The ending of Things Fall Apart was one of the most emotionally impactful endings in such a brief manner that I've ever read:<p>"Obierika, who had been gazing steadily at his friend’s dangling body, turned suddenly to the District Commissioner and said ferociously: “That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog…” He could not say any more. His voice trembled and choked his words."<p>Even now as I search for the quote I'm amazed after two years I can still remember the exact wording -- 'he will be buried like a dog'. Rest in peace, this wonderful author.
[2013]<p>This article has been popping up on Facebook today as well. On the plus side, not very many people get the world to pay attention to their passing twice. The social media age is weird.
Years before I read the novel, I actually saw his "Things Fall Apart" performed as a play when I was a kid living in Lagos in the early 90s. The novel itself may not be the best fiction ever written by an African author, but it's the most widely known novel to come out of Africa and does a great job of highlighting the harsh transition to colonialism.
Great intro to his work — Crash Course lectures by John Green:<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Kw94qjdQA" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Kw94qjdQA</a><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyvDYZ6hJNA" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyvDYZ6hJNA</a>