Africa Books

When I first saw this book the first thing that came into my mind was that I need it badly. I was simply astonished by the amazing pictures Leni Riefenstahl composed. If someone wants to see the beginning of our civilization and feel it up, close and personal, then this book is a must. Other than having a picture about how man survives in harmony with Mother Nature, one can see how beautiful the human body is in itself.

Leni Riefenstahl's book Africa is simply a huge compilation, a massive photo journal; page after page after page of full sized photographs depicting both the people / their culture and the land of Africa. (Other than the photos, the book is quite spare of words, chapter titles, that's it.) Riefenstahl's work is very strong but not particularly arty or glossy. True to her filmmaker's voice however, every picture tells a story. (*An important side note, it's ALL photographs. There is very little text to critique.)

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves similar photography as what you would see in National Geographic or Angela Fisher's books such as Africa Adorned and African Cermonies.

"Africa" is the companion volume to the recent PBS series of the same name, and like the series, is organized into eight parts, each one focusing on a particular geographical region of the continent. In clear, concise language, John Reader gives us the historical and geographical background of each area, the current economic and social structure, and the problems affecting the particular region. The photographs are mind-blowing; they are so gorgeous that they almost dominate the excellent text. The one disappointment, for one who has also seen the PBS series, is that the book doesn't follow the individual stories of people in depth as the PBS production did; however, no one who hasn't seen the TV production will miss it, and it in no way detracts from the overall value of the book. This is one book about the "dark continent" that does the continent, and its people, proud.

This is an excellent book for anyone who might find Reader's earlier book "A Biography of the Continent" too much of a good thing. "Africa" explores many of the same themes and issues, but the information is arranged differently and there are more illustrations; this book is aimed at the educated lay-reader. Still it is an important and outstanding book. Reader is a good writer and his research and grasp of a myriad of disciplines related to his subject is impressive.

The story is told by geography: Savanna, Desert, Rain Forest, Mountains, Sahel, Great Lakes, Coast, Southern Africa. Being a "companion" to the PBS/NGS TV series there is some (but not much) focus on the people who appeared in the television documentaries. Mostly Reader tells the stories behind the story; his history of Africa is as much about the environmental, geographical, and physiological as merely chronological. For example, Reader tells why bananas and plantains are so important in African history; what makes camels so invaluable in the Sahara, how sickle cells and malaria are related, even the advantages and disadvantages of walking upright. Of course there is some in-this-year-such-and-such happened, but that is kept to a minimum. This "Africa" is not only an outstanding introduction to Africa, it should also be of interest to any Africanist.

The photographs by Michael Lewis are good enough to be a book of their own; they combine with Reader's well organized and informative text to make "Africa" an excellent portrait of the continent. Reader's "Biography of the Continent" is also highly recommended.

I was thrilled to receive this book. I felt as if I was there with you. Very well written. Congratulations. I hope to see more books like this in the future.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MS.BARBARA BROWN & MS. SHIRLEY BROWN ON THEIR BOOK ON THEIR EXPERIENCES IN AFRICA. AFTER READING THIS BOOK, I FELT I WAS THERE. I REALLY ENJOYED THE PHOTOS AND VIDEO THAT WAS TAKEN. CONTINUED SUCCESS. -T BROWN

For those of us who may think we know Jane Goodall as theheroine of National Geographic specials, the champion of primateintelligence and animal rights, one of the great scientists of thetwentieth century, Africa in My Blood comes as a revelation. Here is the young girl and woman discovering life for the first time, having a crush on the local curate, writing to her best friend Sally and her "Darling Family," traveling by slow boat to Africa, and then launching the career that we have never seen through such fresh eyes. Most astonishing of all, it turns out that Jane Goodall is a splendid writer of letters, which are full of comic anecdotes and finely-observed details, capturing in vivid prose the immediate events of her life and much wonderful material not included in her other books. Dale Peterson has done a superb job of editing, organizing, and introducing this monumental collection, showing Goodall as both private and professional woman, in both intimate portrait and dazzling display of her gifts as a writer. One can only hope that a second volume is on its way soon. END

The letters in this collection date from Ms. Goodall's youth through 1966, when her stature as a scientist was well established based on her pioneering research in Africa.

Books of letters are normally associated with great female authors of novels, such as Virginia Woolf. In those wonderful volumes, beautiful style and playful use of words adds joy to one's appreciation of the literary works themselves.

So, I did not know what to expect from a book of Jane Goodall's letters. What I found was a most pleasant surprise. The letters provide a deep perspective into the personality of Ms. Goodall and how that contributed to the development of the research methods she used. I found the letters fascinating and very rewarding, despite the fact that they are the opposite of high literary style.

If you are like me, you may primarily know Jane Goodall from her National Geographic television specials. Those were very accessible and enjoyable. But I did not know the background concerning how her pioneering research with chimpanzees was initiated and developed. This book wonderfully filled in that background. Also, I did not know how an attractive young Englishwoman came to become a field scientist in Africa in the first place. Also, the shows made it all seem rather natural and easy.

First, you will come away impressed with what a devoted correspondent she was. Over 16,000 letters were found by the editor to draw from. Now, how many letters have you written in your life? Also, these are mostly long, newsy letters to family, friends, and professional colleagues. If she had been a book reviewer, no one would have believed her production. Remember that she had no computer to help her draft the letters. In fact, she had the balkiest manual typewriters imaginable.

What was even more remarkable to me was that so many of her early letters had been saved. How many letters have you saved from people under the age of 15? That these letters are available is quite a testimony to her relationships with these people, and the impact of her personality.

Then, I did not know that she was a secretarial school graduate when she went to Africa. A few jobs quickly convinced her that she was not cut out for indoor work. She was eventually accepted into a Ph.D. program without ever having attended college! In fact, she had done most of her breakthrough field work before her Ph.D. was even granted. So much for formal education as a way to create new scholarly methods.

Ms. Goodall has a wonderful love of humans and animals that makes no significant distinction between them. I was overwhelmed to read her descriptions of her pets and the chimpanzees and baboons she studied. It is remarkable to read page after page as she gossips with people about the animals by name in more detail and with more sympathy than in much of what she writes about people who were not close to her. This perspective is a fairly unique one, and led to her finding ways to relate to the animals throughout her early years.

There is great humor throughout the letters. Her many descriptions of men becoming interested in her and how she handled them are echoed in her descriptions of the female chimpanzees eluded the hovering males. Humor and laughter came easily to her. You will laugh too at the descriptions of the chimpanzees tickling each other.

You will come away with a great respect for what she accomplished. The difficulties she overcame were incredible, and the work that she put into her research is beyond imagining. She mostly wrote these letters around midnight, after working from 6:30 in the morning . . . often in the driving rain. This was a 7 day a week effort for her. Frustrations were everwhere. Great sequences would occur, but where no one could photograph them. Or the exposures were set wrong on the camera, and the whole roll of film produced nothing. And the camera problems were just the least of it . . . although they were the most maddening to Ms. Goodall. Malaria, shingles, and mysterious diseases affected her and the others she worked with. But her commitment remained strong.

Dale Peterson has done a fine job of selecting the letters and summarizing them at the beginning of each section. My only complaint about the editing was that more footnotes would have been helpful. I was regularly lost in trying to understand who some of the people were whom Ms. Goodall refers to.

I suggest that you give this book to a young person who loves animals. Perhaps something will "click" that will allow that person to see that she or he can live a life devoted to inquiry and closeness with animals.

Follow your instincts!

This is a well-written, comprehensive and easy to read book. I highly recommend it for a student or general reader who wants to learn about the political climate in 20th Century Africa. This book is focused on trends and yet does a good job of differentiating between the different experiences across regions and countries of Africa.

Prior to decolonization across the African Diaspora, colonial powers in Africa claimed that their superior management, scientific knowledge, experience and financial resources enabled them to transform backward Countries, under colonial occupation, into "modern states".

Such an arrogant argument, used by the North's beneficiaries of colonialism and imperialism was intended to justify the the continuation of imperialism and the new conditions of oppression in the African Diaspora.

Frederick Cooper in his book, Africa Since 1940, the Past of the Present, examined the development of African States, from decolonization up to the present. Not surprisingly Cooper found that the militaries, bureaucracies and institutional structures that the former colonial powers have bequeathed to their old colonies (since independence), have created only dependent, "gatekeeper" States.

Such "gatekeeper States" exist to protect the looting of their populations by their former colonial masters. Gatekeepers gain their legitimacy, after Independence, primarily through their former exploiting "mother countries" and in many cases their sovereignty is recognized more from the outside rather than from within.

Cooper clarifies America's role in decolonization and the creation of the new conditions of oppression in the former colonies. Washington's policy makers, from as early as 1943, pressured European powers to decolonize Africa, but only in a superficial, incremental manner that would not result in meaningful self-determination for the people.

Washington's approach to decolonization was therefore "Strategic." This strategic method was less concerned with "correctly solving the problem [of colonial oppression] than with making an advance" (or merely its appearance). Making an "advance," conceivably would pacify growing public pressure in the USA, which was emboldened by the domestic anti-colonial movement and Civil Rights movement.

Cooper's book will be useful to a wide range of general readers, including students of African History, Political Science and those concerned with the failed policies of neoliberal globalization in the African Diaspora.

See also:

In-Dependence from Bondage: Claude McKay and Michael Manley: Defying the Ideological Clash and Policy Gaps in African Diaspora Relations

One of the hardest things when working in the anti-apartheid movement was to understand the mindset of the average white South African. What on Earth were those people thinking and why? When reading Hugo's book, with all its harsh language, I'm for the first time offered a credible explanation, a chance to try to understand how this could have happened. I don't think Hugo's story could have been told in any other way; I get disgusted, I laugh and cry,whilst following Hugo through his life. But I also find an honesty that makes me think, and think again. Life is not a negative in black and white, especially not during the apartheid-era. Hugo wears his heart on his sleeve and it's painful to share his experiences. But the book sheds light on the near brainwash many a white South African was subjected to and in washing the dirty linen of a racist regime in public, the book is important if we want to prevent history from ever repeating itself.
I highly recommend this brilliant book to all the millions of people involved in the anti-apartheid movement all over the world.
It is a very good read.

So this book, "Africa Will Always Break Your Heart" by Gerrie Hugo is an intense and very unique book. It is a memoir, an autobiography of sorts, about a man (Gerrie Hugo) who participated in Apartheid in South Africa but later came to his senses. It is a brutually honest account, as the reader will get that from the very first page. The writing style is informal, with some swear words here and there but it brings an air of authenticity to the book. It is a fairly fast read and I definitely enjoyed reading it. The chapters are only a few pages long so it makes you feel as if you have accomplished a lot (which I really liked).

A few things of note, you definitely have to be open minded when going into this book and it's definitely not for everyone. It's for a "mature" audience as there are a couple chapters which lean on the side of being slightly [...]. To me, those parts didn't need to be in the book for it to be successful, however, I don't think it detracted from the book as a whole too much. That being said, I really did like this book. It was very different from many books I have read and gives an unique perspective into the whole issue of Apartheid. I loved the brutal honesty as well as the humor that was woven into the work. I recommend this for anyone who is interested in a completely different book and is interested in finding out what Apartheid was like for someone who actively participated in it and his thoughts on it now. Be prepared for a very honest work with some "rough" language from time to time, which only adds to it's authenticity.

Having returned from Africa recently and seen the book there I knew I wanted it in my library upon my
return. It's a beautiful book and helps one become more informed about the big five animals in Africa.

An excellent addition to any personal or library bookshelf! Very interesting text and stories accompany an abundance of quality photograhs with an appealing layout. Highly recommend.

These are set in eight different African countries and grew out of the author's experiences as a State Department officer on the Congo during the 1960s. While they are more literary in content, they also portray Africa during its formative years just after its colonial regimes had dissolved, providing important keys to African history and culture.

Each story I read in this entertaining collection takes me a little closer to Africa. I willingly surrender to the heat, the exhilaration, the frustration, the wonder, and the beauty of a continent. The images stay with me long after I've put the book down, and I find myself thinking about Africa in my daydreams instead of golf.

I also feel like I've made a dozen new friends. I have to remind myself that they are just characters. The stories are good. They are honest, and Hunter shares insights that make me feel richer for having read them. I'd like to read more.

Culturegrams is a "must have" for anyone in the travel industry, avid travelers, culture buffs and amateur anthropologist. Culturegrams introduces the reader, in four pages, to the daily customs and lifestyles of 174 societies. The background, the people, custom courtesies, lifestyle, society and "for the traveler" sections are found in each four page breakdown. The two volumes set (The America's & Europe and Africa, Asia & Oceania) cover the world by and large.

High speed travel has shrunk our world and made every other culture our neighbor. Culturgrams is a needed tool for all those in the travel industry and a wonderful reference guide for all who seek to understand their neighbors better. Highly recommended.

I have this book and it is a great to introduce children of all ages to different cultures without going into too much information that may confuse them. I've used mine with my 4 and 5 year olds to study/introduce different culturesand concepts to them. It's great! I recommend it to teachers and parents.

What a great read! If you want to walk in the footsteps of great explorers, along with modern day adventures, this is the book for you.

Kingsley Holgate is a self-proclaimed 'romantic adventurer' inspired by African explorers of the past: he's traveled the African continent with his family in the past decade and here blends his travelogue with history, following the paths of early African explorers. Color photos pack chapters filled with adventure, from 'A Journey Down the Congo' to 'Chuma and Susi: Two Unsung Heroes of African Exploration'. While this could also have been featured in our History or Travel shelves, it's reviewed here as a 'Reviewer's Choice' selection for the widest possible audience: both public libraries with general lending audiences and collections strong in African history and culture will find it a riveting read, packed with color photos unusual to this subject.