Africa Books

I read these memoirs with strict concentration on all features of the environment that provided the interesting material to this book.

From childhood of elderly relatives that was somewhat unhappy and bordering on deprivation, the family living off charity, in areas where the primary social groups' life revealed a pattern of neglect, moral [...] , and disregard for law.

I watched a collection of things making people of the same feather sharing a common attribute. Perhaps I should say that a small part of these features I lived myself (1952-56). The message Andre Aciman is giving me is also addressed to every member of a clan feeling alien in the environment in which one was found, and resisted to share.

You are taken back in time to the beginning of the twentieth century until the mid fifties. I never felt strange to uncle Vili, Aunt Clara, or Tante Lotte, like these people exist in the annals of many families' chronological account of events in any successive years.

How much true it is when one had become a success story and thus an object of intense jealousy on the part of his less fortunate confreres. One would definitely feel better off to keep ones apart from ones fellows.
Walking on tight ropes during WWII to keep balance between complete annihilation and survival is not impossible, or unethical, though the uncomplimentary remarks Uncle Vili used to make about the warring parties - about them both - in private, now remained no secret. We all tend to do the same thing when cornered; won't we? This is legitimate quest for survival amid a world run in madness, Uncle Vili appeared uncomplicated enough.

Those were the people we came to know in Egypt in the mid-fifties, their private life, their intimate charm, their gentleness, their direct and affectionate manner, their kindness and modesty which remained unchanged even at the very height of their predicaments.

We knew people like Uncle Vili, their sense of humor, coupled with caustic wit with their servants - Egyptians and/or Sudanese - that their good nature forsook them and their tongue became capable of mordant, wounding remarks. In the company of their intimate friends, they would throw off the habitual reserve they displayed on public occasions and behave like the big boy scouts which they remained in one corner of their personality - Pashas attitudes.

Andre Aciman: I salute you.

Out of Egypt, is a very special memoir about growing up in Alexandria before the author and his family were forced to move from Egypt in 1965 . It's a fascinating memoir of a time and place that no longer exists, and a wonderfully written account .

I had the good fortune of meeting co-author Andy Dawson on a plane a couple of years ago. He is a fascinating man, and got me interested in this very important story of early air logistics in the opening days of World War Two. The book does not disappoint. It is short and concise, but well written, well illustrated, and complete.

The story concerns the Pan Am contract flying over Africa in 1941, and although it is a relatively unknown story, it is utterly fascinating to anyone with an inclination to historical reading. Although I know a lot about World War Two history, I must confess to having been almost totally ignorant of the valiant work of these contract employees and their contribution to the war effort. This book made me appreciate their huge undertaking in extremely austere conditions, and I recommend it highly.

Tom Culbert and Andrew Dawson have done an outstanding job bringing to life this fascinating but little known story of the civilian and military men and their flying machines who paved the way for Allied success in North Africa.

The photographs and writing are both superb. This book would make a terrific gift for anyone interested in World II, the role of the civilian and military air services, or true stories of brave men who exhibited "grace under pressure" on a daily basis.

A great read and a must for anyone's reading list who believes history is more fascinating than fiction.

There's something magical about this book..

This is one of my famlies favorite books. We were lucky enough to find it with a tape of music and my kids can't get enough of this book and it is almost 2 years later! The story is inspiring and really got my kids interested in rainforests and what they can too to help the enviorment! This book should be in all schools, libraries and made a great gift to my children. It breaks my heart that is is out of print when the money went to help such a great cause! IT IS Truely Magickal!

I was recommeded this book by an evangelist before I went on a 2 week trip to Malawi, Africa. Boy was it a good and fast read. There are so many things that he mentions in his book that you would never know or comprehend unless you you were actually there. But more than that, his heart for Africa is so powerfully illustrated that you begin to develop a heart for Africa also.

A Passion for Africa is a missionary's memoir of his final travels into the interior of Zambia, as well as visits to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, and Angola. Presenting a vivid picture of bustling nations with their fair share of problems, including floods, famines, fuel shortages and roaming so-called war veterans, A Passion for Africa tells of one man's striving with his soul, his unheeded call for more missionaries to come and assist his work, and the day when he must tell all the African people he has come to know and love goodbye. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this compelling firsthand testimony.

How can I review something that I haven't even read or browsed?

How can I review something that I haven't even read or browsed?

If you ever want to know anything about the rainforest, this is the series to buy. The author thoroughly discusses people, environment, and hope for rainforests. Beautiful colored pictures throughout the book supports the easy written text. I highly recommend this series to any student who needs to do a report on the rainforest. This series is a must have in any children's library collection.

If you ever want to know anything about the rainforest, this is the series to buy. The author thoroughly discusses people, environment, and hope for rainforests. Beautiful colored pictures throughout the book supports the easy written text. I highly recommend this series to any student who needs to do a report on the rainforest. This series is a must have in any children's library collection.

I bought this for a friend who loves and collects flamigos but always gets "tacky flamigo" stuff. She loved the book, it's full of beautiful photography! Got it for half the price too!! It was $60 at the book store!

I happened across this jewel of a book in Tampa, Florida, and consider the retail price of ... money well spent. Amazon.com's ... makes it even more of a "must-have."

The quality of the photographs and indeed the book itself (typography, weight of paper, etc.) are exceptional. The ornithological information is extensive yet completely accessible to non-scientists--scientific jargon is kept to a minimum.

Several pages of photographs are devoted to dead and dying flamingos--this was quite disturbing but in no way detracts from the haunting beauty of the book, and, when coupled with the author's words on the endangerment of the native habitat of the flamingo--especially in Africa--are sobering and very sad. Let us all hope that steps will be taken to preserve these unique and special creatures for future generations.

The use of British English was a little jarring to this American (for example, I had to rack my brain to figure out what "hoovering" is and finally understood it to mean "vacuuming") but overall I would say this book was truly a delight to read and a joy to behold. I would recommend Pink Flamingos to anyone who enjoys spectacular photography and especially to those interested in knowing more about flamingos.

Nivola, Claire A. Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2008.

This beautiful story of the Green Belt Movement in Kenya launched by Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai details how she grew up appreciating nature and its bounty, attended college in America and studied biology, and then returned to her homeland only to find that new farming practices threatened the health and well-being of her fellow citizens. Although, the people were understandably inclined to blame the government for their deteriorating situation, Wangari encouraged the women to instead plant trees: to gather seeds, dig for water, and nurture seedlings. "All this was heavy work, but the women felt proud. Slowly, all around them, they could begin to see the fruit of the work of their hands. The woods were growing up again." Wangari "taught the children how to make their own nurseries. She gave seedling to inmates of prisons and even to soldiers." Since Wangari began in 1977, over "thirty million trees have been planted in Kenya" - an impressive feat. Lovely watercolor paintings illustrate this simple inspiring story: village scenes show women and children listening to Wangari explain her proposal, and an awesome double-spread shows a line of people marching in an endless line, carrying seedlings and tools for planting. This wonderful picture book evocatively spreads an important environmental message

"The farms of Ohio had been replaced by shopping malls And muzak filled the air from Seneca to Cuyahoga Falls." -- The Pretenders, "My City was Gone"

"As Wangari Maathai tells it, when she was growing up on a farm in the hills of central Kenya, the earth was clothed in its dress of green.
"Fig trees, olive trees, crotons, and flame trees covered the land, and fish filled the pure waters of the streams.
"The fig tree was sacred then, and Wangari knew not to disturb it, not even to carry its fallen branches home for firewood. In the stream near her homestead where she went to collect water for her mother, she played with glistening frogs' eggs, trying to gather them like beads into necklaces, though they slipped through her fingers back into clear water."

But in the early 1960s Wangari Maathai left Kenya for five years in order to attend college in Kansas. It was during that time that Kenya gained independence from Britain. And in the manner with which Claire Nivola tells and illustrates the story, Wangari's return to Kenya reminds me of the old Pretenders' song. For there had been numerous and radical changes in the landscape of Kenya during Wangari's absence:

"Wangari found the fig tree cut down, the little stream dried up, and no traces of frogs, tadpoles, or the silvery beads of eggs...Wangari noticed that the people no longer grew what they ate but bought food from stores. The store food was expensive, and the little they could afford was not as good for them as what they had grown themselves, so that children, even grownups, were weaker and often sickly."

Meanwhile, the cutting of the remaining forests for wood to burn as fuel led to widespread erosion and the degradation of streams and rivers.

And so it was that Wangari Maathai came up with her "simple and big idea" of getting tens, then hundreds, then thousands of Kenyans to grow and plant trees. Her idea evolved into the Greenbelt Movement and, in the long run, led to her winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.

Claire Nivola's watercolor paintings climax with a two page spread in which an endless stream of Kenyans carrying seedlings are seen traversing the mountains to a hillside where the forest is being restored meter by meter.

The story is followed by an extensive Author's Note which includes information about Wangari putting her body on the line in recent years to fight ill-conceived government schemes.

At a time when I am so often distraught due to the seemingly inevitable deterioration of the planet I am leaving my children, it is inspiring to read a book that so well illustrates how one person's singular vision, determination, and leadership can radically (and literally) transform the landscape.

Dr. Pierce details in an interesting and thought provoking way the struggles of the African-American population to gain an equal voice within the community of Indianapolis.

From the prospective of a 60's generation who grew up in Gary, Polite Protest was enlightening and disturbing. I was uncomfortable reading about how long African-Americans had to struggle for equality in education, housing and employment.

Without these significant changes in our society, it would be impossible for me to share a cup of coffee with the author, attend one of his classes, or live in the same neighborhood.

Thank you Dr. Pierce for writing and enlightening, explaining and exploring. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to understand and learn.

Much has been written about the Great Migration, and the evolution of African American protest in Chicago, Milwaukee and Detroit. But the African American community developed differently in Indianapolis than in places farther north. Indianapolis already had a sizable black community during its formative years, making African Americans an integral part of the city-building process even though they occupied different strata within the city. When compared to other African American communities in neighboring states, they routinely outpaced them in quality of life measures such as educational advancement and home ownership.

The author argues that this investment in the city's political economy caused the black community to protect the status quo, eschewing violent protest and mass demonstrations when white civic leaders started to increase segregation measures shortly after WWI. (For example, Indianapolis had integrated secondary schools until 1927, when the school board created an all-black high school.) They instead chose forms of"polite protest," such as negotiation and coalition building.

The author examines five examples of this "polite protest," ranging from high school basketball to housing and work opportunities. He concludes that while the African American community did manage to hold some ground, they were unable to increase their fortunes once the wall of segregation was securely established. As he states, "...I am not dismissive of the protest strategies...but I remain critical of their choices..."

Clearly and concisely written , this book is an important contribution to urban studies.

The Poor Christ of Bomba was an assigned reading in my college seminar class dealing with French colonialism in Africa last semester. I enjoyed it immensely-it was enjoyable yet educational. The narrator speaks with a refreshing and poignant naive honesty. Whether you are interested in colonialism in Africa or a good read, please pick this novel up!

In this Book Mongo Beti castigates a system that must have first initiated him to the written word. The satire here is very subtle but hardly loses its potency. At first glance, The Reverend Father Superior comes across as the true believer that he is: a real man of God. He is well respected by the local people and even loved. But as is typical of the European expatriate community, he does not bother to find out what the people think. He comes as a benevolent spirit who is equiped with the message of Christ to save the "pagans", but somehow, only the women (most from polygamous households) and the children are interested in his salvation. The men, the real holders of power in the community are not ready to submit to his new doctrine. He believes this is because it requires them to give up their multiple wives and practice monogamy as his doctrine requires. He holds this assumption for twenty years until the time comes when his mission falls apart. This begins when the young women engaged to be married to some villagers, and who he has been charged to make into Christian wives, have instead become his indentured servants helping to build his mission. His other local employees, sensing that what is good for the goose is good for the gander, also take advantage of this opportunity to obtain sexual favors from this women. The good man of God, after twenty years of false belief finally gets the truth from his African cook. The local men believe, so the cook says, that the reverend father is hiding the truth from them. They do not want to hear about God, eternal life, and matters of the spirit. They knew these things long before the whiteman came. All they want to know is the whiteman's secret: his airplanes, and other issues of his technology which the reverend father does not want to divulge. This realization somehow hastens the good man's departure from Africa. He is a dissapointed man. This paradox of good intensions and failed hopes has characterized African/European encounters since. The European priest has come with readymade ideas of what he thinks Africans need. It turns out Africans do not want what he is offering. The Africans do no want to be led to the whiteman's religion. They want his airplanes, and his technology. They want his secret but not his doctrine. Mongo Beti portrays the reverend father as a good father who is pained by his wayward children. He exposes the failures of the missionary system without ridiculing it, no doubt keeping in mind from whom he himself got his first taste of the written word.