By Clara Nwachukwu
Things Fall Apart written by Nigeria’s Chinua Achebe, has been named among The 50 Most Influential Books of All Time in a list released Open Education Data Base (OEDB).
Occupying 27th position, this novel written in 1958, is the only book written by an African author registered on the list, which is divided across four categories and social interest.
These include Politics and Government; Literature; Science, Math, and Geography; and Religion.
According to OEDB, the book focuses on “The theme of preserving cultural history in the face of Western domination in this novel gave voice to the oppressed people in Africa and caught the attention of the world.”
It added that the novel “is still widely read and studied as an example of the damage of colonialism.”
Things Fall Apart, according to Biography, “Renowned as one of the seminal works of African literature, it has since sold more than 20 million copies and been translated into more than 50 languages.”
It also recorded that this novel, the first to be written by Mr. Achebe, was followed with others, including, No Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964) and Anthills of the Savannah (1987).
The author, who died on March 21, 2013, at age 82, in Boston, Massachusetts, in his lifetime, was reputed as a faculty member at renowned universities in the U.S. and Nigeria.
The Influential Books
Concerning the list of 50 oedb.org/ the Data Base noted that: “For many centuries, books have been one of the central forms of entertainment for humankind. Readers around the world invest countless hours escaping into new and unique worlds, losing themselves in the words and pages of books from various genres.
“While all books affect readers in different ways, history has shown that some books have a way of reaching and impacting large groups of people so that they are forever changed.”
It added that “These books can share knowledge, inspiration, and discoveries in various fields. They teach, influence, and alter the way we think. Sometimes these books are so important and enlightening that they help the world and its people evolve. The following books have done just that.
Politics and Government
These titles represent some of the most influential books that examine politics, economics, and philosophy. Each of these texts had an impact on the way we understand governance.
In the Top Three in this category are:
- The Republic, Plato. Written around 380 BCE, this text is considered to be one of the most influential pieces ever written.
- The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. One of the most recognized and popular political texts ever written
- The Rights of Man by Thomas Paine. The Rights of Man argues that political revolution is acceptable and permissible when a government fails to perform its duty of protecting the natural rights of its citizens.
These books can share knowledge, inspiration, and discoveries in various fields. They teach, influence, and alter the way we think. Sometimes these books are so important and enlightening that they help the world and its people evolve. The following books have done just that.
Literature
From creating characters and stories that have become foundational elements in cultures around the world to upsetting undesirable standards and inspiring the imagination of many, these works of literature have touched the world in significant ways.
These are the most influential books in literature:
- The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. Written in the 14th century, this collection of tales brought to life characters and stories that remain popular today.
- Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. Considered one of the most important pieces of world literature, the Divine Comedy is an epic poem that details a journey through the realms of the afterlife and, allegorically, the soul’s discovery of God.
- The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare is often considered the greatest writer in the English language and the greatest dramatist in all of history.
Science, Math, and Geography
These works are some of the most influential books because they began or at least represent the beginning of entire movements and schools of thought in the fields of science, math, and geography.
These are the top three in this category:
- Philosophae Naturalis Principia Mathematica by Isaac Newton. Written while Cambridge was closed because of the plague, Newton’s Philosophae Naturalis Principia Mathematica details the principles of gravity, mechanics, calculus, and light and color.
- The Meaning of Relativity by Albert Einstein. The Meaning of Relativity is a collection of the Stafford Little Lectures made by Albert Einstein in 1921 at Princeton University. Delivered five years after Einstein’s groundbreaking paper on general relativity was published, these lectures sum up the man’s work.
- On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. This work by Darwin laid out the foundation for the theory of evolution. Since its publication, the book’s theories and observations have helped make life sciences what they are today.
Religion
These religious texts are some of the most influential books ever written, serving as spiritual and lifestyle guides for countless people around the world. Some of these texts are thousands of years old. The top three are:
- The Bible. This sacred text brought Christianity to the world and has continued to serve as a source of inspiration for millions of people. It is the most translated and the most frequently purchased book in the world.
- The Qur’an. The sacred text of Islam, the Qur’an is believed to be the last word of God told to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years. This book is the cornerstone of the Islamic religion.
- The Torah. The written laws and teachings that are contained in the Tanakh have offered a way of life for those of the Jewish faith. The text provides teaching and methods of practice for daily living and has influenced art and literature in countless ways.
OEDB concluded that “By educating and informing readers in the areas of politics and government, creating new standards in literature, challenging societal norms, and advancing academic thought in the schools of science and religion, these are top 50 books that changed the world.
