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The land of the living was not far removed from the domain of the ancestors. There was coming and going between them, especially at festivals and also when an old man died, because an old man was very close to the ancestors. A man's life from birth to death was a series of transition rites which brought him nearer and nearer to his ancestors.

— Chinua Achebe Things Fall Apart (1958)

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Age

More quotes by Chinua Achebe

A man of worth never gets up to unsay what he said yesterday.

Man of the People (1966)

Whenever you see a toad jumping in broad daylight, then know that something is after its life.

Things Fall Apart (1958)

A man who lived on the banks of the Niger should not wash his hands with spittle.

No Longer at Ease (1960)

In Chief Nanga’s company it was impossible not to be merry.

Man of the People (1966)

Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.

All Chinua Achebe quotes →

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Chinua Achebe (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.