Uganda Books

This book is about a rich girl who goes to africa or its about this girl named misty nobody likes read and you decide.

After reading the first book in this series, I couldnt wait to read about Ambers story. I felt a lot like Amber, she doesnt know what she wants to do with her life after high school. I enjoyed the way that she grew throughout the story and know that her future held something bigger then she thought possable. This is a series that all Lurlene fans will want to read. Not only does this book talk about a world that most people never hear about, but it shows young woman that its ok to learn to spread your wings and fly. I truly enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more book by this author.

Angel of Hope, talks about Heather dying. Her sister, Amber has decided to go on her journey and follow her sister`s shadow on her way to Uganda. She meets the most wonderful thing in her life, courage and love. Its an amazing book! Now, it`s been three weeks since I`ve read it, and yet I think about it everyday and keep on thinking about the special quotes Lurlene had put in this dramatic and romantic book. I`m currently reading "How I love thee" and the three stories stored inside, are the ones that you will never forget in your life. :) Lurlene McDaniel is the best author ever!

Angel of Hope by Lurlene McDaniel is a great book if you like a romantic adventure. Lurlene McDaniel has written many books but I personally think this is one of her best. This is a wonderful book. I didn't want to put it down until I was finished reading it. It is a spectacular book about a young girl, Amber, who goes to Africa because her sister Heather became very ill and couldn't go back. She meets the people that Heather talked so greatly about from her trip on the Mercy Ship. Africa isn't at all what amber thought it out to be. She stayed with Paul and Jodene as Heather did on her trip. Amber soon met Boyce Callahan he was there working on a project. They quickly became friends. But is Amber ready for what Africa has in store for her next?

Heather Barlow, the main character in Angel of Mercy, was back from Africa as a missoionary, and was trying to readjust to the big Miami lifestyle she used to be acustomed to. Although she was happy to return home to her family, she could not forget about losing her beloved Ian, or about little baby Alice, the child that she rescued that needed surgery. Heather was so sad to leave, nothing could detour her mind from returning, so she talks her mkom into returning with her, this would help because her mom is a surgeon. Her mother decides to go. A week before they leave Heather becomes ill, Amber her sister found her lying in a pool of blood on their bathroom floor. Heather's plans are then shattered because the doctor orders to stay in bed for at least two weeks. Seeing how upset her siter is about being away from Africa, Amber decides to take her place. When Amber arrives in Africa, she has no clue what to expect or what fate has in store for her.........
I loved this book, I loved the fact that it touched me so much. I cried reading the very end of it. I never expected what happened to happen because until the end it had you guessing. On a scale of 1-5 stars i would give it a 10, it was absoluetly beautiful!

This is one of those books that once I started reading, I could not stop. It really was that interesting! It's a mix of gorilla life, human life and the author's exploits in Uganda. The author did a great job of blending all of this together in a book that can make you sad in one paragraph, laugh in another, and amaze you in yet another paragraph.

And not that my expectations were low, either, since bestselling novelists Garth Stein and Jennie Shortridge heartily endorse Thor's book. So, were the tear tracks on my face as I finished the book from laughing or crying? Both. Thor is a master at blending the two emotions -- and everything in between -- in this well-crafted, poetic story. While I never forgot that every word, every event, every emotion was true, the book reads as smoothly as a brilliant piece of fiction. But it's not. And that's the book's majestic legacy. As seemingly impenetrable as the forest he writes about, Thor Hanson pierced the barrier between fiction and memoir -- incorporating traits of the former to the benefit of the latter. Huge kudos to the self-described "eco-nerd" with the soul of a poet, the heart of a giver and the eyes of a very wise man.

I liked this one. I hope to travel to Bwindi in the next few years and this book is giving me the incentive to keep my dream alive. I can't wait to see in person the places the author describes. And I can't wait to see the gorillas in their native habitat. What a story.

I always know it's a good book when I can't help but stop continuously to say to my husband, "Greg you have to hear this." I did that a lot with this book. Thor may be a scientist but he writes clearly, engagingly and with lots of humor, not always common with scientists. His interactions with the gorillas were very interesting, but what I found most fascinating were the interactions with the people of Uganda. Thor has a good eye for interesting (some poignant, some funny) similarities and differences between our cultures. Whether you ever plan to travel to Uganda or explore gorilla eco-tourism, or not, this is a worthwhile read.
---Kathie Hightower, co-author of Help! I'm a Military Spouse -- I Get a Life Too! 2d Edition

Most Americans wouldn't be able to cut it in a small rural village in Africa. "The Impenetrable Forest: My Gorilla Years in Uganda" is Thor Hanson's reflections on his suffering for his craft as he stayed in such a village in order to further his studies on the endangered species of the Mountain Gorilla. A candid and vivid account about all the difficulties he had to face, "The Impenetrable Forest" is a riveting tale that will please primate lovers seeking a story of a man's dedication to science.

A fascinating story, told with brilliant photos and a pleasant CD of music. Makes a good gift, and a sure pick-me-up for your own coffeetable.

I was thrilled to read Richard Sobel's powerful story of the Abayudaya. I had the opportunity to visit this community in May of 2002 on behalf of Heifer International. At the time I did not know of Sobel's book. It has made my visit all the more meaningful. Now I want to return.

The Abayudaya Women's Heifer Project is located in the Mbale district of Eastern Uganda and Heifer work with them was started in 1997. A group of seven women became the governing council. Twenty heifers were originally distributed and to date there have been 5 pass-ons. There are now 22 persons ready to receive Heifers.

This group is one of the poorest groups that Heifer works with in Uganda. However, it should be noted that the assistance of the Abayudaya Women's Heifer Project extends to those who are Christian and Muslim as well as Jewish.

We visited many of the farms and then visited the people gathered at the synagogue. They shared their story and we felt the power of their faith. The cows are helping the move toward self-reliance, but it is their own strength that is so empowering.

This book is the fascinating and bizarre true story of a small group of rural Ugandans who got the idea to convert to Judaism about 75 years ago. The prose part of the book is actually quite brief, but the pictures are beautiful, and the CD that accompanies the book (their prayer music) is a musical treat.

I first heard about the Abayudaya in 1996, through the work of "Kulanu," an organization working in support of isolated and marginalized Jewish community around the world. In September 2003, Rachel Namudosi Keki, a 21-year-old Abayudaya woman visited our community. It was a remarkable event.

Rachel highly recommends this book (which includes many pictures of her father, J.J. Keki, and a few of Rachel as well, although she is not identified by name) as the best available resource for understanding the history, reality, and day-to-day life of the Abayudaya.

The audio CD is a vital part of that understanding. (More Abayudaya music is available on the Kulanu-produced CD, "Shalom Everybody Everywhere;" Rachel is the soloist on these recordings, mostly recorded when she was around ten years old.)

Among the many unexpected revelations in this visually stunning book is the fact that J.J. Keki was visiting America in the late summer of 2001, and witnessed the first plane striking the World Trade Centers on September 11th. If you review film footage from that day, you can catch a glimpse of a tall black man wearing a kippah among those running from the scene.

Richard Sobol has just come out with Abayudaya: The Jews of Uganda, an exquisite volume of photographs with text about this remarkable group, and a CD of Abayudaya music is included in a pocket attached to the back cover. The music was recorded and annotated by Rabbi Jeffrey Summit, an ethnomusicologist at Tufts University.
Those of us who have lived and traveled in sub-Saharan Africa universally bemoan the fact that our pictures cannot capture the color and contrast, the rhythm, the unique beauty that is Africa. Richard Sobol, a seasoned pro, has captured the essence of these African scenes as few others can (Carol Beckwith comes to mind). Views of the Ugandan countryside and towns, of Abayudaya prayer and study and feasting, of women washing dishes and carrying water and preparing food, of elders in contemplation, of adults and children at play, of vendors of colorful housewares, of stunning posed portraits - it's all there, and each photo is a masterpiece.
And Sobol's 18-page essay about Abayudaya history and life and Jewish practice is a fine summary for those who have not been introduced to this unique community before.
Summit has written a five-page text to introduce the CD, which is entitled Abayudaya Music of Worship and Celebration. This essay is both informative and poignant. It reviews the various influences on Abayudaya music - Zulu music, church and Salvation Army music, Bantu folk music, Western visitors, and Nairobi (Kenya) synagogue melodies - often learned from recordings or the radio.
Summit recorded this wonderful sampling of Abayudaya music in informal sessions in Uganda in 2000 and 2002. The first half of the CD includes unaccompanied traditional hymns and psalms, some dating back 20 or 30 years, one composed by the community's founder, Semei Kakungulu, in the 1920s. The annotations themselves make fascinating reading. One note explains that Psalm 136, heard on the recording as a responsive "reading" with soloist and chorus, reminds the community of the downfall of Idi Amin since it recounts God's deliverance with the splitting of the Red Sea. A particularly precious rendition is Rena bat Esther's solo in Psalm 121, used by the Abayudaya to provide strength and comfort when a person is ill. This is one of the few compositions on the CD by a female composer. Another woman's composition is the melody to Psalm 130, which is sung repeatedly during a burial while shoveling earth and filling up the grave. Women seem to specialize in consolation.
Twagala Torah ("We Love the Torah") is a charming children's song composed by one of the youth leaders of the community, Moses Sebagabo. The text, in Luganda, English and Hebrew, is sung by Abayudaya children who attend public school.
The more upbeat second half of the CD features guitar accompaniment by Gershom Sizomu and electric keyboard by John Mark Nkoola, musical director of the Abayudaya high school. In an interesting contrast, Summit placed the a capella rendition of Psalm 136 in the first half and the electric version of the same psalm in the latter half. J.J. Keki's song "Ali Omu Yekka" ("My Only One") sounds like a standard love song: "I have one chosen one. I only have one love. I'm warning those others, don't come near me, she's enough...." But Summit points out that the Torah is the object of the songwriter's love, and the song is a veiled warning to Christian and Muslim proselytes in Uganda!
John Mark Nkoola wrote a modern song about the feeling he has when somebody has died. The words are particularly poignant in this place where deaths from AIDS and malaria are not uncommon: "The time has come. We must be going back where we have come from, to dust... When I think about death, I become afraid. I wish I had somebody to explain why this happens. Perhaps I may settle my mind. Let us enjoy life... Enjoy life in the right time, place and with the right people before you disappear like a shadow."
A few of the selections were heard on the community's first recording, "Shalom Everybody Everywhere!" produced by Kulanu with the Abayudaya in 1997. It is particularly satisfying to hear the beautiful, mature voice of Rachel Namudosi, in "Adonai Mukulu" ("God Is Great"). We heard her lovely child's voice on earlier recording. Happily, more recordings are in the works.

This is a remarkable collection of information on a sorely needed region of herpetology. Not just for advanced hobbyists either...this book has WONDERFUL photographs and is a MUST have for any level of reptile enthusiast.

This is the most perfect book for any snake or reptile fan.

This book is amazingly detailed, giving in-depth information on ALL species of reptile known to occur in the five countries covered.
The photographs are of excellent quality (though where none was available, drawings would have been better than nothing) and the keys very user-friendly.
It is an absolute must for anyone interested in the herpetofauna of this region.
A word of warning though: despite the title this book is much too bulky and heavy to carry around on the field!
More likely, you will want to keep it at home (or in your car?) as a reference.

A great book, with descriptions and photos of al known east african reptiles, including distribution maps.
Which i must say could have a little bet bigger and easier to read(country references).

If you are interested in finding the reptiles in the field or keeping them in captivity, you must own this book !

The long-awaited field guide to the diverse reptile populations of East Africa. This book was everything I expected it to be and more. Comprehensive listings, excellent photography and detailed information on habitat/distribution, natural history, conservation status etc. I can't say enough good things about this book, the list of authors should speak for themselves! ;-)

No serious herper's library is complete without this book...

Not only is this one of the most fabulous and indispensable compendiums of music I have ever bought, I see the previous customer reviews are also wonderful to read. Some things just bring out the best in people. I take this music with me wherever I go.

Africa is a vast continent, the second largest in fact, and home to an infinite variety of languages, cultures and ethnic groups; each with their own style of music. With the growing popularity of Afro-Pop the newcomer is likely to be overwhelmed with the sheer variety of music available even from mainstream stores and websites in the west. Where to begin? What artists and styles sound best? Unfortunately, few CDs can give a good overview of African music, but if your willing to drop the money for this one, your off to a very good start.

On three CDs, we are given an astonishing array of tracks by 39 artists from over 29 different countries. This does a great job of shwoing the incredible diversity of African music. We get Arabic-tinged taarab from Zuhura Swaleh of Kenya, Zulu isicathamiyalmbube from Ladysmith Black Mambazo of South Africa, Nigerian Fuji music by Chief Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Moorish dancing music from Mauritania's Dimi Mint Abba, Mbalax from Baaba Maal of Senegal, Malagasy music from Tarika Sammy of Madagascar, Algerian Rai from Bellemou & Gana el Maghnaoui, Ethio-pop from Seleshe Demassae and so much more. The focus is on pop, but you get a good helping of traditional and folk styles like the Mande music of Mali, polyrhythmic drumming from Ghana, Sufi music from the Gnawa musicians of Morocco and traditional dances from Uganda's national performing troupe.

Many of the continent's legendary artists on included on this CD, though obviously not all of them (as doing so would likely be impossible). Oumou Sangare, Salif Keita and the late Ali Farka Toure of Mali; Oliver Mtukudzi, Stella Chiweshe and Thomas Mapfumo of Zimbabwe; Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the Soul Brothers from South Africa; Papa Wemba from the Congo; Abdel Gadir Salim of the Sudan; Yossou N'dour and Baaba Maal of Sengal and many more. Alongside them are many equally great performers, perhaps less known in the US but many times equally famous in their home countries. Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister of Nigeria is regarded as one of the greatest Fuji performers, while Remmy Ongala is probably Tanzania's most famous pop singer.

Don't feel bad if some of your favorite artists got left off of this vast and staggering compilation. It's only a broad survey of Africa's musical styles. If your a newbie to Afro-pop, or even a life-long fan, this CD is an essential buy. Its one of the few compilations that covers EVERYTHING, from the Arabic tinged music of the Sahara to the the neo-traditional songs of South Africa, from traditional drumming in West Africa to modern pop styles from the Congo and Swahili coast. If you've got the money and are willing to spend it, this is a great buy. If your on a budget, theres a smaller sampler available that's equally exciting, though nowhere near the size of this monster. I strongly recommend checking this CD it. Odds are it will expand your musical horizons.

I have maybe 25 CDs of music from the continent, and this is still far and away my favorite. The one-disc "sampler" is like a "Best of..." -- very good, but as many listeners will know from first hand experience, some of the finer, and more subtle pieces are in the original complete recordings. True here in spades. If you only own one set of discs to represent Africa and all its nations and sounds, this is it.

If you're interested in listening to some African music and don't know where to start, you can't do better than this. It's got modern and traditional stuff on it -- mostly modern -- from all over the continent. My tapes of this set live in my cassette road case, and I listen to them when I go on long trips. The variety and quality are both excellent.

The booklet's a nice touch, too.

This book is a must for understanding what is going on in Africa with the horror of "child soldiers." I could not believe what I was reading, nor imagine how one could heal from such an experience. We must become more informed about what is happening around the world and do what we can to help. Since this book, I have read several others that confirm what this one said.

What a fascinating collaboration. Grace Akallo, kidnapped as a child by Ugandan soldiers, teams with Faith J. H. McDonnell, one of the foremost advocates of justice for Ugandans. Together they tell not only Grace's story but a story of grace--God's grace in the midst of human atrocities.

For years rebel armies have been raiding Ugandan villages to kidnap children and force them into lives as soldiers or wives. More than 30,000 have been enslaved. This historically faithful account also is meant to inspire and inform: what can we do to stop such injustice?

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Spiritual Friends, and Soul Physicians.

In GIRL SOLDIER, an interesting collaboration, Grace Akallo and Faith J. H. McDonnell tell the story, which we almost never hear about, of the children of Northern Uganda. Faith gives the political and historical background and the `reasons' for the madness, while Grace gives her first-hand account of being one of those stolen children. She tells how they are forced into the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) where girls are made to be soldiers and/or given to commanders as `wives'. Along with other girls who were kidnapped from her high school, she is forced to march without food or water. Any attempt to escape means instant death, usually at the hands of the other children. The youngsters are forced to bite the escapee to death, beat with them sticks, or stab them with bayonets and many other horrendous acts. Grace, during her tenure with the LRA, was once buried alive because they thought she was dead. Fortunately, she clawed her way to the surface and survived.

GIRL SOLDIER is a heartrending story of atrocities that rarely make the US newspapers or other mass media. It is the hidden shame that is frequently ignored. I found Grace to be a very strong young woman with an unbelievable will to not only survive, but to bring the world's attention to these abused young people of Uganda. The book is well written and frightening. In addition to the political background, Faith also lists several things any ordinary American citizen can do to help ease the torture of these children. It is a must read book, even though it is extremely painful. Everyone needs to know of the horrors some children must survive every day of their lives.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

An astounding book that alternates between the girl soldier's story (in her understatement that paints a picture beyond belief) and background information from a Washington, D.C., advocate, including what we can do. Moving beyond words.

MR,KYEMBA HAS TURN OUT A VERY POWERFULL BOOK ABOUT AFRICAN LEADERSHIP AND THE INTRIGUES THAT WENT ON DURING MR.AMIN TERM IN OFFICE.IT IS VERY ACCURATE SINCE THE AUTHOR WAS A MEMBER OF MR.AMIN INNER CIRCLE.I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALL LOVERS OF POLITICS AND AFRICAN HISTORY.

I read this book a few months ago and it gave me an idea just how terrible it must have been to live under Amin's rule. The Author who was one of Amin's ministers had a good look into Amin and his government and how it worked. This book is deffinatly a good book to read if you want to know about Idi Amin and his regime.

My fiancé and I recently went to see the Academy Award winning movie, "The Last King of Scotland." In it Forest Whitaker gives a vivid and accurate portrayal of Idi Amin, the brutal former dictator of Uganda. Although some of the characters in the movie are fictitious, the general plotline is accurate. Amin was basically an uneducated thug who managed to take control of a nation and destroy it. I had read this book when it first came out and the movie prompted me to read it again.
In a continent where brutal, murderous dictators are the norm, Amin was one of the worst. He created a cadre of brutal henchmen whose only purpose was to terrorize the population into submission and grow rich in the process. They were allowed to steal anything from anybody with killing their victims largely acceptable. Under his reign, the Ugandan economy collapsed, what should have been a prosperous nation was turned into one of the poorest performing economies. His expulsion of the Asian merchant class was quite possibly the greatest single economic blunder made in the history of the continent.
Kyemba documents the rise of Amin, how at first he seemed to genuinely want to improve the lives of Ugandans. However, in the time worn tradition of tyrants, who only seem capable of becoming even more tyrannical, that soon changed. The latest estimates were that 300,000 Ugandans were killed under Amin's rule, many in as brutal a form as possible.
As Kyemba notes, eyes were gouged out, organs removed, limbs chopped off, and all for no reason other than to make sure that Amin's rule was absolute. Thousands of people were rounded up to witness executions so that there was no doubt in the mind of the people what would happen to them if they resisted.
This is a sad book about a sad state of affairs in a continent that seems forever doomed to be ruled by petty, brutal tyrants. After the movie was over, my fiancé asked me how accurate it was and she was surprised when I said it was very accurate. Amin did indeed do most of the things seen in the movie and once again, the rest of the world did nothing to stop it. That also seems to be part of the "forever doomed" scenario.

This book, written by Idi Amin's former Minister of Health in 1977 just a year before his downfall, was supposedly the book that helped transform the world opinion of Idi Amin. He went from being considered a comical dictator (like the late Turkmenbashi) to a murderous madman who found no position or law sacred. (like the late Saddam Hussein)

Henry Kyemba opens the book with a short narrative of Ugandan history, and then explains how a man like Idi Amin could come to power so easily. Most interesting is a passage in which we find out Idi Amin could have been removed from the scene before he had any political will:

"Ugandan troops had been sent to the northern part of Karamoja on one of their regular trips to clamp down on cattle raiding...The information received in the Prime Minister's office was that a lieutenant had massacred a number of people in his search for arms. The British were considering prosecuting him...the decision was referred to Obote. He decided not to prosecute. I later learned that the officer involved was Idi Amin." (pg 22)

After Obote, the Prime Minister of Uganda, dissolves parliament and takes over power, Idi Amin is granted the highest army position. Finally, while Obote and much of his cabinet were away on a diplomatic mission in Singapore, Idi Amin led a coupe that put him in power. At first, all seems well. Idi Amin enjoys the popular support (Obote was an unpopular ruler) and he allows political enemies to return home. Later on, however, his reign of terror grows as he becomes more and more paranoid. He took foreign tribes (Nubians and Sudanese) and puts them in high positions, and gradually puts more Muslims into his cabinet. (Muslims are a large minority in Uganda) Any one considered an enemy was killed and dumped into the Nile, where they were expected to be fed to crocodiles. During all this, one wonders why Kyemba and many others did not simply flee. He answers that he was not yet ready to simply get up and leave, as that was really only optional for higher positions - he also explains that, early on, many people believed they could sincerely control Amin or change Uganda from the inside with their own influence. As Amin took greater control and Uganda descended into chaos, that idea became only a dream.

Granted, as I read I began to wonder how much was true. It's not that I don't think Amin was a terrible ruler, but often stories told by survivors - especially regarding Amin - get exaggerated. My fears were calmed a good bit near the end of the fourth chapter when Kyemba discusses a popularized atrocity that, in fact, never happened.

"The reports of this incident in the international press spoke of up to 700 dead...this is absolutely untrue...One girl, who was listed as dead, was in fact at her parents' house, where I found her fit and well. Another, who reportedly had a breast cut off, I also found, uninjured...Gross misrepresentation of this kind does nothing to aid the cause of justice in Uganda. The truth is horrific enough." (pg 127)

Eventually the crimes become too terrible for Kyemba to ignore. One of the worst acts described is one involving a new method of killing prisoners to save ammunition. Two prisoners would be brought into a room, then one would be given a hammer and told to kill the other to win his freedom. As soon as he had done this, another prisoner would be brought in, given the hammer, and be told the same thing. Henry Kyemba finally describes his escape from Uganda to England, and his ability to help get his family out as well.

The last two chapters are dedicated to mocking world opinion of Idi Amin, as well as a general call to remove him from power. Kyemba criticizes foreign diplomats for shrugging him off as an eccentric nobody, partially because of the bizarre telegrams he sent to different leaders. Kyemba also mocks black Americans in the 1970's who took racial pride in Amin's power, and seemed to ignore the plight of his people. I think such feelings of liking a person for their ideals rather than for who they really are still continues, and Kyemba's words ring true even in our modern times:

"For those visitors to accept such propaganda as evidence, and then to make statements about present-day Uganda, is as great a disservice to the country as anyone can possible imagine." (pg 244)

Overall, this book is a recommended reading. It is amazingly short and easy to read, and is a great source for history regarding Uganda, Idi Amin, or Africa in general. I would suggest finding a copy of your own. (or borrowing it from someone who owns it already)

Just read this book and found it a fascinating pre Dian Fossey insight into the gorillas and their environment. Easy to read. For those having travelled or about to travel in Rwanda, Uganda it gives a great insight into the way life was back in the 50's-60's. Enjoyed the social insight into the Gorilla's and description of the other mammals and primates encountered along with the flora and fauna.

This is the fascinating story of the author's expedition to study Mountain Gorillas in 1959-60. Told as a detailed narrative, it is as much an adventure story as a scientific analysis.

From the riveting first encounter with a family of gorillas through the identification of several distinct groups, their daily routine is revealed. The gentleness that Schaller found dispelled many long held myths about Gorilla behavior.

Beyond the gorillas, this is also the complete story of a region, its people and other flora and fauna. The issues of preservation of these animals and their habitat are much the same as those faced today.

This is the documentation of an important pioneering work that paved the way for Fossey and other researchers who would follow. Illustrated with photos and maps, it is a compelling read from cover to cover.

This is a wonderful combination of anthropology, history, ecology, and gorilla studies. Schaller writes in a captivating and inviting style. I loved that he presented his datea on gorillas, the focus of his presence in Africa, within his own experience there. Imbeded within was ecological commentary expectable with endandered creatures; however, Schaller managed to make this contribute favorably to his book rather than the whining diatribe it could have been.
Highly recommendable for both social reading as well as a suppliment to an anthropology class.

George Schaller takes you with him as he goes to the Virunga Volcanoes to study the Gorillas. He takes a look at the gorillas, but with a more personal approach than with "The Mountain Gorilla". Instead of pouring out scientific facts, he shares with you some of his feelings and experiences as he watched them. This was a refreshing look at the life of gorillas from his own perspective. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Gorillas.

Despite the writing style seduces you to finish this book the same day you have started it, the topic of it is so heart breaking and shocking, you just need to put it away and give yourself the time to reflect on what it is all about, to get your courage together, and proceed again.
This book is written by a great brave lady I happened to meet on one of her book presentations. It handles about the child soldiers in Uganda and the bravery of an Italian nun who risked her life to get them out of the hand of the rebellions in the North. Els has quit her job and focused on the writing of her experiences and on the project of helping the ex-kids soldiers back to a normal life. Because of her activities the warlord has recently, 2002, has put a price on her head. This however doesn't keep her from going again to Uganda.
The profits of this book goes to her education project.
If you want information out of first hand, then you should buy and read this book!

Everyone should read this book to be more educated on how to act as advocates on behalf of children around the world, especially in Uganda. While the story is heartbreaking, it's necessary for us to know the world we live in. Thank you to the author for her excellent work in getting the story of these children out.

The abduction of over 40 girls from the Catholic School at Aboke, and the nun who followed the rebels on foot to get them back is an amazingly heartwrenching and well told tale.

Els De Temmerman also offers fascinating insights into the twisted mind of rebel leader Joseph Kony, and his spiritual quest to purify the Acholi race. If at all you are interested in the Northern Ugandan crisis, then this is an absolute must read.

Child of Dandelions is a heart-rending story of Sabine - a teenager living in Uganda. Nanji's storytelling is pure and Sabine's (mis)adventure is full of the sights and sounds of Uganda in the 1970s when Idi Amin ordered the expulsion of some 80,000 Indians.
Nanji - a children's book author has made an impressive debut into the Young Adult genre with her new book!

Wow. Highly recommended. My grade 7 and 8 students were thoroughly engaged with this book. One of them was so inspired that she is visiting Africa this summer with her family.

A very rich story that illustrates a historical period that has been completely overlooked in the West. It is especially successful in touching issues of class, race and nationhood.

Despite the violence and chaos that this tragedy created, I love how Nanji tells the story without issuing judgment.

This book also helped my students understand life in Africa, which is something we don't come across much in our curriculum.

A must read.