Chinua Achebe Anthologies books in order

Chinua Achebe's anthologies include ten edited collections published between 1981 and 2009, gathering African short fiction and writing from across the continent and the diaspora.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Winds of Change 1981 Chinua Achebe Buy
2 African Short Stories 1984 Chinua Achebe Buy
3 The Heinemann Book of Contemporary African Short Stories 1992 Chinua Achebe Buy
4 PEN America Issue 2: Home and Away 2001 Chinua Achebe Buy
5 Opening Worlds 2002 Chinua Achebe Buy
6 Anchor Book of Modern African Stories 2002 Chinua Achebe Buy
7 Rotten English 2007 Chinua Achebe Buy
8 Four Continents 2008 Chinua Achebe Buy
9 Gods and Soldiers 2009 Chinua Achebe Buy
10 Pen America 13 2009 Chinua Achebe Buy

Throughout his career, Chinua Achebe edited and co-edited numerous anthologies that brought together African writing for wider audiences. African Short Stories (1984), co-edited with C.L. Innes, was one of the first major collections to survey the continent’s short fiction in English. The Heinemann Book of Contemporary African Short Stories (1992) continued that effort, and the Anchor Book of Modern African Stories (2002) became a widely used classroom text.

Achebe also contributed to literary journals and collaborative projects, including several issues of PEN America. Other anthologies in this list, like Gods and Soldiers (2009) and Winds of Change (1981), further reflect his commitment to gathering and preserving African voices. Rotten English (2007) takes a different angle, exploring the use of nonstandard English in literature from around the world. Taken together, these anthologies show the editorial side of Achebe’s career, where he worked to make sure African writing had a platform and an audience beyond the continent.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Chinua Achebe Anthologies series?

There are ten books in the Chinua Achebe Anthologies series, published between 1981 and 2009.

What is the first book in the Chinua Achebe Anthologies series?

The first book in the Chinua Achebe Anthologies series is Winds of Change, published in 1981.

What is the Anchor Book of Modern African Stories?

The Anchor Book of Modern African Stories is an anthology edited by Chinua Achebe and C.L. Innes, published in 2002. It collects short fiction from across Africa, featuring writers from Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and other countries. The book is frequently used as an introduction to contemporary African short fiction.

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