'There Was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra' by Chinua Achebe delves into the history of Biafra, a state that seceded from Nigeria in 1967, leading to a devastating civil war that lasted until 1970. Achebe combines personal recollections with historical details to narrate the sequence of events from pre-independence Nigeria to the Biafran succession and the ensuing war. also features a collection of poems by the author that provide a poignant insight into the war-torn period. While some readers found the fusion of history and memoir to be somewhat disjointed, the book offers a unique perspective on this significant period in Nigeria's history.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is a blend of personal reflection and historical context, but it is critiqued for being disjointed and at times overly dry.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative intricately weaves personal experiences with historical events leading to and during the Biafran War, showcasing the conflict's profound impact on Nigeria.

Setting:

The setting is predominantly Nigeria in the 1960s, highlighting the geographical and sociopolitical aspects relevant to the conflict.

Pacing:

The pacing is inconsistent, alternating between fast-paced personal stories and more languid historical discussions.

My father was born in the last third of the nineteenth century, an era of great cultural, economic, and religious upheaval in Igbo land. His mother had died in her second childbirth, and his father, A...

Genres:

memoir

history

political commentary

Topics:

international relations

post colonial nigeria

survival

Notes:

The British ruled Nigeria for about 150 years, first through an economic company and later as a protectorate.

Nigeria is home to around 500 ethnic groups, each with distinct languages and cultures.

The Igbo people, who primarily inhabit southeastern Nigeria, were perceived to have benefited the most from British rule.

The Biafran Civil War (1967-1970) was triggered by ethnic tensions and military coups in Nigeria after independence.

Chinua Achebe, an Igbo author, used his fame to help the Biafran government during the war.

Achebe described the conflict as genocide due to the deliberate killings of Igbos by the Nigerian army.

The war resulted in massive casualties, with estimates of 1 to 3 million Biafran deaths, primarily among children due to famine and disease.

Biafra used starvation as a weapon of war through blockades, leading to widespread famine.

Achebe's writing blends memoir and history, detailing his personal experiences alongside the broader context of the war.

The international reaction to the Biafran conflict shifted over time, with various nations taking different stances on the issue of independence.

Achebe believed that had Biafra survived as an independent state, it could have served as a model for governance in Nigeria and Africa.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include depictions of war violence, starvation, genocide, and the psychological impacts of war.

From The Publisher:

From the legendary author of Things Fall Apart-a long-awaited memoir of coming of age in a fragile new nation, and its destruction in a tragic civil war

For more than forty years, Chinua Achebe maintained a considered silence on the events of the Nigerian civil war, also known as the Biafran War, of 1967-1970, addressing them only obliquely through his poetry. Decades in the making, There Was a Country is a towering account of one of modern Africa's most disastrous events, from a writer whose words and courage left an enduring stamp on world literature. A marriage of history and memoir, vivid firsthand observation and decades of research and reflection, There Was a Country is a work whose wisdom and compassion remind us of Chinua Achebe's place as one of the great literary and moral voices of our age.

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About the Author:

Chinua Achebe was born in Nigeria in 1930. His first novel, Things Falls Apart, became a classic of international literature and required reading for students worldwide. He also authored four subsequent novels, two short-story collections, and numerous other books. He was the…

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There Was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra

Chinua Achebe