Chinua Achebe Standalone Novels books in order

Chinua Achebe's standalone novels include A Man of the People (1966), a satirical take on Nigerian politics, and Anthills of the Savannah (1987), his final novel set in a fictional West African dictatorship.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 A Man of the People 1966 Chinua Achebe Buy
2 Anthills of the Savannah 1987 Chinua Achebe Buy

Chinua Achebe published two novels outside his African Trilogy, both dealing with the politics of postcolonial Nigeria and West Africa. A Man of the People (1966) is a satirical novel about a young teacher who clashes with a corrupt, populist politician. Written just before Nigeria’s first military coup, the book’s ending eerily predicted the political violence that was about to unfold.

Anthills of the Savannah (1987) came more than twenty years later and was Achebe’s final novel. Set in a fictional country called Kangan, it follows three friends whose lives become entangled with the government of a military dictator. The book was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and showed Achebe still working at the top of his abilities, balancing political commentary with deeply felt personal stories. These two standalones round out his fiction alongside the African Trilogy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Chinua Achebe Standalone Novels series?

There are two books in the Chinua Achebe Standalone Novels series, published between 1966 and 1987.

What is the first book in the Chinua Achebe Standalone Novels series?

The first book in the Chinua Achebe Standalone Novels series is A Man of the People, published in 1966.

What is Anthills of the Savannah about?

Anthills of the Savannah is set in a fictional West African country where three childhood friends find themselves on different sides of a political crisis when one of them becomes a military dictator. Published in 1987, it was Achebe’s last novel and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

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