I seem to have read Achebe’s best books (Things Fall Apart, Arrow of God) first (unintentionally). I have no idea what remains in store but the next two I read (No Longer at Ease and this) are distinctly not as good--or perhaps I should say, more accurately, that I did not enjoy them anywhere near as much. This book relates the story of Odili Samalu, a one-time student of Chief Nanga, who is now a highly successful, highly corrupt Minister of Culture. The two reunite, fall out, and then run for a seat in Parliament—against each other. Although the characters are complete and completely believable individuals, the story is so predictable as to be depressing. Odili is a member of the idealistic, rising generation; Nanga is the older, entrenched (and traditional) generation. But Nanga uses his position and the corruption of the new government to increase his own wealth and power. The focus of the book is political corruption in a newly independent (and unnamed) African country, Odili’s growing awareness of it, and its pervasiveness. The book was published in 1966 and brought Achebe into serious trouble with the authorities. As a result, he and his family fled to the region that would secede and become Biafra the following year. Worth reading because of who wrote it but I can’t particularly recommend it. ( )

Voltaképpen jó kis könyv ez, ha úgy olvasom, mint keserű tanmesét a posztkolonialista Fekete-Afrikáról, a mindent átszövő korrupcióról, a populista értelmiségellenességről, és arról, hogy a nép, istenadta nép hogyan fekszik le a hatalomnak, ugyanannak a hatalomnak, amit aztán otthon a négy fal között a sárga földig legyaláz, és amit százszor is megtagad majd, ha egyszer fordul a kocka. Mondjuk ez a tanmese így belegondolva nem csak Fekete-Afrikáról szól – de csitulj, te értékelő, aki mindig ugyanoda lyukadna ki, ha a polgári jóízlés időnként nem szabna gátat agitátori hajlamainak. Zárójel bezárva. Ráadásul ez a regény olyan szempontból is tanulságos, hogy érzékletesen (bár bújtatva) megjeleníti a hidegháború hatását egyes afrikai államokra: a kormánypártok suskusai felett pár zsíros koncesszióért szemet hunyó, és őket támogató nyugatot, valamint a feltörekvő jó szándékú kispártokat, akik a kisembert képviselnék – szintén külföldi pénzből, ami lehet tippelni, honnan csordogál.

Ugyanakkor ez a könyv regénynek sajna elég harmatos – csak úgy hemzseg az olyan elemektől, amikre egy józan életű irodalmi szerkesztő azt mondaná, hogy: „Na ezt visszaadom, Bélám, dolgozzál még rajta kicsit”. Csupa ígéretes mellékszál, mint amilyen az elbeszélő és a miniszter közötti ambivalens mester és tanítvány viszony, ami magnetikus vonzalomból indul, hogy aztán engesztelhetetlen ellenségeskedéssé váljon… vagy az elbeszélő és apja közötti feszültség… de ezek csak kidolgozatlan vázlatok maradnak, mert Achebének úgy fest, elment minden energiája a népnevelésre. Kár érte. ( )

Excellent and honest look at human nature.

A lot of human weakness cleverly and honestly exposed. I wanted to grab Odili, the narrator, and shake him.

But we are guided not to judge him from a distance but rather look at him as a mirror: Achebe hints that this person is not a million miles away from himself (Odili wants to write a novel about the first white men who came to his people). For me this is a signal that I am not to take this as an indictment of any one person or group of people but of all of us.

[spoiler]
This might be why the character feels so real and familiar despite being so duplicitous and self-centred and disloyal. I can't call him a coward, he is brave enough at times, but it didn't cross his mind to defend Elise when she was raped, or to stand by her or support her. He seems to see everyone as a means to an end and I don't think there is a single point in the book where he shows any genuine concern for another human being. (Correct me if I am wrong!)

Despite all this he is well able to see almost everything that is vile in Cheif Nanga, he thinks clearly and has a strong sense of what is right. Or is he just waiting for "his turn to eat"? He is very skilled at seeing what is wrong with the world and never stops to look at what might be wrong with him. His chief motivations are sex, revenge and greed. But through all this he manages to truly believe he is a noble man.
[/spoiler].


Some interesting quotes:
[spoiler]
"This man had used his position to enrich himself and they would ask you—as my father did—if you thought that a sensible man would spit out the juicy morsel that good fortune placed in his mouth."

"But we are eating too. They are bringing us water and they promise to bring us electricity. We did not have those things before; that is why I say we are eating too."

"Not what I have but what I do is my kingdom" - Thomas Carlyle quote

There is a bit about voting for someone just because they come from the same village as you, which is also rampant in Ireland and I assume that's the case everywhere. He calls it "primitive loyalty" which seems appropriate.

"Some people's belly is like the earth. It is never so full that it will not take another corpse."

"What money will do in this land wears a hat."

"I could tell by watching his face that his final state of knowledge was achieved through an act of will."

"She had been like a dust particle in the high atmosphere around which the water vapour of my thinking formed its globule of rain."

"As a rule I don't like suffering to no purpose. Suffering should be creative, should give birth to something good and lovely."

[/spoiler] ( )

Chinua Achebe almost effortlessly build such beautiful characters. Let's look at Odili- upright, scornful of the direction his country is taking, yet happy with his little assignment at the Grammar School. Then the possibility of a scholarship comes along and his 'dissent' starts turning into action. He decides he needs this scholarship anti the current theme of Western educated elite being treated like pariahs. He almost 'dissents' by going and living with Chief Nanga and his family- someone he is shown to have developed a detest for- and admires his multi-bungalow, flushed-toilets lifestyle. A minor dissent is trying to bring his girlfriend Elsie and her friend home for the gentleman's company. And then of course that fateful incident which leaves him like someone 'with an elephant carcass on their head toeing around for a grasshopper' (I only remember this one but the book is full of such delightful local similes). He then dissents by joining the 'left-leaning intellectuals led common people party' (as described in a beautiful introduction by Karl Maier) and contesting the chief's seat and vying for the affection of his upcoming wife. What follows is tragic and yet beautiful.

Odili is such a real character- full of interesting twists and turns and choices.

This is the first Chinua Achebe book I've read and definitely won't be the last. ( )

A very human, engaging look into the politics and life of one facet of African culture. ( )