Anthills of the Savannah was Achebe's fifth novel, and it was published 21 years after his fourth novel. In between the publication of his fourth and fifth novel, he wrote lesser known poetry anthologies that were not very well received. Anthills of the Savannah was said to revive Achebe's fading reputation in Britain.
Achebe also became more involved in politics during this time. After the Biafra War, Achebe served as a foreign ambassador and traveled abroad in the United States and Europe. At the conclusion of the war, Achebe moved his family to the United States in 1972, where he took a professorship position at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. After concluding his teaching career, he became active with the People's Redemption Party (PRP), which consumed much of his time in the 1980s. His time in politics limited his ability to write, and it was not until 1987 that he published Anthills of the Savannah.
