Chinua Achebe (pronounce /ˈtʃɪnwɑː ɑːˈtʃeɪbeɪ/), born Albert Chinualumogu Achebe on November 16, 1930, is a Nigeriannovelist, poet and critic. He is best known for his first novel, Things Fall Apart (1958), which is the most widely-read book in modern African literature.