo Oyagbola rated it 1 of 5 stars

Extremely jaundiced review of the causes and events that led up to the Nigerian civil war. Chinua Achebe's main theme is that the thinking and actions of the different Nigerian governments were based on the quest for tribal supremacy for the dominant tribes. Unfortunately, he falls prey to this himself. He appears to have bought into the self serving fiction that all the wrongs that led to the attempted secession in 1967-70 were predicated and wrought purely by the rest of Nigeria. He would have...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Kaykay Obi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Writing my final year thesis on The Nigerian Civil War Literature, focusing on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun and Isidore Okpewho’s The Last Duty exposed me to some elements of the Biafran war I did not know. My father and my grandmother always told me stories about the conflict, which saw over 2,000,000 people dead. However, I was not fortunate to hear my grandfather’s side of the story – he was long dead before I was born.

Now Achebe is back with an extremely important document...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Steven Langdon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Chinua Achebe is one of Africa's greatest novelists, his books superb at capturing the complex transition to independence in the continent and the social changes associated with this shift. Now, at 82, he has written a retrospective non-fiction book about the bitter struggle to build a separate Biafra in eastern Nigeria and his own personal role in that tragic experience.

"There Was a Country" is a good book, well worth reading, deeply felt in its telling, and powerful in its treatment of the gri...more Chinua Achebe is one of Africa's greatest novelists, his books superb at capturing the complex transition to independence in the continent and the social changes associated with this shift. Now, at 82, he has written a retrospective non-fiction book about the bitter struggle to build a separate Biafra in eastern Nigeria and his own personal role in that tragic experience.

"There Was a Country" is a good book, well worth reading, deeply felt in its telling, and powerful in its treatment of the grim events leading up to Biafra's recourse to independence (marked by vicious attacks on Igbo people in northern and western Nigeria and in Lagos.) It is also evocative of the harrowing human damage inflicted on Biafra's population (three million likely died, most of them children, with immense destruction on the ground, some of it affecting Achebe's family directly.) There are some striking vignettes presented, too -- such as the description of Senghor's meeting with Achebe, the memory of poet Christopher Okigbo, and the analysis of Biafra President Ojukwu.

What I hoped for, though, was a more reflective book. It is now 42 years since the fall of Biafra. Eastern Nigeria has earned billions since then in oil revenues. Ojukwu even returned to Nigeria as a senior stateman -- under President Obesanjo who commanded some of the troops who blockaded Biafra. What is the longterm legacy of that dramatic Biafra experience? Achebe writes mainly of the disarray and corruption inside Nigeria and how that reflects the emphasis on ethnicity that set off the attacks on the Igbo. But is there nothing more? Biafra was a tragedy, but it was also a brave and heartfelt effort at African self-direction. Is there no residue from those years of social sacrifice?

If anyone could consider such a set of questions with depth and sensitivity, it would be Chinua Achebe. Perhaps the absence of such considerations is itself an answer -- Biafra can only be understood as a tragic failure. But I wonder. Within Africa, there are many working for new directions and fairer societies. They refuse to accept violence against themselves and dictation from the top -- just as Biafra refused.

Biafra's ordeal moved much of the world in 1967-70. I wish that Chinua Achebe had more clearly asked whether the questions raised then continued to motivate people in the more than 40 years afterwards. (less)

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Nov 03, 2012 April Helms rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: autobiography, multicultural, nonfiction

I admit I never heard of Achebe until I came across this book; I think it was one that was sent to the office. Also, save for a short fictional story I had read in Gods and Soldiers, I was unfamiliar with the Biafra and Nigerian war. Achebe relates his own account of his time growing up under British-controlled Nigeria, to the British leaving and, essentially, chaos slowly taking hold. The new government, says Achebe, started to discriminate heavily against the Igbo people, of which Achebe is a...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Adeyinka Makinde rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The importance of the pen, the brush and the voice of the artist as a social critic and as an interpretive lens to focus on the intricacies as well as the banalities of inter-human conflict may or may not carry less weight than they did in distant and not so distant past.

This of course is a question of perspective; but even in the age of the saturation coverage of wars and insurrections by the apparatus of the mass media, the nuanced touches provided by the evocative poet and the erudite writer...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Nnena Orji rated it 5 of 5 stars

A profoundly important document from one of the world’s greatest writers. Here, Professor Achebe is addressing his readership not solely as a novelist, critic, children’s author and poet, but as a statesman.

The book is broken into four parts – something the writer Obi Nwakanma has cleverly observed also corresponds to the four market days in the Igbo week and may have provided the super structure for Achebe world view. It seems to me that the insertion of poems in the story is also a throw-back...more A profoundly important document from one of the world’s greatest writers. Here, Professor Achebe is addressing his readership not solely as a novelist, critic, children’s author and poet, but as a statesman.

The book is broken into four parts – something the writer Obi Nwakanma has cleverly observed also corresponds to the four market days in the Igbo week and may have provided the super structure for Achebe world view. It seems to me that the insertion of poems in the story is also a throw-back to Igbo traditional narrative styles that emanated from the oral tradition where the story itself was interspersed with chanting, singing and poetry. It occurred to me that Professor Achebe was making a concerted effort to embrace this “authentic African narrative structure” and was not, as some other shallow readings have suggested, just experimenting or taking artistic license.

In the western literary tradition, narrative structure followed very strict rules. I think it was G.F.W. Hegel in the 19th century that referred to poetry as “the universal art of the mind [that] runs through all the arts and is art’s highest phase, one phase higher than music?”[1] Poetry was treated as an art form apart and was hardly ‘married with prose.”

Part one of the book deals with Professor Achebe’s family and coming of age. Tender descriptions of his mother and father and their interactions with English clergy are particularly touching. His own education and encounter with some of founders of modern African literature are also found here with luminous beauty. I found particularly educational the account of the diversity and power of various writers and artists throughout the African continent and the evolution of what we now take for granted – modern African fiction. As a woman, his homage to what he calls the “female progenitors” of African literature "blew my mind."

Part 2 and 3 concentrate on the Biafran war. Stand outs for me include the complex international alliances of the Great powers in the war – the unlikely allies of the Soviet Union, Great Britain, the United Nations, supporting the Nigerians - and France, China, Portugal and four African states supporting the Biafrans. Professor Achebe’s diplomatic trips around the world to plead for humanitarian aid -Sweden, Norway, Canada, the United States and his meeting with Senegal’s Poet-President - are presented brilliantly. His own family’s ordeal during this war as he moved from place to place are also fascinating. What struck me was the amount of death – it seemed everywhere and almost omnipresent and startling - magnified by the inhumanity of the war which was fueled by the hatred of the Igbos.

Part 4 is an analysis of Nigeria’s present situation replete with “corruption, ethnic bigotry, debauchery, political ineptitude.” Achebe portrays a very dim picture indeed, but he also provides challenges for Nigerians (few as they seem)who are seriously committed to transforming what he believes is a "failed state." He urges these groups to come together and pull their nation from the shackles of “self-imposed backwardness.”

This book is a tour-de-force that will elicit wide spread controversy – we are already seeing this in the Nigerian media with everything from moves to ban Achebe's books to others literally calling for his head. In Achebe’s own words creative artists should be allowed to function in “ an environment where freedom of creative expression is not only possible but protected… where an artist from any part of the world can acquire and develop their unique voice and then express themselves on the Great Cultural Stage in full ear shot of the world!” In this brave book Achebe’s own voice is threatened and must be protected. I strongly recommend it.
Nnena
(less)

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Jan 19, 2013 Craig Werner rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: africa, history

Disappointing. Achebe is universally and justly honored as one of the crucial elders of African literature; Things Fall Apart and No Longer at Ease stand at the head of what's become a vibrant tradition. I was hoping for a retrospective book equivalent to Wole Soyinka's "Of Africa." This isn't it. As the title suggests, There Was a Country combines a bit of memoir with a brief history of Biafra, the Igbo nation which was defeated in a civil war with Nigeria that lasted from 1967-70. In addition,...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Tim rated it 5 of 5 stars

A personal memoir by Chinua Achebe of the country of Biafra - a shortlived country carved out of Nigera shortly after given independence by the UK.

Biafra, which consisted of the SE region of Nigeria, formed after a series of pogroms and attacks on ethnic Igbo's throughout much of the rest of the country. Its short existence (1967-1970) caught the world's attention mainly because of the strategy of the larger Nigerian army to blockade the region, resulting in much suffering and starvation among...more A personal memoir by Chinua Achebe of the country of Biafra - a shortlived country carved out of Nigera shortly after given independence by the UK.

Biafra, which consisted of the SE region of Nigeria, formed after a series of pogroms and attacks on ethnic Igbo's throughout much of the rest of the country. Its short existence (1967-1970) caught the world's attention mainly because of the strategy of the larger Nigerian army to blockade the region, resulting in much suffering and starvation among the Igbo people.

Scattered through the "facts" of Biafra - the root causes of the conflict, the conflict itself, and the aftermath - Achebe provides many rich chapters (or sections or reflections) on a variety of topics - writing itself, the value of stories, the resiliency of cultures, arrogance, envy, the arbitrariness of "news," the machinations of the superpowers caught up in their own geopolitical wrestling, etc.

He reflects on Igbo's who as a group, due to their culture perhaps were always quick to take advantage of new situations, and as a result had moved into a variety of top positions within Nigerian governance in the decades before independence. "any observer can clearly see how the competitive individualism and the adventurous spirit of the Igbo could have been harnessed by committed leaders for the modernization and development of Nigeria. Nigeria's pathetic attempt to crush these idiosyncrasies rather than celebrate them is one of the fundamental reasons the country has not developed as it should and has emerged as a laughingstock. The ploy in the Nigeria context was simple and crude: Get the achievers out and replace them with less qualified individuals from the desired ethnic background so as to gain access to the resources of the state. This bizarre government strategy transformed the federal civil service, corporations, and universities into centers for ethnic bigotry and petty squabbles." pg 76-77

"What terrified me about the massacres in Nigeria was this: If it was only a question of rioting in the streets ans so one, that would be bad enough, but it could be explained. It happens everywhere in the world. But in this particular case a detailed plan for mass killing was implemented by the government - the army, the police - the very people who were there to protect life and property. Not a single person has been punished for these crimes. It was not just human nature, a case of somebody hating his neighbor and chopping off his head. It was something far more devastating, because it was a premeditated plan that involved careful planning and coordination, awaiting only the right spark." pg 82-83

Achebe stresses the difference between a seccesionist movement that wants freedom from the confines of a large entity and one that is driven more to defend and protect a people from depredations from the larger society it finds itself a part of. Regarding the Organization of African Unity, he writes, "Most African countries adhered to the doctrines of the OAU, which supported Nigeria for the same reasons espoused by the great powers. "Allowing Biafra to secede would result in the destablization of the entire African continent." There were a few prominent nations in Africa that openly declared support for the Biafran cause for humanitarian, ethical, and moral reasons. Tanzanian's Nyerere, one of the few survivors of the cold war tussle on the continent and a towering African statesman of the era, saw Biafra's attempts to secede through the lens of "the Jews seeking a homeland following the Holocaust in Nazi Germany and elsewhere in Europe." pg 97

In what was essentially a 30 month war, by the end, Biafra was a smouldering ruin - three million dead, about 20 percent of the total population.

Achebe concludes, "What has consistently esoaped most Nigerians in this entire travesty is the fact that mediocrity destroys the very fabric of a country as surely as a war - ushering in all sorts of banality, ineptitude, corruption, and debauchery. Nations enshrine mediocrity as their modus operandi, and create the fertile ground for the rise of tyrants and other base elements of the society, by silently assenting to the dismantling of systems of excellence because they do not specifically benefit one specific ethnic, racial, political or special interest group. That, in my humble opinion, is precisely where Nigeria finds itself today." page 236

Sobering, instructive.(less)

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Jan 30, 2013 Barbara Burd rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was very touched by this story. Achebe is an eloquent writer and his poetry and prose flows from his soul. Achebe reviews his personal history of the Nigerian-Biafran conflict and intersperses his poetry throughout. Having remembered the humanitarian efforts that occurred during the 60s to help the people of Biafra, Achebe's story pieced together the history and my remembrances. It had seemed to me at the time that the Nigerian government was using famine as a way to winning the war and commit...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Latiffany rated it 4 of 5 stars

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Dec 03, 2012 Tinea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: colonialism-imperialism-war, food-agriculture-hunger, place, auto-biography

Chinua Achebe's "personal history of Biafra" was too little of either personal memoir or history to be what the subject, and the poetry interspersed every few chapters, deserved. A struggle with the artistic side of honesty is evident in the way the book is detached, the way the story is told unevenly, in corrections to the record and didactic opinions and recitation of poorly contextualized political and war maneuvers. Horror and emotion break through a few times, but overall I don't think thin...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I had heard about this war, but I was completely ignorant about what it was about and what took place. I was most disturbed that in none of my history classes growing up, did I learn about this war or that a genocide of 20% of the population occurred. Very disappointing. Most of the time I feel blessed to be an American citizen, but reading this book was not one of those times. It's not that I have the opinion that we should have been heavily involved---but rather, I think a country such as Amer...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Molly Green rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: made-me-think, world-literature, memoirs

As in his fiction, Achebe speaks with a clear, unadorned voice, one that upholds the great griot storytelling tradition — stories to mark history and remember its consequences, rather than simple entertainment. It is with this voice that Achebe details the series of events leading up to, during, and following the Nigerian-Biafran Civil War. Achebe speaks to the atrocities that occurred, but he does not linger on the bloody details, nor does he appendix the book with pictures of starving Biafran...more As in his fiction, Achebe speaks with a clear, unadorned voice, one that upholds the great griot storytelling tradition — stories to mark history and remember its consequences, rather than simple entertainment. It is with this voice that Achebe details the series of events leading up to, during, and following the Nigerian-Biafran Civil War. Achebe speaks to the atrocities that occurred, but he does not linger on the bloody details, nor does he appendix the book with pictures of starving Biafran babies (though the war, and thus this book, are littered with such occurrences). Instead Achebe's readers grasp the enormity of the situation and its devastating futility — that this war began the unravelling of a nation, one perpetuated by self-serving politics, personal vendettas, corruption, and ego.

Having little (basically no) knowledge of this conflict before opening this book, I cannot sit here and tell you that this book is the ultimate authority on the Nigerian-Biafran War, or that it's an entirely objective account — this is not a textbook, its a memoir, and this war clearly affected the Igbo Achebe on a deeply personal level.

That said, I feel this is a very important book. Achebe writes at length on the obligation of the writer — to serve his country through knowledge and enlightenment. As least for me, he certainly accomplished his goal, though it does raise the questions: If Achebe were not Achebe (a writer of world renown) would we care? Would this book have been published? Would we ever have the opportunity to hear this account from the perspective of a Biafran, or even a Nigerian for that matter?

There are two reasons why this book gets 4 stars not 5:

First, the organization of the book was at times confusing, as most of the book was told chronologically, save for a few events which popped up later out of place and time.

Second, except for a lone (short) interview with Nigerian leader and military commander Yakubu Gowon, Achebe offers only his (the Biafran) perspective. A few more interviews would have lent more context and objectivity to the book.

Overall, an enlightening wonderful read.
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Oct 26, 2012 Shelley rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: africa, memoir, history

I love Things Fall Apart for the way it harmonizes seemingly disparate things - Western and African literary and oral traditions, poetry and prose, history and fiction. When I learned that Achebe had published a new multi-genre memoir, I was eager to see him do this again. And, of the nine books I've read on 20th century Africa in the past three months, only one other was written by a non-white African, which heightened my enthusiasm for There Was a Country.

The book is a memoir of Achebe's life...more I love Things Fall Apart for the way it harmonizes seemingly disparate things - Western and African literary and oral traditions, poetry and prose, history and fiction. When I learned that Achebe had published a new multi-genre memoir, I was eager to see him do this again. And, of the nine books I've read on 20th century Africa in the past three months, only one other was written by a non-white African, which heightened my enthusiasm for There Was a Country.

The book is a memoir of Achebe's life. It begins as a coming-of-age story, centers on Achebe's involvement in the Nigerian-Biafan war, and culminates in a polemic against the current-day Nigerian government. Some parts read like a diary, other parts like a research paper and other parts like narrative-non-fiction; poetry is sprinkled throughout.

This book is helpful in that it provides a solid foundation for understanding the events that led up to and prolonged the Nigerian civil war. The chapter "The Role of the Writer in Africa" is a great piece for teachers of protest poetry. I thought Achebe was at his best in the polemical sections, which are concentrated toward the end of the book. And the author emerges as a person of integrity, a brave and admirable man. This book scores very high in the ethos department.

What surprised and ultimately disappointed me most about this book is that it's just not that literary, nor is it very polished. My previous exposure to Achebe led me to expect something aesthetically satisfying, and, to be honest, I did not find that here. It wasn't just the numerous typos, which I was surprised to see, the writing itself lacks luster and seems hurried.

Even if you disregard literary merit and focus just on the book as history, it doesn't quite live up to expectations. Achebe's use of endnotes is often awkward. As a writing teacher it seems almost heretical to say this, but I do believe he over-cites at times. (There's nothing worse than interrupting the flow of one's reading several times in a single paragraph, just to discover that the only endnote waiting for you is that annoying "ibid" ten times in a row.) And then at other crucial moments, he disregards citations all together, when they seemed very much needed. (In my estimation, this is particularly true in the chapter "The Cradle of Nigerian Nationalism.")

This book is certainly not without value; I profited from reading it. But I think it needs to be run through the editor's mill one or two more times.
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Feb 12, 2013 Juliet rated it 5 of 5 stars

Clear, straight forward account of Achebe's recollection of Biafra. Written beautifully and simply. I enjoyed his account of his experience of Biafra. It is an honest narrative of what he experienced. I loved his simple, straightforward, tone and I believe honest account of what was Biafra for him. I love that it is Achebe's voice that is speaking, his feeling, his recollection and he did not write to please, or to placate anyone. It is after all his memoir, and it is not sugar coated, it is wha...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars

Anything by Achebe is worth reading, no, inhaling, pondering, praying. This one in particular, though, deserves our attention. Achebe's tears stain the pages of this book, as does the blood of many of his countrymen and women. During the Biafran War of 1966-1970 Achebe could only publish poetry, which is included in this book. but for the first time he writes in detailed prose about the war, which was the deadliest civil war in world history. Achebe served in the government of the short-lived Bi...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Katherine rated it 3 of 5 stars

For those of us who weren't particularly sentient during the Biafran conflict (I wasn't born when it began) this is an interesting education about this civil war, especially in terms of the lingering effects of colonialism. It seems quite slanted toward the Biafran perspective, which I don't see as a problem, since Achebe clearly identifies himself as a Biafran. Made me want to understand more about African tribal heritage. And, like most books about Africa and the Middle-East, made me want to d...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Marcy rated it 5 of 5 stars

There was a country named Nigeria. For a time its people were a "beautiful cultural mosaic of traditions and dialects." Although Chinua Achebe does not condone colonialism, he can't forget his exemplary high school and secondary school education that was offered to him under British rule. Achebe, along with many other Eastern Igbo people, became Nigeria's intellectuals, for these legendary British schools produced respected and renowned African professors, leaders of finance, health and governme...more There was a country named Nigeria. For a time its people were a "beautiful cultural mosaic of traditions and dialects." Although Chinua Achebe does not condone colonialism, he can't forget his exemplary high school and secondary school education that was offered to him under British rule. Achebe, along with many other Eastern Igbo people, became Nigeria's intellectuals, for these legendary British schools produced respected and renowned African professors, leaders of finance, health and government.

Chinua Achebe became a writer, who has lived a writer's life throughout his life. Achebe, through his writing, both in his books and poems, speaks for Nigeria's history, his history. The peace of Nigeria under British rule, which Achebe claims was orderly, disintegrated when the Nigeria became independent. There were ethnic power struggles. The Igbo, the most intellectual of all of Nigeria's groups, (having the highest literacy rate, and grabbing the colonizers' opportunities for a good education), were the leaders of Nigeria. As a result, jealousy ensued, and because of "ethnic bigotry" and "tribal small-mindedness," Nigeria turned into a "toxic environment." The Igbos were kicked out of the best jobs in Lagos to make way for less qualified individuals. Chinua Achebe was one of those forced out of Lagos. (I find it interesting that Achebe likened the Igbo people to the Jews).

The Hausa/Fulani people of the North, where the government resided, massacred over 30,000 Igbos. One million Igbo refugees returned home to the east of Nigeria. The Nigerian government failed to bring the "culprits of mass murders" to justice. Secession was the only viable path for the eastern section of Nigeria. "We concluded that a government that failed to safeguard the lives of its citizens has no claim to their allegiance and must be ready to accept that the victims deserve the right to seek their safety in other ways - including secession." Thus the Republic of Biafra was established and Nigerian/Biafran war began.

Suffering, destitution, and the starvation of Biafrans ensued. The great powers of various countries backed whatever side that would give them the most natural resources and power. At one point, the Biafrans were walking in the army one behind the other, in order to share guns. As Benin and Asaba were overtaken by the Northern army, and Calaba was purged of its Igbo inhabitants, Achebe made reference to the Jews once again.

Achebe and his family were refugees, fleeing from one war-torn area to another. They left their belongings in their car to speed away when necessary. Chinua Achebe was welcomed into many substantial homes. Most refugees fled the war for camps in tented villages - no electricity, no water...

The intellectuals among the Igbo began to write about their experiences. A Black Renaissance began to take place, where African intellectuals recast Africa's and the Africans' image through the written word to celebrate and elevate the African culture. There was a Country is a textbook/novel in that Chinua Achebe speaks on behalf of Biafra's tragedy. The chapters are brilliantly written, interspersed with poetry.

During the Biafran War, Achebe was assigned to become a world traveler, bringing word of the pain his fellow citizens were suffering to various countries, in order to receive aid and understanding. When back in his homeland, Achebe, along with Nigeria's most famous poet and one of Achebe's best friends, Christopher Okigbo, started a publishing company and developed literature for children, taking older legends, and "imbedding the Biafran story" into them. Christopher Okigbo died, a soldier, fighting for the freedom of Biafra.

Achebe writes of the Biafran War: "One of the saddest images of the war was not just the dead and the physically wounded but also the mentally scarred, the so-called made men and women who had been psychologically devastated by the anguish and myriad pressures of war. They could often be seen walking seemingly aimlessly on the roads in tattered clothes, in conversation with themselves."

While I learned the facts about Nigeria's history, I also felt the events through Chinua Achebe's experiences. He tells his story, Biafra's story, with eloquence. As one of the best critical thinkers of his time, Chinua Achebe has written what I believe to be a classic, now, and in many years to come. Through his written word, I will never be able to let go of Nigeria's history. Independence always comes with a price...

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Dec 04, 2012 Megan marked it as half-read-or-hibernating

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Apr 29, 2013 Mal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Achebe did a wonderful job explaining the history of the Biafran War from a unbiased viewpoint despite his personal involvement.

My knowledge of the Biafran War was expanded with Achebe's account, prompting even further exploration of this conflict.

Achebe's writing was detailed as well as educational. The history was heartbreaking with the loss of life and bloodshed. Achebe played a roled in writing the Biafra Constitution which made the telling of this history even more poignant.

The Biafran W...more

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Mar 16, 2013 John Benson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Chinua Achebe tells of his own involvement in the Biafran cause as a member of the Igbo ethnic group. The book consists of numerous short chapters and poems that bring out his life story, the lead-up to the Biafran War, his involvement in it, and the repercussions of this War on Nigerian society. I had previously read Chimamande Ngozi Adiche's HALF OF A YELLOW SUN, that tells the story of the War fictionally. Together, these two books give a full sense of the War from an Igbo perspective.

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Feb 07, 2013 Ma rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was disappointed in this book. Achebe is truly a great writer and I was so looking forward to learning about the Biafran War/Nigerian Civil War. But this book is boring. It has moments of interesting storytelling, moments of stirring railing against the injustices done to the Igbos, but there's so much name dropping that it becomes a very hard and boring read for non-Nigerians, to whom most of those names are unfamiliar. So sorry Achebe didn't rise to the level of his fiction writing here.

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About Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe was a novelist, poet, professor at Brown University and critic. He is best known for his first novel, Things Fall Apart (1958), which is the most widely read book in modern African literature.

Raised by Christian parents in the Igbo town of Ogidi in southeastern Nigeria, Achebe excelled at school and won a scholarship for undergraduate studies. He became fascinated with world religion...more Chinua Achebe was a novelist, poet, professor at Brown University and critic. He is best known for his first novel, Things Fall Apart (1958), which is the most widely read book in modern African literature.

Raised by Christian parents in the Igbo town of Ogidi in southeastern Nigeria, Achebe excelled at school and won a scholarship for undergraduate studies. He became fascinated with world religions and traditional African cultures, and began writing stories as a university student. After graduation, he worked for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service and soon moved to the metropolis of Lagos. He gained worldwide attention for Things Fall Apart in the late 1950s; his later novels include No Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964), A Man of the People (1966), and Anthills of the Savannah (1987). Achebe writes his novels in English and has defended the use of English, a "language of colonizers", in African literature. In 1975, his lecture An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" became the focus of controversy, for its criticism of Joseph Conrad as "a bloody racist".

When the region of Biafra broke away from Nigeria in 1967, Achebe became a devoted supporter of Biafran independence and served as ambassador for the people of the new nation. The war ravaged the populace, and as starvation and violence took its toll, he appealed to the people of Europe and the Americas for aid. When the Nigerian government retook the region in 1970, he involved himself in political parties but soon resigned due to frustration over the corruption and elitism he witnessed. He lived in the United States for several years in the 1970s, and returned to the U.S. in 1990 after a car accident left him partially disabled.

Achebe's novels focus on the traditions of Igbo society, the effect of Christian influences, and the clash of values during and after the colonial era. His style relies heavily on the Igbo oral tradition, and combines straightforward narration with representations of folk stories, proverbs, and oratory. He has also published a number of short stories, children's books, and essay collections. He is currently the David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and Professor of Africana Studies at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, United States.

Achebe died at age 82 following a brief illness.(less)

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“Some people flinch when you talk about art in the context of the needs of society thinking you are introducing something far too common for a discussion of art. Why should art have a purpose and a use? Art shouldn't be concerned with purpose and reason and need, they say. These are improper. But from the very beginning, it seems to me, stories have indeed been meant to be enjoyed, to appeal to that part of us which enjoys good form and good shape and good sound.” — 15 people liked it

“Every generation must recognize and embrace the task it is peculiarly designed by history and by providence to perform.” — 8 people liked it

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