Chinua Achebe To Receive Mason Award

Fall for the Book will present the 2008 Mason Award to Nigerian novelist, poet and critic Chinua Achebe. This year commemorates the 50th anniversary of Achebe’s phenomenally successful first novel, Things Fall Apart, which boasts more than eight million copies sold worldwide in more than 50 languages — making it the world’s most widely read African novel.

Fall for the Book’s annual Mason Award celebrates an author whose body of work has made extraordinary contributions to bringing literature to a wide reading public. Achebe will read from his work and accept the award on Monday, Sept. 22, the second day of the 2008 festival. Other events—readings and panel discussions—focusing on Achebe’s contribution to world literature and the importance of Things Fall Apart are planned.