A Man of the People. By Chinua Achebe. First American Edition, First Printing. John Day Co. New York, 1966.

Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist who ranks among the best fiction writers of the twentieth century. For several decades, he published internationally celebrated works that have come to be known as classics–and essential reading for students of African literature. In particular, his first novel, Things Fall Apart, is often assigned reading in high school and college classrooms. Following its success, Achebe published several other great novels, including this volume, A Man of the People. It is a satirical novel about an independent African country that experiences political corruption and a coup. The work was highly praised by literary critics, but its legacy is also underscored by its prescient plot. In fact, the work so accurately predicted the 1966 Nigerian coup that Achebe and his family were threatened by the Nigerian military, who suspected him of having prior knowledge of the coup. In turn, Achebe fled his home and resettled in parts of Nigeria that would later secede. For all these reasons, A Man of the People is an important literary text, one deeply intertwined with Nigerian political history.

This first American edition, first printing is in very good condition. In the original yellow cloth, near-fine with only very minor soiling. Text block about-fine, only clipped corner to front free endpaper. In the original dust jacket, very good with only chipping, creases, and small closed tears to spine ends and corners.

A very good first American edition of A Man of the People.