Africa Books

A medium sized book in which thousands of African names, their ethnic group and country origins, and their pronunciations are treated to detail. Through the introduction, and the name interpretations, it is shown that names and naming practices in Africa are intimately linked to items like family issues, disappointment, anger, happiness, religion, birth order, demeanor of mother or child, clan group, occupation of the parents, proverbs, etc. The book serves those interested in African names, culture, and proverbs; very good for the general reader and one who is into research on African culture. The book is carefully crafted and heavily referenced. The authors must have devoted a lot of time to putting together literary as well as oral information. Many books on African names are rather simplistic. Some of the names found in this book: Thembi (trust), Sibusiso (blessing), Sepsi (mercy), Simomo (patience), Tayari (ready), Tankiso/ Tebogo(gratitude), Musango (accusation), Lugo (leopard), Lerato (love), Azimio (political declaration), Mayinja (stones), Uhuru (freedom), Umot (a first born), Muguzi (buyer), Mukama (Lord).

"Africa is a continent with thousands of cultures, traditions and languages. Names are part and parcel of the enrichedAfrican heritage. African personal names run into thousands, if not millions.... What this book has done is to compile a listing of about 2,500 names from key central, eastern and southern African countries such as Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Central african Republic, the two Congos, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.... Not only does this book explain the meaning of the name, but it does so in a concise and straightforward comprehensible manner that the general public would understand. In addition, unlike most other books on the matter, this one spells out the actual and correct pronunciation of each name. In addition, unlike most earlier works, this book goes out of its way to list the Western as well as the traditional spelling of the word. For example, "Nalubale" is the Western phonological way of spelling this name, while "Nnalubale" is its traditional and authentic equivalent. What makes this book most appealing is the authors' personal and cultural connection to Africa and hence, their intimate knowledge of the names and their meaning. In addition, the book is written in a concise and clear-cut language that is devoid of unnecessary jargon. ...Jonathan Musere and Shirley C. yakutaga are highly commended for ingeniously having compiled a very well written and illustrated...book about key African names as well as their basic significance, culturally. This book is highly rcommended for people of the African Diaspora, who for historical and/or cultural reasons may want to adoptsome African names. The book will also be invaluable to Africanists, instructors, and teachers of African Linguistics, Literature, History, and Politics, as well as being a basic introductory dictionary to the extremely rich African heritage. The book will also prove to be handy to business people, expatriates, tourists and journey persons who are interested in or have chosen Africa as their destination of travel and/or work." (Stephen Balyanango Isabirye in "The Griot" Vol. 18, No. 2, Fall 1999).

Frederick C. Selous was one of the giants of Vitorian Africa and in this work, written at the urging of President Theodore Roosevelt, he compiles many of his most keen observations about life and wildlife in Africa. Fascinating not only as a period piece, Selous's thoughts are remarkably prescient about the state of game in Africa even today. Though it was written before the rise of the commercial poaching that has ravaged so much of the continent, the book gives an excellent insight into the need to carefully observe, record, and interpret the ecological signs found in the wild. Clear and lively in style, the tales told within encompass everything from dietary habits of hyaena to the effects of sleeping sickness on agriculture. Especially interesting are the authors remarkably forward-thinking ideas on race relations, ideas that would not become the rule in southern Africa for over 75 years. An altogether satisfying read.

I have read plenty of elephant hunting volumes in the likes of Bell, Stigand and several others but this Selous book is different. It's not entirely an account of Selous' adventures with his rifle but rather as the first portion of the book's title suggests, an informative wrap-up of the ways and characteristics of various African game. Selous is a unsurpassable raconteur when it comes to telling of big game, as this book proves. There's a chapter on Selous' search for the elusive inyala antelope, and it is of great interest. A book well worth parting with your cash for. Simply a true must-buy !

Professor Erskine Peters was a gentle and awesome soul!
I took a class with him at UC-Berkeley and he had the utmost patience with everyone, unlike some Professors that were annoyed with undergraduates and their arrogance.
This book releases, to the reader, the same kind of patience with our searching and seeking of wisdom from our Elders. This book is full of the wisdom of our Elders and would be great for speechmakers, teachers, copywriters, or anyone that would like a great quote to have people think about for the rest of their lives.
These snippets of Elder wisdom feel like a heart-beat.
I am thankful to Prof. Peters for his wisdom in collecting them for us to live with them, and for me, he lives through them.
May you continue your journey, Professor Peters! Ashe!!

I had the honor to take a couple of classes with Dr. Peters (who passed away in 1998) at the University of Notre Dame and although it has been several years since I had originally read this book, it's spirit lives on in me now. For people of African descent in the United States, this book opens new doors to us that because of a history of slavery, we were ignorant of. Don't get me wrong, this is not an exclusive book, anyone, regardless of your ethnicity, race, heritage, etc., can gain something from reading it. It re-affirms our natural beliefs that we are all connected, there is meaning in everything, and we are responsible not only to ourselves, but to each other, our ancestors, our progeny, and to the cosmos as well.

It is a book, once you've finished reading, you'll be surprised at how much it lingers with you.

Alec Campbell's African Rock Art: Paintings And Engravings On Stone, superbly and profusely illustrated with more than two hundred examples of David Coulson's color photography, spectacularly and informatively showcases Africa's rock art with examples drawn from the entire continent. The text provides the reader with an authoritative and "reader friendly" historical and interpretative analysis. Alec Campbell draws upon his many years of experience as the founder and former director of the "National Museum of Botswana", and is a resident of the area. David Coulson is founder and chairman of the "Trust for African Rock Art" and combines his special expertise with skills as a photography to provide a visual record of outstanding works, many of which are now endangered by erosion, theft, and vandalism. African Rock Art is an impressive and much appreciated addition to personal, academic and community library African art history and cultural studies collections.

This impressive book by photographer David Coulson and co-author Alec Campbell is a comprehensive study of the rock paintings and engravings of the African continent.

Chapter I deals with the history and peoples of Africa, with special chapters on the Bushmen and Bantu-speaking people. Chapter II is a discussion of rock art and speculations on who the artists were, including the latest research.

Chapter III explores the styles, subject matter and the specific rock art sites, whilst Cheaper IV is devoted to dating. Chapter V deals with Southern Africa under heading for Zimbabwe, Namibia, the southwestern Cape, the Maluti and Drakensberg mountains, the inland plateau and the Tsodilo hills.

The following two chapters are devoted to Eastern and Northern Africa respectively, whilst Chapter VIII discusses the geometric designs and the style called Late White paintings. Chapter IX considers aspects of preservation and the future of Africa's rock art.

The book contains 400 full colour photographs and line drawings plus 7 maps. These photographs also include living people and animals. The maps depict Africa, the language groups, African peoples, the distribution of rock art on the continent, and the specific distribution in Southern, Eastern and Northern Africa respectively.

This classic work concludes with a glossary, bibliography and index. I would also like to recommend the books The Cave Of Altamira, edited by Antonio Beltran, and The Mind In The Cave by Lewis-Williams.

This was the first Palisades Romance book I have ever read and BOY! was I impressed! The author really takes you to Africa, complete with the conflicts and daily turmoil there. She also shows you the beauty of the land and the power of God in creation. I fell in love with the characters and I hope she continues to put out such wonderful books. (maybe even a sequel using Farah or Stacy as a main character!) I look forward to her next adventure.

This really should be listed as the sequel to Summit. The story picks up one of the characters from Summit and leads us through her journey of growth and love. I love how the character became aware of the need for compassion for her quirky mother. Her change of heart could lead to her mother's change of life. The touch of suspense at the end was incredible.

This book is a wonderful source of material for anyone doing historical research on African and subgroup textiles. It has sections from Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Eastern African, etc. It goes in a good depth on the process and cultural influence of each textile and their signifigance. The illustrations are also an amazing quality with good size picture. As a Theatre Studies major, I had to research material for Nigerian costuming and this book was a nice resource to get a feel of the fabric in this region. Although this book doesn't go too much in depth about the attire Africans wore, it does go about telling what fabrics are used. This is definitely a must buy.

John Gillow's African Textiles is an inspiring review of the diverse creativity of textiles in Africa. I read this book before I travelled in south and south-eastern Africa and it helped me identify what I was seeing and its quality. A fantastic and well written resourse.

A thorough and demanding book which reveals to the world many facts and issues needing attention from those seeking intallectual stiumlation.

A thorough and demanding book which reveals to the world many facts and issues needing attention from those seeking intallectual stiumlation.

Geoffrey Nyarota is an unbelievably experienced man. His stories bring shivers down your back and tears to your eyes. He has been through more than most people can imagine. His artful language skills portray a wistful look at Zimbabwe, where this man longs for the country he loves.

Beautifully written, brutally honest...
6 stars out of 5.

Geoffrey Nyarota started off his career as a teacher in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe in the 1970's. He describes firsthand the brutalities civilians endured and those he himself experienced at the hands of both the security forces of Ian Smiths government and ZANLA guerrillas fighting in the area where he taught. The intensification of the war forced the closure of many schools resulting in him embarking into a career in journalism. Having the unique experience of being a black journalist in the white dominated media of Rhodesia provided him with the necessary experience and qualifications allowing him to rise to the top of his field post-independence with postings as Editor of the Manica Post and most notoriously the Chronicle of Bulawayo. He gives insight into the extremely difficult situation he found himself in as Editor of the Bulawayo Chronicle during the Gukurahundi massacres, facing the dilemma of risking personal safety and telling the public a story that needed to be heard. As a youth growing up in Zimbabwe in the 1980's I personally feel one of Mr Nyarotas greatest achievements was his exposure of corruption in Robert Mugabe's government through the Willowgate car scandal and resultant Sandura Commision. An extremely brave act fuelled by his belief in freedom of the press and his uncompromising tenacity in pursuit of the truth, these unfortunately were not seen as admirable qualities by his superiors and cost him his job as Editor.
Mr Nyarota continued in his fight to expose corruption and fraud as founding editor of the Daily News, an independent newspaper and a breath of fresh air to us Zimbabweans for years force fed government propaganda through the state controlled media. The odds were stacked heavily against the Daily news however it persevered and won a few battles but unfortunately the Government won the war forcing closure of the paper and Mr Nyarota into exile.
The book is unique in that although autobiographical, it covers important periods of Zimbabwean history by a resident Zimbabwean, most recent works charting the rise and decline of Zimbabwe have been penned by non-blacks and foreigners. He follows the transformation of notorious Zimbabwean politicians and military figures from their student and liberation war days to their rapid accumulation of wealth and power post-independence. He gives recognition to Zimbabwean heroes snubbed and forgotten after having fallen out of favor with ZANU PF such as Dzinashe Machingura and Willie Musarurwa to name a few. Unfortunately his accounts are not always chronological and at times he digresses, however his experiences of Zimbabwean politics, politicians and society coupled with his good sense of humor make the book in general very interesting to read.
Very importantly, he highlights the grave dangers African journalists and their families risk in pursuit of the truth, the repercussions being more harsh and brutal than western journalists protected by their respective governments.
My hope is that his story does not end here and that he will return home soon to continue uncovering the truth.

Although this book is described as being for the 4-8 year-old group, it seemed to me more like a 7-9 year-old book that might well appeal more to boys than to girls (based on having had two of each in our family) due to some of the gross aspects.

I was attracted to the book by realizing that the various animal-related stories that Alexander McCall Smith includes in his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books were among my favorite parts of those books. It occurred to me that the Akimbo books might have such stories in them.

Well, not quite . . . but the series is full of Akimbo learning about wild animals, the threats to animals from people, and deals with the problems through Akimbo's brave deeds. Children like to see themselves playing important roles in the world, and Akimbo and the Crocodile Man is very good for appealing to that desire.

Akimbo's father works as a ranger at a game preserve in Africa where he is visited by a scientist studying crocodiles. Akimbo is allowed to go on the trek and plays an important role when the scientist is injured.

The book is nicely illustrated which adds to the realism of the story.

In this Akimbo book, Smith brings us an Akimbo wizened by age and adventure. Here Akimbo wishes to accompany the crocodile man who is tagging baby crocodiles in order to study survival rate in that part of the jungle. Most baby crocodiles become meals for other larger animals, and there was an interest to observe the number that survived to adulthood.

On the journey, the Crocodile Man, John, actually does get attacked by a crocodile and his leg is hurt. Akimbo has to figure out a way to get his friend to hospital soon or he will bleed to death. This is where Akimbo applies his innovative talent. Perhaps Smith goes a bit further than can be expected, but Akimbo is an extraordinary boy.

As always, Akimbo works for that which is right in human society. It is right to help a friend if they are hurt. It may even be a cause to break rules especially if it will save a life and not endanger any other life. This is the crux of Smith's message. Akimbo follows his instincts about what is right and wrong and uses his imagination and creativity and finds the needed solutions to his dilemmas.

The book is recommended highly for children age 5 through 10. It can easily by read to younger children by parents as well. The book is a wonderful story of another adventure in the life of Akimbo in the African forest.

"Almanac of African Peoples and Nations promises to be an invaluable addition for any reference library." Rolin Mainuddin, President of the Association of Third World Studies, North Carolina Central University

Professor Mohammad Z. Yakan is to be congratulated for the time, effort and care he put into compiling the Almanac of African Peoples and Nations. This detailed and comprehensive work, describing hundreds of African peoples, will be an indispensable addition to the reference shelf of every African scholar and library." Professor Paul J. Magnarella, Anthropology Department, University of Florida.