Achebe is famous for his novels describing the effects of Western customs and values on traditional African society. His satire and his keen ear for spoken language have made him one of the most highly esteemed African writers in English. He was born in Ogidi, Nigeria in 1930, the son of a teacher in a missionary school. After studying English, history and theology at University College in Ibadan he went on to join the Nigerian Broadcasting Company in Lagos in 1954. In the 1960s he was the director of External Services in charge of the Voice of Nigeria, but during the Nigerian Civil War (1967-70) Achebe chose to work in the Biafran government service. He has since taught at US and Nigerian universities. Since 1990 he has been paralyzed from the waist down after a serious car accident.
 
Achebe's first novel, Things Fall Apart (1958) was set in the 1890s, when missionaries and colonial government made their intrusion into Igbo society. It has been translated into some 50 languages and was followed by other novels, such as No Longer at Ease (1960) and Arrow of God (1964), which were concerned with the clash between traditional Igbo life and the colonial powers in the form of missionaries and colonial government. His later books continue the theme of political analysis and reflect his deep personal disappointment with what Nigeria became after independence. Achebe has also written collections of short stories, poetry, and several books for young readers.
 
His work has been recognized by the award of many prizes, most recently the 2007 Man Booker International award. In 1983, his political stature was acknowledged when he was elected deputy national president of the People's Redemption Party. As the director of Heineman Educational Books in Nigeria, he has encouraged and published the work of dozens of African writers. In 1984 he founded the bilingual magazine Uwa ndi Igbo, a valuable source for Igbo studies.