Essays by Achebe, published in 2009. Lots to learn about Pan Africanism and colonialism.

I was struck by this phrase, which he quotes from the late Milan Kundera:

"Those who seek power passionately do so not to change the present or the future, but the past---to re-write history." ( )

I found it to be quite insightful. Some of the essays are autobiographical in nature. Others focus on African literature and the politics thereof. I personally found the latter category to be most engaging and educational. While I found it interesting to read about his relationships with his father and his daughters, I'm not sure these essays were too memorable. By contrast, I will always remember his contribution in "Politics of Language in African Literature" to the debate of people writing novels in native languages versus English. ( )

This is primarily a collection of speeches given at various events in the late 20th century, and includes a number of small repetitions and goes only so far into the complex details of history and very little if any into personality. There is a certain warm patience which seems to be fighting anger and cynicism. It absolutely confronts the white, western reader with the manufactured aspect of established assumptions about Africa, Africans, and the descendants of Africans. ( )

As always with a collection of essays, I liked some a lot more than others. I also enjoyed his _Hopes and Impediments_ more. ( )

Beautifully written essays by Chinua Achebe, almost all involving both his personal history and the themes he has treated all his writing life. ( )