Editing Things Fall Apart (section)

{{short description|1958 novel by Chinua Achebe}}
{{about|the novel|other uses|Things Fall Apart (disambiguation)}}
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[[File:ThingsFallApart.jpg|thumb|alt=A book cover with the drawing of a traditional masquerade overlapping a local church building with two standing men at the front,, and texts "Chinua Achebe" and "Things Fall Apart" written in all capital letter.|First edition cover of ''Things Fall Apart'' (1958)]]

'''''Things Fall Apart''''' is a 1958 novel by Nigerian author [[Chinua Achebe]]. It is Achebe's debut novel and was written when he was working at the [[Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation]]. The novel was first published in London by [[Heinemann (publisher)|Heinemann]] on 17 June 1958.

The story, which is set in [[British Nigeria]], centers on Okonkwo, a traditional influential leader of the fictional [[Igboland|Igbo]] clan, Umuofia, who opposes [[colonialism]] and early Christianity. The novel's title was taken from a verse of "[[The Second Coming (poem)|The Second Coming]]", a 1919 poem by Irish poet [[W. B. Yeats]]. ''Things Fall Apart'' was considered Achebe's ''[[magnum opus]]'' and formed his "African trilogy" with his other novels; ''[[No Longer at Ease]]'' and ''[[Arrow of God]]''. The novel explores many themes, especially culture, masculinity, and colonialism. 

''Things Fall Apart'' is regarded as a milestone in [[African literature]]. It gained critical acclaim and popularity upon publication, and has been translated into over fifty languages. It was listed on [[Time (magazine)|Time]]'s "100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005". The novel has had several adaptations, including the [[radio drama]], ''Okonkwo'' (1961), by the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation; 1971 film, ''Things Fall Apart'', which starred [[Princess Elizabeth of Toro]].