My name is Mike Stephens, I am an electrical engineering student starting my freshman year at Umass Boston. One book that I have recently read and enjoyed was All Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. I like this book a lot because it gives a cultural insight to early African tribes that I have never seen before. This book shows you the way of life for a typical Nigerian who would harvest yams and wrestle fellow villagers to gain respect. To be rich in this community means that you must be a hard-worker, and a good farmer, as well as fighter. The better man you are the more titles you will receive and your titles gain you respect.

I enjoyed this book a lot because it was a very interesting read that kept me entertained throughout. While I was reading I couldn’t put it down because I wanted to find out how everything would turn out for Okonkwo and the rest of the characters. This book doesn’t only show you the culture of this Nigerian village but it also has a storyline with action that changes your emotions in a second. For instance when Okonkwo aids in the killing of the boy who has lived in his house for years, and is almost like a son to him simply because the oracle commanded it.

“One of the men behind him cleared his throat. Ikemefuna looked back, and the man growled at him to go on and not stand looking back. The way he said it sent cold fear down Ikemefuna’s back. His hands trembled vaguely on the black pot he carried. Why had Okonkwo withdrawn to the rear? Ikemefuna felt his legs melting under him. And he was afraid to look back.

As the man who had cleared his throat drew up and raised his machete, Okonkwo looked away. He heard the blow. The pot fell and broke in the sand. He heard Ikemefuna cry, “My father, they have killed me!” as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak.”

This part of the story makes you question how you view Okonkwo, so far he has been shown as the exemplary young man. He’s pretty much the best at every thing he does but he also knows how to show compassion within his own house. However, here that compassion flies out the window because he is a man who does what needs to be done and he felt that this needed to be done because the oracle commanded this boy to die. And even though he was told specifically not to do it himself he does so anyway to be sure that his fellow tribesmen don’t think he’s a coward. This story had my emotions going every which way from the beginning and it had good action, and a solid plot and that is why I enjoyed it so much.