The story has been told in various forms for decades. In the past, history was more commonly expressed through word of mouth, but more recently, in the last century, through written texts. While textbooks and articles provide formal information with little or no bias, novels give a completely new perspective from people who have experienced it themselves. The novels God's Pieces of Wood, written by Sembene Ousmane, and No Longer at Ease, by Chinua Achebe give a more personal account of the effects of colonization. These two novels address the British and French method of colonization. God's Bits of Wood is set in the late 1940s and highlights the history of the railway workers' strike in colonial Senegal. The book discusses the different ways in which Senegalese and Malians reacted to colonialism during this era. No Longer at Ease is set in the 1950s and chronicles the beginnings of British colonialism and how Nigerians responded to colonization. Comparing the two novels, there are obvious similarities and differences in the British and French modes of government. African authors are able to write these novels in a way that gives voice to people who are most often silenced during colonialism. This perspective allows readers to understand the negative effects of colonization on the colonized. Historical fiction like God's Pieces of Wood and No Longer at Ease are good educational tools for shedding light on the history and effects of colonization, but they are not a completely reliable source of entirely factual information. God's Pieces of Wood and No Longer at Ease are similar in their manifestations of linguistic colonization by their colonizers. In both novels, linguistic colonization affects the colonized by creating conflict... middle of article......for the story. Historical novels written by authors who experience history are excellent sources for a more direct retelling of history. a story that is often one-sided and simply based on facts. Historical fiction can make the story more personal and enjoyable for the reader reading it, but it can also be misleading if the reader is not already at least vaguely familiar with the story. God's Pieces of Wood and No Longer at Ease express and explain colonization and how it affected those who were colonized in ways that textbooks often cannot. When comparing the two novels, the differences in the nature of the decision and the similarities in the impact it has on different social classes and generations are evident. Although historical novels are an excellent source, one must keep in mind that they are novels and should not be relied upon for one hundred percent factual evidence..