Africa Books

This book, written by a personw ith long standing attachment and interest int he Bushmen of the Kalahari is a good summary of what they were like in the l950's and how they have (beenforced) changed and moved into today south Africa and Bostwana.

An interesting and unique group of people, the Bushmen give links to what early human life was like. Ms Thomas does do a little interpreting about violence and drinking and gender roles, but it is plausible and interesting to reflect upon.

I first heard of the Bushmen through National Geographic's Genographic Project (Spencer Wells "The Journey of Man") which found genetic evidence suggesting Bushmen are one of the oldest, if not the oldest, peoples in the world--a "genetic Adam" from which all the worlds ethnic groups can ultimately trace genetic heritage. Within the face of a Bushmen one can see all the genetic expressions of the world (Asian eyes, African nose, Indian skin, etc..) So I was delighted when this new book appeared by bushmen expert Elizabeth Marshall Thomas who, along with her brother and parents, were one of the first westerners to live with and scientifically document the Bushmen in the 1950s (when Elizabeth was a teenager). Her parents and brother went on to become famous Bushmen experts and proponents in their own careers.

Older members of the Bushmen tribe were valued and respected for their wisdom, likewise Elizabeth is passing down her knowledge and experience for later generations. The Bushman way of life she saw in the 1950s, perhaps as old as 150,000 years, no longer exists - all it took was one generation and the long unbroken chain known as "The Old Way" has disappeared. It is the same sad story told the world over from Native Americans to Tibet to Eskimos. Yet Elizabeth reveals a deeper lesson, which is the "myth" that the Bushmen ever wanted it any other way - they want the comforts of modernization, just as we would prefer not to hunt and gather food each day. Bushmen want to travel, see the world, be a part of wider humanity, and for that we can celebrate and welcome all they have to teach. This book provides that introduction.

Thomas, anthropologist and author of such diverse bestsellers as "The Hidden Life of Dogs," and two excellent pre-history novels, "Reindeer Moon" and "The Animal Wife," began her writing career with the study, "The Harmless People," based on her youthful sojourn among the Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert. The Bushmen may be the only people who ever lived without war. But more on that later.

With "The Old Way," she returns to the subject of that first book - a title that has been in print since 1959. Marshall first encountered the Ju/wasi, one of the five groups of Bushmen, in 1950 when she was 18, on the first of several Kalahari trips with her parents and brother.

Her father, a founder of Raytheon, was a highly organized, take-charge sort of person, with versatile skills. Her mother, a former ballerina turned teacher, became a noted anthropologist over the course of these (and more) trips, and her brother devoted most of his life to the Bushmen.

In the 1950s the Ju/wasi maintained their ancient nomadic culture in near isolation. Except for bits of metal they obtained in trade and used for arrowheads, the Ju/wasi made everything they needed from local material. They did not farm and had no domestic animals, but obtained all their food from hunting and gathering. They were the last people on earth, says Thomas, to follow the "Old Way," a way of life that depends on knowledge handed down one-to-one from generation to generation. The Old Way depends on intimacy between habitat and humanity.

Thomas' book is not a scientific study or a memoir, but a bit of both, as well as a celebration and lament for a culture now gone. It's also a thoughtful reflection on how the Old Way shaped our species from the time we came down out of the trees and stepped on to the Savannah.

Water, says Thomas, controlled the size of human hunter-gatherer groups, and that remained true among the Ju/wasi. Rain was scarce, and water holes passed down through families. Though children were betrothed young, they did not cohabit until the girl reached menarche - about age 17 - and the average age for bearing a first child was 19.

Similarly, though no birth control was used, women bore children about four years apart and seldom had more than four. This was just what could be sustained, without starvation or overburdening the mother or group.

Alliances were complex, all going to foster the strength of the group. Survival depended on group cohesion and the force of their culture went into strengthening those bonds, subsuming, smothering, the desires of the individual.

The sharing of food, for instance, had little to do with who actually killed or gathered the food and the complex system was worked out before the gathering or hunting trip began. Periodic dances also reinforced ties and helped to dispel repressed tensions.

Repression was the usual means of maintaining harmony. Temper tantrums, even among children, were frowned upon - for one thing childish noise could attract predators. Arguments flared, of course, but were almost always settled without violence.

War, to the Ju/wasi, was unknown. Not because they were right thinking pacifists, but because they had developed the perfect weapon to make war - or murder - unthinkable.

The Ju/wasi had only one real weapon - the poisoned arrow. It was all they used to hunt (though they finished off game with a spear). The poison was invariably fatal. A man who settled an argument with a stab from an arrow couldn't take it back - but he would have days to watch his victim die. And the victim, facing certain death, would be perfectly healthy for a day or more and quite capable of wreaking revenge.

The lack of suitable weapons, and even more, the lack of any kind of shield, convince Thomas the Ju/wasi have never known war. She makes a convincing case.

By the 1980s, however, the Ju/wasi were being forced into villages. Many of those Marshall knew as children are now dead - killed in fights, often fueled with drink. Today, alcohol and violence have decimated the Ju/wasi.

While the book's conclusion is wrenching, most of it is a celebration of their intricate culture. Marshall captures the imagination with anecdotes - many from her old journals - that illustrate the matter-of-fact resourcefulness of a people who know the intricacies of all the plants and animals of their desert home.

Some of her anecdotes simply demonstrate the odd commonalities of humanity: "Although I will eventually learn enough !Kung to stumble along in the language...at this point I am at the stage where the Ju/wasi either address me in baby talk or raised voices, or both."

She describes gathering trips that take all day, but don't get going until mid-morning, baffling her own Yankee work ethic. Until she realizes the wisdom of waiting until lions and other nighttime predators are well and truly asleep.

The lion stories are horrifically thrilling. She describes a lioness coming to the edge of their small encampment and roaring threateningly: "The roar was so deep and so loud that it had no direction. It seemed to be coming from anywhere, everywhere." Yet, scary as they were, the lions never hunted or preyed upon the Bushmen.

Marshall does not try to provide answers for all her questions. Some things are "unknowable." This eloquent, passionate book does foster a sense of wonder at our own evolution. Though we've traded much of our intimacy with the earth for modern civilization, Marshall shows how many traces of the Old Way linger on in our blood.

After reading the super review on Amazon of this book, we ordered it for our son as a Christmas gift. He is a college senior Anthropology major. He was glad to have it and read it on the way home from FL to AZ. He said the book was very insighful and a good read.

I have all her books but two and I have been a fan for years and years. Starting with reindeer moon and then The hidden life of dogs, Tribe of Tiger, Certain Poor Shephards and everything else except Warrior Tribesman and The Harmless People which I plan to order. The books I have ordered or which were bought for me online were ordered by my best friend. I hope Elizabeth Marshall Thomas writes many more books. If I did not already have the most wonderful mother, I would wish that she was my mother. I really love her view of life, people and animals and nature. She is my favorite author of all time and I would'nt even loan her books to anyone else for fear of losing them. Keep it up EMT I'm forever your fan and I will always reread your books.

This book should be standard issue to any candidate officer at both Sandhurst and West Point.

There are a ton of lessons here that could/should have been used in Iraq.

This book should be a mandatory read for Non-commissioned officers and Officers serving in special mission units or special operations the world over. In the counter-insurgency / low-intensity conflict arena there are many valuable lessons to be learned from this text, and for the armchair historian or casual reader the story is still gripping enough to keep you enthralled to the last page. Basically this is story of the birth and death of one of the most feared insurgency units of the time, as told by the founder of this outstanding unit; Ron Reid-Daly. It covers the units training, selection, operations, and personalities of the unit with the war being the tool that propels the story and evolution of the unit. One of the most remarkable aspects of Selous scouts was their employment of pseudo-terrorist techniques, which were used to melt into know terrorist cells, to either eliminate the terrorist themselves or direct other assets to the known cells to be neutralized. While conducting these type operations the Selous Scouts maintained the cover of being a combat tracking (mantracking) unit, as to keep their true purpose under wraps from the rest of the Rhodesian Security Forces. I would also like to point out they were truly all trained tracks and maintained this capability to superb levels of proficiency. This book is a re-release and completely revamped version of "SELOUS SCOUTS - Top Secret War" (original title). If you read the original edition you will enjoy this one much better. Many areas in the book have been rewritten and their many additions and details added to the text. Many of the names of individual have added into this text, originally kept exempt for security and safety reasons. Also there are many new photographs added and the Illustrations are a lot crisper. One of the biggest treats in this edition is the added appendix covering; roll of honor, wing nominal roll, awards and citations. Bottom line is this version truly opens the door to this once `Top Secret" organization of combat trackers turned pseudo-terrorist specialist.

Pamwe Chete is without question one of the most interesting accounts of counter-insurgency operations ever written. LTC Reid-Daly formed the Selous Scouts in the early 1970s' at the behest of the Rhodesian Army Chief of Staff. What follows is the most famous (or infamous) counter-insurgency campaign in recent history. The Selous Scouts were the finest counter-insurgency force ever to take to the field and hunt down guerillas. LTC Reid-Daly has written an honest, detailed account that draws the reader's interest on the first page and never lets go. This book is a must read for any military historian. Reid's engaging book is chocked full of incredible stories about the incredible challenges the Selous Scouts overcame and the unbelievable but true successes they achieved.

LTC Ron Reid-Daly has written a superb book on the finest killing machine in Africa, the Selous Scouts. LTC Reid-Daly was the founder and commanding officer of this psuedo counter-insurgency force. The author gives us the insight into the bravery, courage, and brutality of his men while performing their operations. This group of highly skilled black and white operators wrecked havoc on the guerilla forces inside and out of Rhodesia. Because of his availability to intelligence Reid-Daly also gives the reader a overview of the conflict and the politics behind the decisions. This is a great read on special operations and Reid-Daly gives a great narrative of the missions and the background for them. This is a great story of an exceptional group of men written by an exceptional soldier and is a must read!

This is an excellent and comprehensive book on the Selous Scouts - a special forces unit based in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) during the 1970's. The book covers the history of the unit from the time its founder, Ron Reid-Daly, spent in Malaysia with C Squadron 22 SAS, to the end of the war. What is interesting is the high level of racial integration in the unit, and the use of 'turned' guerillas. In some cases captured guerillas were turned, briefed and back in the field within hours of capture.

While the unit's informal approach to standard military discipline made it shunned by the high command the unit had stunning military successes, especially with cross-border raids to target enemy bases.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in the bush wars in Southern Africa in the 70/80's and terrorism in general. Special forces soldiers could learn a lot from this book.

Stephen Lewis writes an excellent and readable account of his experiences with AIDS in Africa and the UN. He was not afraid to name names and hold people accountable including himself. I read the entire book in less than a week and would have finished sooner if I had the time. I recommend this book to anyone interested in global health.

This book was a riveting read. I think the combination of Stephen Lewis's excellent oratory skills mixed with a pertinent topic has created a powerful, compelling book. In this book the author takes the reader inside major organizations such as the UN, WHO, etc. showing the reader the workings and failures of the international response to Africa's needs and crisis's concerning famine and HIV. He successfully intertwines his professional and personal experiences in the UN and Africa.

I really enjoyed reading this book for a number of reasons. First of all, Stephen Lewis has such a vast and unique perspective on Africa the UN as well as HIV/AIDS. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about what is going on with the G8 concerning Africa as well as the Millennium Development Goals. Don't get me wrong, I was horrified to hear the unfortunate details, I was just intrigued as well as enlightened by his narration of current day events. I also whole-heartedly agree with his perspectives on women and his desire to see an international representation of women's rights.

What gives Stephen Lewis such authority to adequately articulate this tragedy is his incredible 30 years of international experience, he is the UN Secretary-General's special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, a former Canadian ambassador to the UN, as well as former deputy executive director of UNICEF. Although I did not agree with all of his policy views on solutions, I did agree with the vast majority of his perspectives and highly recommend this book for insight into Africa and the horrendous impact of HIV/AIDS.

The credentials of the author add a unique dimension to the subject of the pandemic of aids in Africa. He puts a tender "face" on the problem. He did an interesting job of presenting the political aspects of the situation by weaving in the personal stories of those directly affected by the decisions made by the governing bodies. I was persuaded to help the suffering. My family and some friends (29 of us in all) are organizing a trip to SA in October 2007 to volunteer our help with the situation.

In June 2005, the new deputy prime minister of Namibia said that the nation was "on its knees." In Race Against Time, Stephen Lewis discusses the causes of the African AIDS epidemic. Through wrenching personal stories, he describes the problem and how horrible its effects are to individuals and to communities in Africa. He faults individuals and organizations who place their own economic or moral agendas ahead of ending the suffering and then offers suggestions to get both the international community and private groups involved to end the epidemic. This book will frustrate you over what little has been done so far, yet it still offers hope for the future of Africa.

Stephen Lewis is an amazing articulator of the imperative race against time to fight the AIDS epidemic. His book is at times angry, hopeful, practical and inspiring. I can't imagine the grief he has seen and experienced to write with such power and urgency. The book is an easy read yet so powerful, definitely recommend it for everyone who is interested in learning more about the HIV/AIDS pandemic and why it is so imperative for the global community to respond and care.

Riding in Africa is a wonderful combination of wit, high adventure, literature, history, zoology, geography, lions, camels, hyenas, black rhinos, bad holes, the personal transformation that can come from near death experiences, the importance of following your heart and oh yes, riding horses in Africa. You will do well to keep a dictionary near by as you read it as you will encounter words such as: apoplectic, haruscipation, mescaline, eisbein, and lighour just to name a few. You will also learn about THE place to eat in the Mfuwe airport, haute cuisine d'Afrique, where Flamingo's get their wonderful color, the importance of life saving drugs developed by the now often villainized pharmaceutical industry, the model/inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula, the relationship between the average number of individuals with whom an animal can maintain social relationships and the ratio of cortical volume to the volume of the rest of the brain and most importantly, the relationship between the social structure of primates and the size of male testicals relative to their body weight. Its prose is a delight to read and is descriptive to the point of making you really believe, right down to the dust, sweat, sore buttockses, bugs, elephant dung, tall grass that rustles, African nighttime sky and sunsets, that you are actually riding with Dr. Williams in Africa. However, all of the above and the book's first 136 pages are nothing compared to the last two pages and a half pages of the book which I found to be incredibly riveting, informative and the best of any book that I have read in sometime.

Whether you have an interest in riding, horses and Africa or not, this book is a must read for anyone who as ever pondered the meaning of life or thirsted for adventures and challenges which can allow for greater self awareness and understanding.

Happy reading and riding!

Ted T. Ashburn
Boston, MA
May, 2006

Ian Williams work about riding in Africa shows deep insights into human nature, the beauty of Africa and horses as well as making you laugh at nearly every page. He has an eye for detail and a knack for writing. His love of language can clearly be seen on every page and the average reader (like me) will get educated beyond his wildest dreams by getting introduced to the myriad of expressions for a group of animals. After reading this book one even begins to understand why one spends a lot of money to be hot, dirty and sore for a long period of time every year.

Riding in Africa provides the reader with multi-layered journeys. On the foremost level are the horseback riding safaris throughout Africa, during which the author entertains as he recounts the many adventures and misadventures with his "punter" companions and guides. Within these treks, Ian Williams, always the scientist, leads us along an educational trail, pausing to inform and enlighten us on the varied plants, animals, and places he encounters. Williams, moreover, reveals a more intense journey as he probes the very birth of the earth and its ultimate demise. Within this cosmic framework , the "travels" cover the beginning of human life and its development into societies on the African continent--and beyond. By doing so, the author undergoes a "rite of passage", affirming for him what constitutes the true values of life. In effectively conveying these various themes, Williams proves to be not only a scientist but also a poet. This fact is evidenced by the deft range of writing styles he utilizes to enhance the different emotions and moods throughout the book: from somber to fanciful; ironic to lyrical; didactic to delightfully amusing. Since I am as likely to saddle up a black rhino as ride a horse, all my safaris have to be taken vicariously. Thanks, then, to adventurers like Ian Williams who share their experiences.

Although I have only been on horseback twice in my life (and am unlikely to do so again) I thoroughly enjoyed this riding adventure in Africa. The author provides an intriguing look at Africa and portrays a harsh but exciting country. The people encountered sound more like characters from a novel and certainly add a colorfull picture to the journeys. I also enjoyed the personal insights that added a sense of humor as well as drama. Good entertainment for anyone who enjoys personal challenges.

I have often thought of going to Africa to ride (badly) but did not know if I could survive it. Now, I am certain I must go and that I have about a 50/50 chance of coming back. Ian Williams has given would-be adventurers a kick in the pants and a journey for the soul. Riding in Africa is a delight on many levels, particularly as an instruction manual for life. There are at least two recipes for martinis, one involving arranging a ray of sunlight through a bottle of vermouth such that the martini is only barely violated ("Immaculate Conception" we are told). In addition to this fundamental instruction, there are many learn-it-the-hard-way lessons for the serious rider, especially for steering around dangerous animals. Knowing nothing about black rhinos before reading this book, I am indelibly imprinted with images of retreat when considering a trip to the Lapalala Wilderness in South Africa. Yet if you read this book, you will likely conclude (as I have) that you must go. And in case you find yourself on foot more than planned, there are some important pointers on how not to lead a horse (and a whore for that matter). We meet so many wonderful characters: Dutch and German immigrants with risk running through their veins, rugged guides, and kind African nurses. Williams has us teetering back and forth between laughing and crying for fear of his death and imagining our own. Reading through his experience, we are called to realize our own, whether it is riding in Africa, surviving a near-death experience, or teetering on the edge of our next adventure.

If you are serious about understanding power, and healing in community. This is a good book to read.

An absolutely fabulous book, which reads like a novel. Malidoma brings a lot of wisdom, and really get's you thinking. The contents of the book has it's application to life, but certainly also to leadership and the corporate world. If you only want to read one of his books, I definitely recommend this one.

I cannot stop reading Malidoma Patrice Some's accounts of his life and the lives of the Dagara people of Burkina Faso. The strong linkages between community, spirit, rituals, and individual growth are compelling and very engrossing. I first read "The Healing Wisdom of Africa: Finding Life Purpose Through Nature, Ritual, and Community," with awe and a realization of the connections that my own people lost when my ancestors were transported from this part of the world by slave traders.

However, Malidoma, through works like this one, opens our eyes to the possibilities that all is not lost to us, and that even in this modern westernized culture, there are ways in which we can begin to make some of those connections again, through the way we relate to community and our loved ones.

I found the chapter titled "a ritual sampler:The funeral and language of grief especially interesting and thought provoking.

I can hardly wait to read more of your books Malidoma. Thank you.

This man has considerably more skill both as a thinker and as a writer than the average philosopher, or anthropologist, or even 'New Age prophet'. He really lays everything bare, like it or not, about the advantages of living in a subsistence community (as against our modern society). And further, he explains how the rituals work which those folks use to maintain links with the spirits of their ancestors, as well as with the earth and with each other.

Malidoma's brief but cogent exposition on the reasons behind how animal sacrifice works would flay apart the average modern-day monotheist's supposedly reasoned rants against such practices.

His chapter-length analysis of the Dagara's typical 3-day funeral ceremony is probably the most cogent dissection and analysis of a societal function that I have ever read, and coming from a true insider makes it that much more accurate as well as poignant, and believable. There's not a wisp of mere speculative cogitation coming from this man.

This book opened/cleansed my eyes and my soul about African culture at least as much as Gary Snyder's 'Earth House Hold: Technical Queries to Fellow Dharma Revolutionaries' did as regards Asia, way back in 1969. I tend to think that those who approach this discussion with an open mind and heart will find themselves changed in very profound ways, not necessarily painlessly, but possibly, very thoroughly, and for the better.

I met Mr. Some and his wife, and worked with them for a couple of hours around 12 years ago at a Michigan Medicine Wheel Gathering hosted by Sun Bear and his Bear Tribe. He is all that he seems, and then some. His laughter and sense of humor have almost a madcap quality that seems to reach far into the Otherworld, maybe even stemming from there. Yet he still feels to be very localized/grounded in the world of flesh and bone, as if the two (this world and the 'next') are not all that remote from each other. He's fun to be around, in addition to being bathed with a glow of dynamic, benign power.

Malidoma Patrice Somé, author of Of Water and the Spirit, describes a broad spectrum of ways in which rituals can be helpful. His perspective is that of a shaman trained in the West African Dagara cultural tradition, now living and teaching in the US. He eloquently shares his experiences of powerful shamanic healing practices.

For Somé, rituals are potent interventions on many levels. At the social level they are forms for expression of religious beliefs, or communal celebrations. Rituals affirm our connection with our community. A healing ritual may draw together relatives from the immediate and extended family, as well as from the community at large.

"Where ritual is absent, the young ones are restless or violent, there are no real elders, and the grown-ups are bewildered. The future is dim." (p. 12)

Industrial society has lost much of its awareness of rituals.

"Indigenous people are indigenous because there are no machines between them and their gods. There are no machines barring the door to the spirit world where one can enter in and listen to what is going on within at a deep level, participating in the vibration of Nature. Where machines speak in place of gods, people are hard put to listen, even more hard put to vibrate with the realm of Nature." (p. 17-18)

Healing rituals, properly performed, are tools to achieve specific healing effects. People performing the rituals may enhance the power of the rituals through their innate gifts for healing, through their learning in apprenticeship the ways of a shaman, and through the assistance of various natural energies and spirit assistants.

This is a book to be savored, rich in healings on many levels.

I just returned from hunting in So. Africa and I highly recommend this book. I used it from the planning stages all the way through to taxidermist selection. After reading it I had the feeling of almost having "been there" before. Also, it gives guidance on some potentially sticky subjects like hunters ethics and tipping. This book and "The Perfect Shot" are all you really need to make your safari dream a reality.

Lyle J. Hartman

Mr. Royce is an entertaining writer who knows how to use the language. But, Safari Dreams was clearly written more to inform than to entertain (although entertain it does). If you are seriously considering booking a safari, YOU NEED THIS BOOK. Royce tells us not only what he did and how he did it but also what he should (or should not) have done. His experience is invaluable. He pulls no punches.

Kenneth Royce does not hesitate either to go against conventional wisdom (bullets are more important than the firearms that fire them)or to explain the seemingly counterintuitive (binoculars are more important than telescope sights). There are hundreds of books on African safari, some good, many not so good. This may be the best one (of many) that I have read, and it is absolutely the most useful.

Growing up watching Tarzan, Daktari, Hatari and others on tv, I dreamt of someday making a trip to Africa. Later reading of adventure tales by Capstick, Hemingway, Kittenberger, Patterson, Teddy Roosevelt and Foran only made the desire greater. But the romantic adventure never actually seemed possible, and definitely out of financial reach.
I've read and own most if not all of Royce's books, so this was an easy sell. It's what I expected and more. This book isn't as much an action adventure story as much as "how to" for the common man. There is so much detailed information packed between the covers that it will provide a reference for years to come. Whether it's picking a proper cartridge, picking a guide, or how to get through the airport with the least hassle, the book has it all.
If you're even dreaming about a trip to Africa someday, buy the book, you won't regret it.

I never have been excited about going on a safari. That was before a Jeff Cooper reunion I attended 3 years ago in New Mexico. At that event, I met a man named Tom who told about his safari and for the first time ever I wanted to go.

At that SAME fateful event, I met a man I've respected ever so highly since: Kenneth Royce, the author of Safari Dreams. Although we keep up with Kenneth as best we can, always buying everything he writes because doing so is an investment in our freedom-loving futures, his new Safari Dreams was an absolute surprise... and a pleasant one, OH so pleasant!

Now, 3 years later, that spark of safari desire has returned, this time with a passion, due to Safari Dreams.

Please understand, this isn't just a story book about safaris as so many books are. They are often good books, but this is FAR MORE. Here, the absolute beginner gets an entire course, a how-to seminar on what to know before, during, and after a safari. If you aren't all that keen right now, you WILL BE once you get less than halfway through Safari Dreams!

And if you have already been on a safari, your knowledge will rocket up several levels. You will learn tips to help you be more effective and safer too. You will learn traps to avoid and you'll save far more than the cost of Safari Dreams too because this book saves you money by telling you what you will need and will NOT need on your future safaris.

This book is on par with another, Boston's Gun Bible, both of which now sit side-by-side on our shelves and which we refer to regularly. Safari Dreams, in addition to encouraging you to take an African trip, is also a reference book.

This book is one that you keep forever, one you get for your closest friends, one you get for ALL your shooting friends. It's one of those important works that comes along only every few years.

I too am a hunter and like Mr Royce, have written a book about hunting but not for Africa, I wrote about hunting in New Zealand. That country dosn't have dangerous animals, the only danger to hunters being the terrain and weather. Through my work I am able to reconise the quality of Safari Dreams and can honestly award the five stars.

Safari dreams must surely qualify as the first, 21st century, Bible on African Safari. The wealth of material on planning, travel, culture and customs and even a hint of the political 'feeling' of the people is a book in itself.
Then the detailed accounts of the various hunts, the camps, the guides and a brilliant description of the game that can be encountered and the reader is soon picking up a very clear picture of the African hunting scene.
I enjoyed the no nonsense approach to rifles and calibers and the graffic pictorial evidence of what those big game bullets will and sometimes won't do.

If you intend hunting Africa, I recommend you start with this book. If you are a hunter who may not get to Africa then buy it for the great read.

well done Ken

There are only 2 books worth buying if you intend to spend more than a couple of days overlanding: Tom Sheppard's "Vehicle-Dependent Expedition Guide" and this one. Whether you plan to go to the Sahara or not, there is so much information packed into this thick, single-spaced, no-nonsense guide, that you could simply rename it "Overlanding: A Route And Planning Guide." Sahara-specific information is covered in less than half the book.

I am an experienced desert driver and bought Sahara Overland in the planning stage of a Gilf Kebir and Uweinat trip that I put together with a bunch of friends when I was living in Egypt. On preparation, this is the bible. It is an absolute MUST get and DEFINITE need.What cars (although a bunch of good cars are not covered, and to his credit Chris Scott acknowledges this) and how to prepare them, advice on equipment and supplies, emergency repairs, all invaluable.

Advice on how to drive .... correct in places but dubious in others. Gilf trip GPS points were all out by a long way ... we thought as much before the trip when we plugged them into Ozzy Explorer and noticed that they kinda didn't fit with the sat images and the old Brit military maps. I cannot comment on other trips, but get alternative way points for the Gilf, the ones in the book are wrong.

Still, apart from these minor foibles, this book contains a wealth of sound advice, and is one of my favourite types of armchair travel books, not only does it stir my imagination (I dream of desert trips), but Chris writes with a dry laconic and sarcastic humour that put a smile on my face whenever I picked up this book.

I bought this book out of curiosity after reading an excerpt on the internet. I was totally absorbed in the book for some time after recieveing it. If you have any notion of traveling in the Sahara on your own or in a guided tour you need to read this book. The amount of information boggles ones mind, especially when it's delivered in a format that doesn't bore one to tears.

Sahara Overland: A Route & Planning Guide is the first truly comprehensive guidebook to one of the world's most compelling and challenging environments, North Africa's Sahara Desert. Ranging from the Moroccan Atlas Mountains to the Red Sea, Sahara Overland is ideal for Saharan travelers whether for a weekend excursion, a week long vacation, or a season spanning safari. Thirty-five detailed itineraries are available, covering more than 15,000 miles through nine countries: Morocco, Mauritania, Libya, Mali, Tunisia, Algeria, Niger, Chad and Egypt. The only Saharan guidebook covering all aspects of traveling the great desert by vehicle, Sahara Overland provides tips on how not to get lost, and what to do when things go wrong. Chris Scott's informative, "traveler friendly" text is enhanced with fifty maps and more than 300 b&w and color photographs. If you are planning a trip through the Sahara, begin with acquiring and throughly reading Chris Scott's Sahara Overland.

Chris Scott's book was worth the wait. I've been exploring the deserts of the United States and Mexico for decades, and my wife and I plan to ship our vehicle to Morocco and explore the Sahara soon. This book has left no question unanswered.

Chris's approach is always engaging, but exhaustive where necessary. He isn't afraid to be honest in equipment choices. For example, since he is from the U.K. I expected the vehicle selection chapter to be a Tom Sheppard-esque sermon about the perfection of the Land Rover. Instead, while pointing out the strengths of Land Rovers, he quite bluntly states that anyone needing the utmost in reliability should buy a Toyota Land Cruiser instead. The section on vehicle preparation is full of good, practical advice.

The route descriptions are excellent (and you can visit the author's web site for updates). However, I would recommend this book strongly to anyone considering traveling by vehicle in any desert in the world--there's that much information in it.

The Grand Alliance represents Book three in Winston's epic documentary of World War II. It was first published by Cassell & Co. on January 1, 1950.
Winston goes into great detail of Great Britain's struggle with Germany in Northern Africa, the Nordic Countries and in Northern Africa along with the Battle of the Atlantic. He describes Britain and the U.S.A.'s effort to assist a struggling Soviet Government who was trying to repel the forces of a Teutonic invasion.
Mr. Churchill's description of the seeds of the Atlantic Charter aboard H.M.S. Prince of Wales is reason enough to read this book.
Winston describes the mounting strength of Great Britain's war effort in 1941. And along comes Pearl Harbor. This indeed represents the 9/11 of the Mid 20th Century to the U.S.A. I hate to say this but I do think Winston upon hearing this news secretly rejoiced in having a new Ally.
Upon having this news, Mr. Churchill wasted no time and went directly to Washington to convince F.D.R. that Germany and not Japan should be the initial objective for defeat in this World Conflict.
Of course as usual, this book was well researched. It shows Winston in the light of the great World Patrician. It is of course a good read.

This book was an amazing read. I recommend that anyone that likes reading should read it. I'm normally a very slow reader, but this book was so good that it only took me an hour to read.

Churchill's Vol. 3, `The Grand Alliance' covers the time frame from Jan 1941 to Jan 1942 and what a time frame it was. The term `Grand Alliance' comes from Britain, America and Russia joining together to fight the triple-Axis Germany, Italy and Japan. During this time much was transpiring especially in the Mediterranean. Japan was watching and planning. Pearl Harbor fell on America with a vengeance and war had now awaked the sleeping giant. Germany was driving into Russia under operation `Barbarossa' and Rommel's tanks were moving in the North African desert. The Greece and Crete campaigns were breaking full upon Great Britain and the mighty Bismarck, with its' enormous structural strength, was out on the Atlantic. U-Boats were taking their toll on shipping and the oil fields of Iraq and Russia were being threatened.

It is interesting to read Churchill's correspondence now with victory and hindsight. He stood in the enviable position to see and write about the events that took place, and what could have happened if certain plans had or hadn't been implemented. His relationships and history, with Stalin and especially FDR, really make these volumes worth the read. He doesn't hold back the disasters that fell to all three of the Allies. Stalin's blindsided problems in trying to slow down Hitler until Allied supplies could get through. America and British combined Navy losses made for serious problems on the ocean. He writes about the curious events surrounding Rudolf Hess' flight to Scotland and gives his opinions about that incident. The disaster and triumph over the Bismarck certainly solved and created problems for the British Navy. While much relief came, with America's new found wartime role, much anxiety still lay ahead.

As he writes down this history, Churchill doesn't hide his enthusiasm about America now joining in the fight against the evil axis. This was one of the greatest joys of his wartime career. He now felt more than ever that victory `no matter how long' was sure. It is interesting to note how much influence the Atlantic Charter carries over into this day especially in policing the world. Well worth reading and adding to the history shelf.

Covering calendar year 1941, this third volume of Churchill's six volume Worl War Two history begins with Greece, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria falling to Germany, covers the Gernam invasion of the Soviet Union, and ends with the U.S. Mobilizing to join the battle after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

In between, England largely fought what was truly a world war without meaningful allies. England had to protect itself from invasion, as Germany relentlessly strengthened its armamaent of the French coastline; fought an ongoing desert battle in North Africa to hold/protect Egypt; joined in the defense of the Balkans; protected the Middle East's Eastern flank by invading Iraq and holding Iran as a partner; and had to wrry about Japanese attacks on Burma and other far east countries--not the least of which were Australia and New Zealand. At the same time, England was fighting the Battle of the Atlantic--securing its supply line from constant attacks by German submarines.

At the center of this entire conflict was Churchill, who held BOTH the posts of Prime Minister (Britain chief executive) AND Defense Minister (roughly equivalent to the american Secretary of Defense). This required that he make strategic decisions about the allocation of extremely scarce military resources, but at the same time was responsible for reorienting the entire British economy to not only support the war effort, but to ensure basic necessities were available for civilians living in the British Isles--which after all is a very small area, largely dependent on imports for food.

Reading Churchill's account, one can not help comparing the scope of his responsibilities with the current Global War on Terror, and the actions of our current President in pursuing that "war". During his trip accross the Atlantic to meet with Roosevelt immediately after Pearl Harbor, Churchill not only continued to coordinate far flung military and economic decisions, he produced a series of monograms, laying out the allied war strategy--which in fact became the blue print for ultimate victory. Contrast that with Bush's use of the two day retreat, with all Cabinet, to review the basic strategy in Iraq, which turned out to be nothing more than a cover for a photo-op with the new Iraqi President! How would WWII have ended had Bush been the PRime Minister of England in 1940?

Churchill writes spectacularly, yet I had to give this volume only 4 stars. Why? Because (like Vol. II, but unlike Vol. I), Churchill relies far too much on contemporaneous documents. While these are almost all written by him, they do not give his prose a chance to shine like it does in the first volume.

These six volumes should be, in my opinion, MANDATORY reading for anyone interested in (a) WW II (b) HISTORY (c)increasing their knowledge of the English language. Having read the entire set over 50-60 times, I am still fascinated by new material I discover with each re-reading. It comes as no surprise that Sir Winston was awarded the NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE for this masterpiece.

Dr. Messay gives a detailed, down-to-earth, and honest account of the survival of Ethiopia and her Church, and the reasons why and how. The illustration on the cover of the book, I believe, is quite appropriate: the protective, feminine hands unmistakably belong to Our Lady - the guardian and keeper of Ethiopia, a country she had been given by Her Son at the time of their visit during the Flight to Egypt.

Thank you very much Dr. Messay! May God bless and give you many more years!

Your humble student,

Perhaps I, as but a very amateur student of Ethiopian history, have no business labelling any book as seminal, but I can't think of a better description for this book. I find this book an excellent extension to Greater Ethiopia, by Donald Levine. Messay establishes the sociological foundations of Ethiopia, and then goes on to construct an explanation of how this foundation explains Ethiopia's survival as well as its struggle with modernization. Finally, given this explanation, he gives a recipe for how Ethiopia, instead of dismantling this foundation, can creatively use it to successfully modernize. No nation develops by uprooting itself or imitating others, he reminds us, and we do need reminding.

Dr. Messay Kebede has written a book that I think is more of a discovery than an explanation of survival of Ethiopia.

The author is able to express a dilemms with a sharp logical reasioning with a beautiful and almost poetic language while tackling this sophisticated philosophical question. He has successfully and dilectically researched the History of Ethiopia from different angles to prove his philosophical discourse. Some of us who are familiar with Ethiopian history are amazed in his ability to uncover those deep seated traits of the Etiopian mind and use his philosophical discourse to analyze them.

It is a powerful book, especially for Ethiopians and other nations, who are experiencing some kind of identity crisis in the national level. If they anlyze their society in detail, they might come up with a solution to their crisis.

Sorry I am 43 years old. I got the wrong format to write my review.
Thank you!!

The book is written with vigor, clarity, and decisiveness. It first raises the alternative theories meant to explain Ethiopia, then it works beyond those easy answers to convincing insight. The highlights of these insights include: Survivial as the essence of Ethiopia. The Solomonic disposition as allowing multiple claimants to rulership. The absence of racial, ethnic, and color lines, matters upon everyone else in the world seems to insist. The special quality of Ethiopian Christianity as an authentic spirituality rather than an imposed system. The self-defense of the empire under the pressures of European colonial expansion. Yet, for all this outstanding history, spirituality, independence, and even geography, Ethiopia is sinking, having failed to modernize in a way that respects its soul. This book is original in its confrontation of the crisis of modernization. Every page glows with intelligence and passion, as befits a philosophical treatment of the world.

In this book the author, Prof. Messay Kebede, has left no stone unturned in his thorough examination of Ethiopian myth, language, life, history, culture, system of church and of government, as seen and documented by historians, poets, painters, and novelists; all the good, the bad and the ugly. He has spared no effort in wielding the philosopher's scalpel, in opening up and cutting into new, as well as old wounds, in exposing the healthy, as well as the sick and putrid flesh, the positive as well as the negative aspects of it all. Through all of these examinations, Professor Messay attempts to find an answer as to why it is that Ethiopia has failed to modernize. He compares Ethiopia with two similarly old cultures: Japan and Great Britain. The deep questions he raises in the book, perhaps, will prove far more valuable than any answers that might have been given. These questions are sure to provoke more answers from future historians and researchers. This work will be `the handbook' for scholars on Ethiopia for many years to come, and I recommend it to any person interested in learning in depth about Ethiopia, any person that is, who would like to have more than just a passing glimpse of the country and its problems. This book goes deep into the crux, and the `heart of the matter,' and examines the root causes of past and present day difficulties as it attempts to find what it is that must have, seriously and fundamentally, gone wrong and resulted in Ethiopia's failure to modernize. Without a doubt, this book will soon be recognized for the masterpiece and the classic work that it is, a landmark against which many future books on Ethiopia will be compared and judged. Sir, I doff my hat and salute you. You have accomplished a great work. I anxiously look forward to reading your next book. Keep up the good work.

From one of your Admirers,

G. E. Gorfu.

Ethiopian Poet, Novelist, and Philosopher.

and although I grew up in Nigeria, during the 80's, this book brought back so many memories. Not only were her descriptions of the continent breathtakingly vivid, her pre-teen thoughts on subjects like the unforgivable sin and sexuality also brought back memories. There is more to being a missionary child in Africa than the "wildness" and Meyers captures the subtlties with grace and fluidity. Absolutely gorgeous.

Margaret Meyers, the daughter of a missionary family, grew up in The Congo in the 1960s, and this 1995 collection of short stories was part of her later MFA Thesis at the University of Virginia. Through them, she introduces her lead character, Grace, who views the world with the freshness of childhood and shares her experiences with the reader. Her father tells her the equator goes right through their property and, at the age of six, she searches for it as if it would be a clearly marked path. Her favorite pastime is swimming in the river, a river she will miss terribly when she is sent off to boarding school a few years later. Her protestant Christianity is unquestioned and she's always exploring her own spirituality as well as making keen observations about the people around her. There are some memorable characters here, from her loving parents to the native Congolese who laugh at the foibles of the missionary families. There are the two spinster women with a secret, an unhappy former ballerina who has trouble adapting to her life in Africa, and a Frenchman who loves his garden almost as much as he loves his constantly changing women. Through Grace's young eyes we see the cruelty of racism and the stirrings of independence as political changes are happening in the country.

At 261 pages this is a fast and enjoyable read, one that I gobbled up in two sittings, letting myself travel to the lush world of Grace's Congo and view it through her child's eyes. Mainly, it's about the people and she stays away from political analysis. She tells her stories simply and creates an atmosphere, and brings the reader right into her world. If I have any criticism at all, it is that some of the characters appear in just one of the short stories and I wanted to hear more about them as the book went on. But, alas, this is a book of stories, not a novel. I loved this book; it was a small trip into a world that is now gone and which I will never get to know except for my reading. And it sure was an enjoyable journey. Recommended.

"Swimming in the Congo" by Margaret Meyers is a very good novel that reads like a collection of short stories. It is told in the first-person by a girl, daughter of missionary parents, growing up in the Belgian Congo, circa 1960. The stories are focused on the narrator and her memories of her parents and the local people (Congolese and ex-pats) in and near missionary communities. Issues the seven-year narrator deals with include the mix of American Protestant and African traditional beliefs she encounters; the meaning of the equator and scientific reality; and White racism towards the Congolese. Meyers' writing reads well and is easy to like. It would be interesting to see her story continued.

This book is beautifully written with amazingly different images and descriptions. Myers really brings us into the Congo, and makes us believe that we too have felt the sun burning down while we swam across the rough river waters.

... you'll love SWIMMING IN THE CONGO! This is a collection of short stories that reads like a novel. In it, young Grace Birggen, the daughter of an agricultural missionary to the Congo in the 1960's, comes of age along the banks of the Congo River in what is now Zaire. The stories are beautifully written and the descriptions of her childhood in an emerging third-world nation are compelling. It is POISONWOOD without the poison. Yes, there are incidents of imperialism and racism, but those incidents are filtered through Grace's eyes, in much the same way that Scout narrates Boo Radley's and Tom Robinson's stories in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and so will you.