Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, acclaimed in part for his 1958 novel "Things Fall Apart," has died, his British publisher, Penguin Books, said Friday.
He was 82.
An author of more than 20 books, his honors included the 2007 Man Booker International Prize for Fiction, according to Penguin.
He was also accorded his country's highest award for intellectual achievement, the Nigerian National Merit Award.
Photos: People we lost in 2013 Photos: People we lost in 2013
Achebe is a major part of African literature, and is popular all over the continent for his novels, especially "Anthills of the Savannah" and "Things Fall Apart."
The latter was required reading in countless high schools and colleges in the continent, and has been translated into dozens of languages.
"Things Fall Apart," set in precolonial Nigeria, portrays the story of a farmer, Okonkwo, who struggles to preserve his customs despite pressure from British colonizers. The story resonated in post-independent Africa, and the character became a household name in the continent.
Achebe's stories included proverbs and tackled complex issues of African identity, nationalism and decolonization, adding to his books' popularity.
He has also criticized corruption and poor governance in Africa, and has been known to reject accolades by the Nigerian government to protest political problems.
Penguin Books' Twitter feed said: "Chinua Achebe: a brilliant writer, and a giant of African literature. Nelson Mandela said he 'brought Africa to the rest of the world'. RIP."
