Things Fall Apart is the debut novel of Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, first published in 1958. It depicts pre-colonial life in Igboland (modern-day southeastern Nigeria) and the subsequent appearance of European missionaries and colonial forces in the late 19th century. It is seen as the archetypal modern African novel in English, and one of the first to receive global critical acclaim. It is a staple book in schools throughout Africa and is widely read and studied in English-speaking countries around the world. The novel was first published in the United Kingdom in 1958 by William Heinemann Ltd, and became the first work published in Heinemann's African Writers Series.