His publisher Liz Foley said: "His contribution to literary culture was immense, both in his criticism and through his masterful and iconic novels which have already become classics."

The basics: Popcorn is the best movie snack because it’s quiet and delicious, so you can’t go wrong with the classics.

The latest work from the author of modern classics such as Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun centres on the lives of four women living in Nigeria and the US.

We’ve both experienced writer’s block, staring at the blank page, and have both read and reread the classics in case we learn tricks via osmosis.

"It takes time for songs to warm up and become classics," he said.