Comparison of BtBF with Things Fall Apart

[Visrut]

As I was reading BtBF it occurred to me that a lot of people think of slum dwellers as uncivilized, and unable to improve their lives. Katherine Boo does a great job of showing that even among the poor there is a sense of social structure and improvement (ie the Hussains renovating their house). This gives the structure of society to slums instead of the simple image of a ragtag dump. In my English class, we discussed how Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, was meant to portray pre colonization African culture as being civilized and structured, however different it was from Western perceptions. I was wondering if it would be too far of a stretch to say both authors achieved similar goals with their works?

[monique - persephone]

I think from what you've posted that would be correct. BtBF is the only one I've read but indefinitely felt that as I read the book.