Africa Books

This book was so helpful in finding great places to eat in Paris. We'd find ourselves in a different area of town either for lunch or dinner each day. Simply pull out the Out to Eat book and find the food or restaurant we wanted to visit. Fair warning on dress code or reservations. We didn't NEED this book, but it made the trip easier...

This book is infinitely helpful to pinpoint the perfect restaurant or bar that suits one's needs. The book is organized into arrondissements of Paris. At the beginning of each chapter, the authors list what they consider the best choices for each particular arrondissement.

If you're looking for a particular type of cuisine, one of the back indexes lists the cuisine type and all the restaurants that serve that type of food and of course, a page number where the restaurant can be found.

Another index lists all the restaurants alphabetically to compare them for the features of serving late night, outdoors, any private rooms, serving children, have wheelchair access, and if they're appropriate for business dining.

There are over 40 pages of excellent maps showing the name of the restaurant at its location.

Each individual entry gives the restaurant name, telephone number, address, page of the map where it's shown in the book, which Métro stations are closest, general prices for starter dishes, main courses, desserts, and set menus for lunch and dinner.

What makes this guide unique is that there are also ratings for the general volume of the crowd, so you can choose a quieter place or a more lively place, depending on your desires. Also, what is very valuable to us non-smokers is the restaurant's policy - smoking throughout, nonsmoking tables available, or completely non-smoking. Another fantastic feature is there is a little picture of a carrot next to the restaurants that are vegetarian friendly - a real plus!

Each entry lists the hours of operation (though these can often change, so I'd highly recommend a quick call before you have your heart set on a specific restaurant; also reservations are highly recommended at some restaurants) and a fairly detailed entry telling the specialties of the house and what the authors recommend.

The information in the book is extremely helpful for choosing restaurants and bars, and its organization makes this information easily accessible so you aren't spending time wading through large volumes to find that perfect Parisian experience.

We recently visited Paris. We armed ourselves with this book as well as a few others for cross-referencing. The LP book was dead-on for each restaurant. Although we consider ourselves very picky and privileged eaters, we were 100% satisfied with our choices. The book was invaluable not only for food but for neighborhood and bar information.

The most comprehensive travel guide I've seen. Hundreds of useful practical hints, explanations of cultural background and important things to remember for "whites" in order not to hurt or offend the traditional, mythical or religious beliefs, which are all very strong over there. I have travelled in West Africa myself, before reading this book, and found that it really shows the most important details to consider. Framed boxes in the text make it easy to find the essential tips. It is also valuable, that it shows how to travel cheaply, nothing about the luxurious hotels, more of the budget type of stuff.

Highly recommended! We just returned from our fourth trip to Senegal, and we found the Lonely Planet guidebook to be highly accurate and easily usable. It is well written and includes much helpful cultural information in addition to all the necessary facts. Don't leave for Senegal without it!!!!

I would also have to agree that this book was very well written, with a great deal of relavent information on The Gambia. I highly recomend this book.

The books is a good read. This book is a NEW book and unfortunately the front and back lower right corners of the hard cover are dented ,indicating book had been dropped. I've bought used books that were in better shape

40 years of hunts and memories from a man who lived a life many of us can only dream of,a priceless piece of outdoor lore!

A great source of information and reading enjoyment. This is book is very well done!

Clint Kelly knows how to tell a story. This book allows you to live through what you've always wondered about. Do dinosaurs still exist? And if they do, where and how? God created all animals that ever were on the same day. This book gives us a way to creatively support that truth.

Reg Danson is back and this time he's after a possible living race of dinosaurs. This book is great. It picks up where "The Landing Place" leaves off and continues to build on the series. Danson has to face a deadly witch doctor, a wild missionary, and some surprises from the Jurassic Age! Don't miss this exciting adventure

This book starts right where the landing Place left off. It was definately the better of the two. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I really like how all of the Reg Danson books are about Biblical things. (Noah's Ark) I recommend this book and The Landing Place to anyone who likes a good book.

Upon opening this exciting book,I was drawn into the bright colors and the words that were simple, yet quite powerful. As an elementary school teacher, I was looking for poetry to share with my students that was beyond the same few it seems they see year after year during February. This fit the bill perfectly. It was language my children could relate to, yet it showed some insight into important issues such as racism, segregation, and slavery. The added bonus for me was the additional text about how each poem related to Langston Hughes' life. In the book, Mr. Medina mentions that as a child, he opened one of Langston Hughes' books of poetry and saw his photograph. Not only was he moved by his work, he was pleasantly surprised and inspired because he saw an artist of color in a published work for the first time. Since then, he has been inspired to create poetry. Tony Medina has given us a beautiful tribute to Mr. Hughes as well as fresh poems for new generation!

Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902 (in Joplin MO), and his centennial was celebrated with the publication of books honoring his poetry & life, including "Langston Hughes, an American Poet" by Alice Walker . . . & also, "Love to Langston" by Tony Medina.

For this book the author writes poems in a style similar to Hughes' - - each being biographical. These are followed by three pages of helpful notes. Some of the dates make for surprises: In 1914 Hughes protested against "JIM CROW SEATING" in his 7th grade! In 1923 he began an odyssey to learn about the world firsthand, starting with Africa: "going around the world digging life, . . mining for riches" by observing people.

His poetry was influenced by Walt Whitman and Carl Sandburg, but also by the rhythms of jazz. "Jazz makes me sing - - the blues makes me feel . . . a whole lot better . . . hits my heart in the funny bone." The bold colorful illustrations by Gregory Christie are a happy choice and complement Medina's hopeful text. This happened, too, with the 1982 "Langston, A Play by Ossie Davis" for which Jerry Pinkney illustrated the cover.

In the 1950s the specter of Senator Joseph McCarthy threatened Hughes' ability to earn a living. He was quite ill in 1967 when "dear sweet Alice (Walker)" one of the young authors inspired by his works, visited him: " ... she brings me oranges like a bag of sun." The sun can also shine into your heart through reading Langston Hughes' poetry, suggests REVIEWER mcHAIKU.

Meet James Langston Hughes in a unique and entertaining biography that brings this great poet of the Harlem Renaissance to life. Written in free verse, Tony Medina's fourteen poems follow Langston from his boyhood in Kansas marked by racism and poverty, to his trips to Africa and around the world, and finally to life in his beloved Harlem..."Harlem is the capital of my world/black and beautiful and bruised/like me..." Mr Medina's simple, yet powerful poems speak volumes, and are full of energy, rhythm, wisdom, and truth. "In Topeka, Kansas/the teacher makes me sit/in the corner/in the last row/far away from/the other kids// She rolls her eyes/and sucks her teeth/with heavy heavy sighs/and lies and lies// She tells one kid/not to eat licorice/or he'll turn black/like me// When Mama finds out/she takes me out of school/she rolls her eyes/and sucks her teeth/with heavy heavy sighs// And why why why" R. Gregory Christie's expressive, bold, and riveting illustrations complement each poem beautifully, and draw the reader into the world Langston Hughes loved and remembered. Together word and art present an engaging and evocative tribute to a remarkable and vibrant man who loved people, books, and jazz. This is much more than a creative and innovative biography, it's a labor of love. Perfect for youngsters 7 and older, Mr Medina includes notes, details, and insight to help flesh out, complete, and enrich these original poems about Langston Hughes' life, and introduce Hughes and his work to a whole new generation. This engaging biography is sure to whet the appetite of both young and old alike, and send you out looking for more. So come celebrate the life of Langston Hughes on what would have been his one hundredth birthday... "Sometimes life ain't/always a hoot/or a holler// But if you manage/to give it/a bother// Even if you miss/your mother/or don't like your father// There'll be better days/up ahead// A whole mess of/happenin' days/up ahead// You can sit and sulk/suck your teeth/and sigh// Or love and laugh/and live life/by and by"

In Malachite Lion the author samples the culture of Kenya in a way that a tourist rarely achieves. The reader is immediately sympathetic of the traveler in a very strange land, alone and with no support system. This all happens for a very logical reason, and the author makes the best of the situation. He voices his fears of being mugged by taxi drivers and hustled by locals, yet enjoys every aspect of daily life. He lives "on the economy" for 6 weeks, and we get an opportunity to see what Kenya is really like. My desire to visit is strengthened by the book which is much more than a travelogue.

I read this book while traveling alone for the first time in a foreign country. It was inspirational to me as a traveler, especially one who travels alone, to have a companion (even if it is just a book) understand want it means to discover a place on your own (and all the fears that go with it). The style is a bit scientific, but I think that is one of its best qualities because you get details about animals, insects, and plants that go beyond the aesthetics. After you finsih this book, you feel ready to take on an adventure of your own, or do something quite unexpected!

I am not one to read the genre that I suppose could be called "travel logs" or "travel adventures". My only experience with them up until this point in time were those of the fictional type, mostly those of the science fictional or fantasy type. But, knowing little of Africa and intrigued by the " real life sudden trip" aspect, I decided that _Malachite Lion_ could be fun. And it is. It is quite fun to read. If I had to describe its writing style, I would say somewhere between the wide brush strokes of Melville (mixed in with a Moby Dick-esque pattern of dropping facts along with narrative) and the simple water color lines of Hemingway. It tends more towards repetitive description rather than bare walls, so you had better like having your scenery painted for you. The book's one fault is that it sometimes gets a little bogged down in the details (4.5-4.75 is where I would rate it on the 5.0 scale...almost perfect but not quite), and loses its rhythm here and there, but generally it is not too hard to pick it back up before the end of the page. I truly believe anyone with a few questions about if they could make will find a good deal of empathy in Dr. Modlin's portrayal of himself as the "shy biology prof". I will not say it will change your life, but it does suggest that we all arrange for an unexpected trip...we might just make it out alive. I recommend it, it is a overall great first novel.

I checked this book out from the library and loved it so much that I'm going to purchase a copy to own. Other reviewers have covered the fiction/fact aspect of the book, so I'll limit my comments to the beauty of the story and the illustrations. Adult readers familiar with Joseph Campbell will recognize elements of the hero-tale framework in the narrative. The story itself is compelling and captivating to children and adults alike. My 5 1/2 year old son eagerly chose it as his bed-time story every night until we finished it. (It's a long read-aloud for one sitting -- too long for a 5 year old at bedtime.) My 7 year old daughter and I were equally enthralled.

The illustrations are incredibly rich and detailed, with African-influenced stylization. They are fully up to the task of supporting the beautiful narrative. The paintings, along with some illustrative detail inserted into the text areas of the story give the book a regal, special feel, almost as if it should be handled reverently.

This book would be a wonderful addition to anyone's book collection and would make a beautiful gift. I also recommend the book "Sundiata: Lion King of Mali" by David Wisniewski as a prequel. Sundiata is portrayed as Mansa Musa's grandfather in the Burns book -- a detail which may or may not be factual. Regardless, it's another well told and nicely illustrated Mali legend.

If you are looking for a strictly historical book, go elsewhere. The main story is entirely fictional. However, it is beautifully told and gorgeously illustrated, and it is well researched historical fiction. No, we know nothing of the childhood of the famous Mansa Musa--however, the portrayal of the cultures and ways of life of the people is vivid and accurate, and this legend-like tale will surely gain a deserving place in the canon of children's literature.

For educational use, this is of fairly limited *factual* use because of the dearth of written accounts about Mansa Musa and his reign and, as a result, the fictional nature of the main narrative. However, the epilogue is factual (if not completely impervious to debate), and the entire book would be great as a fictional supplement to the study of the Middle Ages, especially as it takes the point of view of a non-Western culture and focuses upon an important historical figure who is often glossed over (because of lack of information and his lack of impact upon the West) in typical courses of study.

This book would be excellent for people of any background who enjoy history, good story-telling, and breathtaking illustrations.

For other great, beautifully illustrated, African-oriented picture books, try these:

Why do Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears? - an animal myth

The Marriage of the Rain-Goddess - based on a South African myth, it contains many elements common to African folklore and fairytales (such as the substitute bride)

African Princess - nonfiction about 6 royal women of Africa, from ancient Egypt to the 20th (and 21st) century. Painted illustrations are limited to one portrait per woman, but the book is fascinating and unusual, and photographs are skillfully chosen to complement the text.

African Princes - Complement to African Princesses.

There is a great deal of historical evidence in support of the mighty empire of Mali and the trek of the great king Mansa Musa across the Sahara Desert to Mecca. Some European historical accounts have him listed as the king of all of Africa. There is solid historical evidence that he lived in the early 1300's and further evidence that a mighty fleet of ships departed from the kingdom and made landfall in the Western Hemisphere during his reign. This would mean that their arrival predated the voyage of Christopher Columbus by almost two centuries.
This story is an account of the life of Mansa Musa before he became king, and while the background is historically accurate, most of the account of his life before he became king is fictional. Some of it is based on cultural myths that are still part of the Mali culture, but it is clear that there were once mighty empires in Africa. I found this book very interesting because it tells of an aspect of African history that we in the west rarely if ever hear about. The empires of Egypt and Nubia are part of the historical education of every western child, but the mighty nations that once existed in other parts of Africa are largely ignored. Most of the Africans captured and sold into slavery were from the northwest section of Africa and it is a western cultural myth that they were savages. From the historical events on which this book is based, a strong and civilized nation existed in that area several centuries before the slave trade began.
The authors do a good job in writing about the early life of Mansa Musa. It is an appropriate blend of a story for children with just enough adult features to make it appeal to all ages. Once I completed the book, my interest was so aroused that I did an online search for books on Mansa Musa and the empire of Mali.

Mara-Serengeti captures the essence of living in the Mara-Serengeti region in a way that you would not experience in a dozen safaris to Africa. The images of predators, prey, wildlife migrations, and the Masai bring you close up during moments of blazing color in the sky and dramatic action in the grasslands. The images are improved by thoughtful essays that draw on the photographers' many years of experience with these subjects.

The animal photographs are mostly grouped by subject and include lions, leopards, zebras, wart hogs, impalas, cheetahs, wildebeest, hyenas, crocodiles, vultures, and wild dogs. The subjects are usually of animal families, migration, killing, and eating in often symbolic settings for these activities. The Masai images come at the book's end, sort of completing the evolutionary progression of the food chain.

You probably have heard of the Serengeti. It's a vast grassland in Tanzania, and is now protected as the Serengeti National Park there. The Masai Mara National Reserve is in neighboring Kenya, and the two lands are connected geographically, if not politically. A map in the book will display all of this for you. This site is the area where humans probably first walked the face of the Earth, and the dwindling of these remarkable spaces marks the potential for us to lose our ability to visualize our roots.

The name, Serengeti, in Masai means "land of endless space." The closest we have to this habitat in the United States that I have seen is the brief enclosure in the wild animal park that the San Diego zoo maintains near Escondido, California.

The action photographs impressed me the most. These show predators literally flying and spinning in the air just before they land while the terrorized prey wheels desperately away. The action is captured almost like a key play in a sporting event. That's pretty typical of the photography here. The images emphasize action and perspectives that you do not yet have, and this book will add wonderfully to your sense of the special nature of the grasslands of Africa.

After you have finished expanding your vision of natural selection, I suggest that you think about the ways that our lives are enhanced by understanding our origins and how our lives are not. How can we draw inspiration from nature and stand in our most meaningful role?

Look for what few have seen . . . always! Truth will emerge from your trial.

This book was more than I had hoped for. The moments captured are extrordinary, some of the best photos of African Wildlife I have ever seen. I haven't read the text yet, but the captions by the photos are very informative and contain little interesting tidbits I didn't know. I have a lot of coffee table books and this is definitely a favorite.

Having been to this area of Africa three times, twice in the Masi Mara and once to the Serengeti this book brings me back over and over again to this heaven on earth. The combination of drawings, photographs, and writing of Jonathan and Angela Scott are outstanding. This is my all time favorite book. The love these authors feel for this area and the animals and people who live there comes through on every page. For anyone who has the slightest interest in wild animals, ecology, photography, art, travel or Africa this book is a must have. Awesome!

Its a message of hope in tragic and sad setting. Its a clear indication that the people themselves must always be vigilant over thier rights, and must be ready to defend themselves at whatever costs.

However, looking at the current happenigns in most african countries, its sad to see that their promissed Matigari- the hero of their story- changes and becames even worse once he gains power. perhaps the greatest message is that it creates hopes in the people who starts questioning their way of life rather than blindly having to follow in the footsteps of their heroes.

Although the author proposes that the reader set the story in any place they imagine, the Kenyan government took "matigari" quite personally... and Ngugi is now an exiled writer.

originally published in gukuu (sp?) this lyrical story is a written version of African oral story telling tradition. Matigari, victorious over his foe in the mountains, returns to his homeland to find it over-run with capitalism. He befriends a man, woman and a child, and journeys throughout his homeland seeking truth and justice. Word of his deeds travel, and quickly become exaggerated, until matigari himself is deified. The text brings up themes of community versus individualism, socialism versus capitalism... it questions the length of the arm of the United States in Africa... and shows the dangers of Africa taking on destructive "white" government systems.

The story is tragic and beautiful, and very true. Who is Matigari? Read the book and find out!

Matigari by Ngugi wa Thiong'o is a fascinating story. Since from the very beginning, Matigari captures readers with foreshadowing, uses of similes, and many techniques that European writers use. However, the structure is different from a novel written in the European tradition. The language is kept rather simple, as someone would speak when telling a story. There are many repetitive words and phrases in Matigari and readers should not underestimate the significant value of every one of them. In addition, the repetition is one of many things that Ngugi used to make readers read the book like a hidden charisma of the book. In my opinion, one of many quotes that give more insight to the story is the following: There is no night so long that it does not end with dawn." This metaphorical expression has a very significant meaning in the context of the story. It expresses the endless sufferings of people in that land. Most importantly, it emphasizes their hope for a better tomorrow. Thins have not changed after the settlers left. The Imperialism system sets a worldwide system in which the sorrow of the many is the joy of the few. The wealth of an entire nation is in the hands of five percent of the population, while the other ninety five percent are dying of starvation. "I have girded myself with the belt of peace." That is another important phrase. It illustrates the non-violent attitude of the hero. Matigari was a nationalist, a peaceful messenger who wished for harmony in his community. Another phrase that provides the most insight into the text is house and home. It is repeated countless times throughout the story, sometimes as many as eight times on a single page. It is like a mantra-home. The home is the center of our life. It is where families are centered. We go home to our loved ones every night. Muriuki's mother was killed in a fire set by her proprietor when she could not afford to pay for and refused to leave her home. Guthera turned to prostitution after she and her sibling were orphaned and it was the only means by which she could provide for them. John Boy is sent away to school by his family and instead of coming back to help them to improve their lives he becomes just like the wealthy settlers and his main goal is making money at the expense of the natives. Matigari's home appears to represent unity, love, and power. Home has connotations that go even further than that of immediate family and a place to live. Home is their country and home is the life they knew before colonization. Decolorizing Mind novel, that Ngugi used a biblical element to grab readers such as myself into completing the novel Matigari. I could not put down the book, Matigari's attitude and outward demeanor could all be summed up in one outline: his grace, his compassion, his love, his patience, his peacefulness, gentleness are all the qualities of Christ. I especially loved how he captured Matigari's voice, "Something in Matigari's voice made them listen to him attentively," when Christ spoke the people all listened o him diligently. When Matigari said " a prudent person keeps their mouth shut, in the Bible James 1:19, says everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger...." In addition, when Matigari was in the jail cell, he shared food with other people in the jail. It is parallel to Jesus when he shares his bread to twelve other people. In literally, the food Matigari had and shared could be the last supper. Matigari is not only the bitter experience of post independence African society, but it is a picture of timeless suffering and struggle for freedom and independence. In a dictatorship, questions of truth and justice are paramount because these two are the first to disappear in such an environment. Matigari's patriotism for his country and his people haunted his soul. His search for truth and justice eventually let him to the forest and mountains. The myths of Matigari have wonder people. Who is this man People even compared him with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Who ever that man is or whatever people think about him or his mission, I think the Matigari as an inspiration to the search for truth and justice.

As a white immigrant growing up in South Africa during the apartheid regime, I was subjected to some discrimination as well; because our views were not what the government would have liked. Mr. Kathrada's book again brings back the frustration one felt of the dishonesty and cruelty of the white protestant government, hiding behind racial superiority and religion, and keeping everyone misinformed. This is a must read book for everyone, to remind us of what should not be happening in this world again. I am very proud of what the new S.A. government has achieved.

From Ahmed Kathrada's lifelong involvement in the thick of South Africa political activism and his 26 years in prison in the notorious Robben Island and Pollsmoor prisons for political prisoners, he became the fellow activist with and confidant of Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, and other historic figures in the struggle against that country's apartheid. And with them, Kathrada played a leading, though for the most part less visible, role in developing a post-apartheid South African political and social system. Though apartheid was abandoned years ago, the full story of the struggle against it is just now beginning to emerge, as the leaders of this struggle are finding the time to write their memoirs in their later years after moving out of the political arena and giving way to the succeeding generation of leaders. Kathrada sees his own "Memoirs" as a "modest addition to the growing and most welcome body of work that is emerging about a particularly significant period in South Africa's recent history." Kathrada's modesty kept him from moving into the political, governing, arena as visibly as others, notably Nelson Mandela. But it's clear from this modestly-written "Memoirs" that Kathrada was a major figure in bringing apartheid to an end and setting South Africa on a new course.

Memoirs allows us to enter into the life of Ahmed "Kathy" Kathrada, a very humble yet very real hero, whose steadfast adherence to the highest ideals helped alter the future of a nation.

Ahmed Kathrada played a pivotal role in ending apartheid, helping his country choose a path of reconciliation instead of revenge, and building a new democracy.

This book offers snapshots of his unusual life: An Indian, Muslim South African, Kathy became politically involved at the age of 10 and his activism continued despite repeated arrests, detentions, and bannings as well as increasingly severe measures by the Apartheid government. In 1964, he was convicted of sabotage and sentenced to life imprisonment, along with Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and the other Rivonia Trialists.

Fellow prisoners for 26 years, these leaders were also the closest colleagues and friends, sharing the unshakable belief that truth, justice and democracy would ultimately triumph over oppression and racism.

Released from prison in 1989, at the age of 60, Ahmed Kathrada was at the center of dramatic changes in South Africa and went on to serve as a member of South Africa's first freely elected Parliament, Parliamentary Counsellor to the Office of President Mandela, and Chair of the Robben Island Museum.

He is proof that human beings are capable of exceptional goodness even in the most difficult circumstances, and that political power can be wielded with integrity, empathy, and compassion. He also possesses a wonderful sense of humor as well as unique insight into his close friends and colleagues, including Nelson Mandela.

Ahmed Kathrada's Memoirs offer an essential and all-too-rare view into the mind and soul of a truly great and profoundly gentle revolutionary.