Africa Books

In Sindiwe Magona's Mother to Mother, the old cliché put yourself in my shoes takes an interesting and unheard of twist. It is an excellent novel that gives impelling testimony of history as a basis for the actions of youth. In the story she is the mother of an accused murderer speaking to the mother of the victim. She tries to explain her and her son's history so the mother of the victim could understand why or how her son would kill her daughter. At a glance you would think what! Or how dare she! But because Magona goes into such depth of her peoples' background and uses first person throughout the novel, you will find yourself empathizing with the trials of her people.

This book is riveting. The mother-daughter relationship is powerful. The mother-son relationship is heart wrenching and warming. I felt the pain of blacks in South Africa. The understandable rage of teens in an oppressive environment is so clearly described. The human spirit that helps people survive even the most miserable conditions is a thread through this book as well. This book is a powerful read. I feel like I have been given a window on the human condition.

Mother to Mother tugs at the heartstrings as it reveals the anguish that this mother experiences on developing and raising up her family under the harsh apartheid system of government in South Africa. It is a real eye-opener as the author takes the reader on a journey into the homes of families uprooted by change.

I just spent my summer doing an internship teaching mothers from a squatter camp English literacy. Mother to Mother is one of the most impactful books I read while there. This book explains South Africa and the many complexities and discouraging factors that plague the beloved country. It has an excellent way of showing the heartache that a mother feels and the powerlessness of a mother to control her sons actions, but the unconditional love that a mother has for her child. I am very impressed by this book and would encourage everyone to read it. It will help you understand why things are the way they are in that country. It is easy to judge people, but this book puts the blacks actions into perspective. I love this book.

Ms Magona explains without any excuses why Mxolisi is a murderer. As a mother during apartheid the possibilities for Mandisa, Mxolisi's mother to direct her son's future did not exist. Mxolisi grew up in an enviroment where whites equal sorrow, death, distraction, poverty to name but a few. He never got the oppurtunity to grow up knowing that there are people like Amy Biehl. There are people who do look at blacks, as human beings. No mother comes from the hospital with a murderer in her arms. Every child deserves a chance, read the book to find out what Mxolisi's chances were. The book will take you on a tour of South Africa, it's past, and the possibilities of the future.

If you are a children's literature fan this is a MUST have in your collection. Worth finding the collectors books because Maya Angeleou will forever hold a place in children's stories. The first editions of this softcover are going to be harder and harder to get. It has vivid photographs of the Ndebele people. Thandi the main character tells the story of her people and family and her best friend who is a chicken. She crosses culture lines and she will win the heart of anyone who has a child's heart, and the chicken is cute too. Great teacher's book, bet for under 5th grade, ESL is a great fit because the words are BIG and easy to recognize.

Reading this book my daugther(6yrs.) and I enjoyed a special moment learning about how beautiful are the simple things. And gave us the oportunity to learn how easy is to celebrate life and love.
The most important lesson of all is to be proud of what we love and care.

I bought this book today and read it with my 10 year old niece. It has exceptionally beautiful photographs of the Ndebele people. It is a story that reminds us that the simple things in life are the most precious. Thandi tells the story of her people and family and her best friend, a chicken. She is a proud and pure hearted child that shares the culture of the Ndebele people with us. This is a lovely story that is a fun, educational, easy to read one that made me feel young at heart again. I'll be needing an additional copy to share with my grandaughter.

I am a senior in college, and an elementary education major with a minor in anthropology- when I found this book, I was estatic. Its beautiful photography is greatly complimented with Maya Angelou's flowing words. Humor, color, and the similarities with the Ndebele girl (Thandi, which means hope) are sure to attract children. They will learn that even though Thandi is across the world, all children share many similaries- a lesson that should be remembered, especially in modern times. I will definately use this in my classroom someday. Never have I seen such a great childrens book that is infused with anthropology and the study of a culture!

As a reading tutor, I have enjoyed sharing this book with my 4th grade students. It examins the differences of people, our different cultures, and is a colorful and enchanting story. My kids, both boys and girls are facinated by this book, and we always continue a dialogue with it. The recognize the author, as one their parents respect, and enjoy talking about it and laughing about the silly chicken.We have talked about trying to paint houses with a chicken feather, and may jsut try to do this during black history month! I adore this book!

I was fascinated by this book. It was very engaging, informative, moving, and realistic. Mary Lightfine highlights the fact that knowledge of the culture and traditions of the target country is the foundation of any successful mission. It is also amazing that the reader can relate to the characters in the book. Despite their heroism, they are all ordinary human beings with feelings, doubts, frustrations, and emotions.

This is a book that anyone with any interest in humanitarian/international work should read. Well done Ms. Lightfine.

A compelling book, at once as real as scraping concrete and expansive as a soft white cloud. Mary Lightfine tells her story of the violence in Africa with the eye of a reporter and the heart of a painter. Half a poet's journey, half a hard-as-nails documentary, this book is difficult to categorize except to say it is well worth reading and I heartily recommend it. You won't forget her vision or her voice.

Nurses, Nomads, and Warlords is an exciting adventure story combined with the insight and inspiration of a true story. A must read for anyone who is curious about other cultures, or anyone who simply enjoys a good tale of far off lands. I loved it!

Very exciting, touching every emotion, and very informative. An amazing look at our changing world through someone else's eyes.

I have been looking forward to reading this book by Mary Lightfine ever since I learned that it was in progress. I received my copy this past week. Setting aside another book in which I was involved, NURSES, NOMADS AND WARLORDS caught my attention, my imagination and my respect from the very first. It is a very good read on a most basic level. On a more elevated level the stories of Mary's experiences are a study in the extremes of the good and the evil of which mankind is capable.

It is very doubtful to me that a reader with any shred of heart or compassion could fail to be deeply moved by the drama of Mary's dedication to helping in the war torn battlefields of Somalia. With her very life in daily danger, Mary persevered in doing what she could to make a situation that is about as close to hell on earth into something that is survivable. Very few of us give to others at the level described in this riveting work

Mary Lightfine is able to relate her stories as if she were telling of little more than a routine trip to the grocery store. She has successfully resisted the temptation to make her stories into any remote self aggrandizement. Her humility and love of humanity are evident on every page.

I have followed Mary Lightfine's work since Life Magazine featured her in an extensive article in 1999. Her work in Somalia is just the tip of the iceberg of the contributions to humanity this grand woman has given. I was so pleased to see that this is to be volume one. I will look forward to further volumes that will tell of her experiences in other areas of the world. In the meantime I plan to buy additional copies to distribute to family and friends. I feel good about doing so to spread the word about this remarkable woman.

Dr. Paul Linde's book "Of Spirits and Madness" is a wonderfully entertaining and insightful look into the culture and psyche of the Zimbabwean people. As an American psychiatrist in this third world African country, he becomes immersed in a cultural quagmire of ancestral spirits, evangelical Christianity and traditional healers all colliding with modern Western medical practices. The results, a train wreck of frequently amusing and sometimes very sad situations: experienes which challenged the author's intellectual and medical skills while raising questions in his own mind about the modern world's pursuit of indivudual gain and blatant consumption. This is a great book which will make all readers laugh, think and reevaluate one's own views of what is truly important. The best book I've read this year!

I have worked in Zimbabwe for two years as a photographer and film maker. Of Spirits and Madness gives western thinking a new vantage point. Remember, there is no reality only perception. One of the best books I have read on Shona culture. The spiritual basis of life forms all other truths in Africa. Great Book, wonderful to read.

In the spirit of the preeminent novelist/psychiatrist Irvin Yalom, Dr. Paul Linde has written a touching and inspiring book about his experiences as a psychiatrist working in Zimbabwe under very difficult circumstances. Despite the "depressing' subject matter (mental illness, poverty, political strife, AIDS, sexism. etc.), Linde has written a surprisingly uplifting account of the human condition. Using well-crafted prose, the reader learns many interesting things about the state of mental health in this Africa nation with its relatively advanced mental health system. Compared to other "third world" nations, Zimbabwe's treatment of the seriously mentally ill is good, but it is still a far cry from that of most Western nations. Linde is an excellent storyteller, telling the stories of his patients with poignancy, humor and deep compassion. All mental health professionals, both the experienced clinician and the neophyte should read this book. This book would also of interest to those interested in African current events. The reader will find himself deeply concerned for the plight of Dr. Linde's patients.

There's never a dull moment in this psychiatrist's travelogue on a mad journey with his patients. During his year as a government psychiatrist in Zimbabwe, Dr. Paul Linde has to adjust to the cultural challenges that have his patients as likely to consult a witch doctor and herbal treatments as modern medicine.
Packaged in a series of literary narratives, the eleven character studies--one per chapter--personify the cultural and medical challenges he faces, from a young man convinced he's suffering to spare his community to the delinquent employee who claims she needs to rest her mind.
Linde approaches his new assignment with an open mind and writes with sensitivity. He invites the reader along in an exploration of the African supernatural and psychological landscape. This is stuff Karen Blixen didn't see in the Kenyan hills; it's more the twisted psyche Conrad explores at the heart of the Congo.
Of Spirits and Madness is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the human condition.

I bought this book to be polite. When a friend of 10+ years writes a book... you buy it. And the day before his reading... you start the first chapter. What I did not expect was that I would absolutely inhale the text. My brain lit up with pleasure. There are so many good things about this book. Not only is the writing itself excellent, the information that Paul tucks into the narratives of each patient is downright fascinating. He takes up politics, economics, spirituality, culture, context, and mental health. The story of each patient's illness is refracted through Paul's Western training, his good heart, and his growing understanding of the local explanations for why things happen as they do. Along the way he provides a terrific set of curbside lectures about a wide spectrum of mental illnesses. He interweaves factual information about disease states with tender compassion for and curiosity about the people he served. I learned a lot from this book and plan to read it again. Maybe I should be polite more often....

This book is a cultural anthology of the African world for children as young as two years old. But the book really is set for older children and young adults. Besides the normal introduction to numbers and animal recognition, this is actually a work on music, poetry, and life interwoven with man, animals and their natural environment. Therefore, a good read for peoples of all races. The illustrations and colors beautifully project the imagery as it challenges the young mind to seek deeper meaning to what is presented. African adults reading this book will see it as a memory down their own childhood. I doubt though if it is different for other cultures. As a parent, a peek in this book was a trill, and I continue to enjoy reading it with my little girl. If you are looking for an illustrated book to teach your children the interdependencies of life, this will be one of it.

This book is a cultural anthology of the African world for children as young as two years old. But the book really is set for older children and young adults. Besides the normal introduction to numbers and animal recognition, this is actually a work on music, poetry, and life interwoven with man, animals and their natural environment. Therefore, a good read for people of all races. The illustrations and colors beautifully project the imagery as it challenges the young mind to seek deeper meaning to what is presented. African adults reading this book will see it as a memory down their own childhood. I doubt though if it is different for other cultures. As a parent, a peek in this book was a trill, and I continue to enjoy reading it with my little girl. If you are looking for an illustrated book to teach your children the interdependencies of life, this will be it.

This book is a cultural anthology of the African world for children as young as two years old. But the book really is set for older children and young adults. Besides the normal introduction to numbers and animal recognition, this is actually a work on music, poetry, and life interwoven with man, animals and their natural environment. Therefore, a good read for peoples of all races. The illustrations and colors beautifully project the imagery as it challenges the young mind to seek deeper meaning to what is presented. African adults reading this book will see it as a memory down their own childhood. I doubt though if it is different for other cultures. As a parent, a peek in this book was a trill, and I continue to enjoy reading it with my little girl. If you are looking for an illustrated book to teach your children the interdependencies of life, this will be one of it.

This is one of the most beautifully illustrated books that I have ever seen! Every page is filled with bright colors and cheerful prose and images. It is a perfect book for the age group intended, but it is also a wonderful treat for an adult. The images are so delightful that I can look at them over and over again. I especially like the colorful borders found on many of the pages. This is the kind of book that you will want to keep forever - even when the children "outgrow" it. I highly recommend this book.

This marvelous, colorful collection of children's rhymes celebrates "talking drums" of West Africa, of great significance in that culture, as "criers" beat messages from village to village, the rhythmic beats speaking to the villagers along the way. Influenced by a rich heritage and the clever humor of Mother Goose rhymes, the rhymes blend storytelling with a distinct cultural identity, creating a "simple rhythmic language" for young children and beginning readers, a learning process of language and rhythm:

"Off to the sweet shores of Africa,
Off, with my harp and harmonica,
I'll follow the walking, talking drum
To the land, where sunbirds hum."

The language of these rhymes is African: cowrie shells, akara balls, palm, papaya, coral and mango trees and African places from the Sahara to Zambezi. Reinforced by the theme of African mores and traditions, the rhymes inform and entertain, exploring the culture, rich ancestral history and pride in African descent:

"Race the striped zebra across the plains,
Race the striped zebra over the lanes,
Hip! For the zebra!
Hip! For me!
Hurray! For the happy and free!"

The stunning illustrations that complement the rhymes are arresting, images of the African countryside, the indigenous people, animals, fauna and flora, the scorching ball of yellow sun, straw-hatted huts, the colorful garments of children at play, velvet deep nights, myriad stars twinkling above the sleeping village:

"What is the pale moon made of?
What is the pale moon made of?
Of cowrie shells and ivory
Dipped in the shimmering, silvery sea
And tossed up like a rubber ball
To be gazed upon by all."

Family, tradition, the nurturing of children; the author has written beautiful phrases of place and childhood, accompanied by truly inspirational illustrations. Luan Gaines/ 2006.

Frans Lanting had created marvelous book. His pictures portray the unique beauty of the region, convey the wildness of a place, and force a viewer to visit the place immediately. The photographs and text also urge the people to save this unique ecosystem. We realize the impact of water on the unique environment of the delta that supports the greatest variety of the flora and fauna in the world. At the same time these photographs make us realize what will be lost if the water will be gone. This book has inspired me even more after I visited the Okavango delta. It made me to relive my own experiences once again. After more than 5 years of its publication, this book is still the best pictorial work on Okavango delta. Simply, the greatest!

As other Lanting books, attitude is all, from cover to cover

This book makes me suspect that Frans Lanting is not only the worlds greatest wildlife photographer but also the greatest bird photographers, crocodile photographer, elephant photographer etc. As usual, his photography is far from the species type of photography often seen. Lanting connects with the subject and transform the experience into art. In addition, he is not afraid to break the rules and make it work. The book is a must in any nature photographers library.

This is a terrific book to learn more about this region. I can't recommend the book enough. The photography is stunning and the narrative is just right. I only wish it didn't end.

Mr. Lanting is a unique and wonderful photographer who is a great help to all of us. His photos capture the wildlife of the Okavango as they are -- not postcard photos. He has a respect and reverence of this fragile ecosystem (unlike none other in the world) and all that lives and dies there that is captured in this book. Botswana is a special country with a unique ecosystem in the Delta that you should travel to. I've had the good fortune to experience Africa eight times, Botswana twice. I will return many times to the Delta as there is so much there to experience and each time its fresh. Let Mr. Lantings photos pursuade you to go.

This beautifully written book follows a young Maasai girl as she reaches the age for her initiation into womanhood that includes the traditional circumcision and marriage. Times are changing for the Maasai and she would prefer to keep her freedom by delaying this ceremony and possibly even going to school. She has ulterior motives, as she has privately witnessed the birth of a baby rhino whom she names "Our Secret, Siri Aang", and claims the baby and mother as her other family. She secretly visits them daily but would lose track of them if the ceremony were to take place, since the recovery requires four months of isolation. Her father also struggles, trying to keep the traditional Maasai ways in his family, but seeing how changes are affecting it. He believes that school is a waste of time and is ashamed of his daughter for considering it and for questioning her responsibilities as a young woman. He has also witnessed his warrior son sell his soul by allowing passing tourists to photograph him for money. His inner turmoil leads him to actions that a Maasai, "the keepers and protectors of all wild animals", should never consider. The suspenseful journey allows the reader to consider the choices made and suffer along with the characters as their good intentions lead them farther and farther from their Maasai roots. This is an excellent book, well told and well characterized. My only complaint is the cover that, although I am confident is an authentic Maasai girl, is very unappealing to me. I did keep referring to it as I read the book because it matches the descriptions in the book perfectly of what a young Maasai girl would look like, but I rarely find that photographs make me want to pick up a book to read it.

Our Secret - Siri Aang is a well-written, thoughtful and evocative book for young people. The Maasai girl in this story is full of energy and courage, even though the traditions in her life are beginning to clash with her new awareness. The author, Cristina Kessler, writes with insight, love and a huge talent.
Africa and the Maasai culture come alive in this story, woven into adventure and intrigue.

No matter where Kessler might be, when she writes of her beloved Africa, she is there. And so are we.

- Jacqueline Buie
Santa Cruz, CA

Our Secret is a powerful story of a Masai girl facing a web of dilemnas. Christina Kessler has the ability to mix intrique, cultural values, and strong yet not sentimental characters. This book relates an important tale of a culture that is rapildy changing.
The details of daily life in a Masai village will appeal to readers as well as the indentification with an adolescent girl who must make difficult decisions.
Adolescent readers will not feel pandered to by reading this book that makes the reader a better person.

This touching tale is a coming-of-age book about a twelve-year old Maasai girl, Namelok. It is set in today's Africa, where the Maasai face unwelcome changes imposed upon them by the outside world. Namelok is a mature and aware young woman who is unafraid to question the traditional ways. She is lured by the sights and sounds of the bush where she goes to gather firewood. One day she witnesses a black rhino giving birth. She whispers to the mother, "...let's call your beautiful baby Siri Aang, for that's what she shall be - Our Secret." Christina intertwines the theme of Namelok's protective stance toward the rhinos with the girl's maturing in a way that weaves a captivating story.

A book that bears more similarities to "Fiddler On the Roof" than (as I originally assumed) "Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind". After reading a certain number of children's books, a person runs the danger of becoming ever-so-slightly jaded. You start ticking of the cultures and countries covered. Have I read a tale of a nomadic child in the Cholistan Desert of modern day Pakistan? Check. How about a child in nineteenth century Southern Libya? Check. So when I saw this book about the contemporary trials of a girl living as a Maasai, I was already checking the title off in my head. I was not particularly heartened by the fact that this book had sat, untouched, in the New Books section of my library for a month or two. For all its good writing (which I will get to) this book sports a cover that kids do not readily gravitate towards. And this is a pity. Author Cristina Kessler is a far better author than most of the two-bit hacks out there, and as a Peace Corps volunteer, she knows from whence she writes. In "Our Secret, Siri Aang", we find that all human beings are complex characters with both good and bad inside of them. It just takes one girl to learn the hard way that her heroes may not be as perfect as they first appear.

A twelve-year-old girl in the Maasai culture will inevitably have a lot on her mind at all times. Namelok is no exception to this rule. Namelok carries with her the weight of a series of secrets, all exciting and all dangerous. First, she witnessed the birth of a baby black rhino in the bush, and has committed herself to the health and well-being of both the mama and the child. Second, her menstrual cycle has just begun, and she wants nothing to do with it. Menstruation can only mean an end to her childhood days and a fast circumcision (or "emuratare") before being married off to a man her father chooses. Third, she wants to learn from the village schoolteacher. This is expressly forbidden, not only because she is a girl but also because the Maasai do not believe such knowledge to have much use. All in all, the odds are stacked pretty squarely against Namelok. Then, one day, things get worse. Poachers are spotted in town. Her beloved older brother participates in a bit of foolishness that sets off a whole series of events. And when Namelok goes to visit her beloved rhinos, she sees vultures circling above. By the end, Namelok sets out on a quest to bring justice to the world and make her father see her as an equal and not just a young girl fighting to understand the world around her.

The book runs the slight danger of falling into the category of girl-refuses-an-arranged-marriage books (ala "Catherine Called Birdy" or the aforementioned "Shabanu") or the female-circumcision-in-children's-books camp (as with "No Laughter Here"). Fortunately, author Kessler avoids such trite topics. Namelok will have to deal with these problems later on down the line, but this tale is far more concerned with the ideas of change in a community and dying traditions. Our heroine's father fights the encroachment of unfamiliar ways and, in doing so, is led to a supremely foolish act. Readers of this book may not initially understand why it is so shameful for young Maasai warriors to pose for tourists' photographs for money, but the story eventually shows just how wrong the act can be. I loved that this was a book in which the heroine really does grow and mature before your eyes. I also loved that the ending left multiple strings hanging in the breeze. If "Our Secret, Siri Aang" were a more popular title, I would suspect that a sequel might be in the works somewhere. Alas, this is probably not the case.

Basically, this is a good title for those kids who want books with complex moralities. Where the world is not necessarily drawn into sections that are either black or white. At the same time, Kessler seems to have a firm grasp on Maasai culture and its people. You can put yourself completely into her hands as a writer without fear of any skimping on the details. All in all, the book takes an initially unrecognizable setting and puts the most human of faces onto it. A splendidly written piece of work.

Fantastic book Just what i needed to get ideas for the quilt i am making

This is a phenominal book! If you are even curious about fabrics and/or quilting from Africa, this is a must have. Beautiful photos and the quilts are terrific - A real treat!

A very good book which gives lots of new idea's. Wonderful patterns to follow and help with colour decisions. I can realy recomend it.

The quilts that are show in the "Quilt Africa" Book that I purhcased are truly masterful. The colors are rich and exquisite and I will be using some of the animals for my sons quilt. He has chosen the animals and footprints he wants and saw how they can be used in his quilt. This book is truly amazing.

The book deserves 5 stars for the photographs of the stunning Africa-inspired quilts, but 3 for the lousy directions. The first half of the book is a photgraphic display of artistic quilts, sure to inspire anyone. Many different styles of quilting, lots of applique, all featuring gorgeous African fabrics and motifs. The second half has directions for 12 different quilts. The photographs are excellent and most of the projects include a photographic close-up of part of the quilt. Some of the projects would be suitable for beginners, but the directions assume that you either have another source of information on how to quilt, are incomplete, or are incorrect. A number of quilts require applique, and the brief directions in the book are not sufficient. Some of the directions are totally incorrect--so read carefully and think through the project. Use the photographs as inspiration for your own design. The applique templates are great, so between the templates and the photographs, there is plenty to inspire you.

I've read a lot of motorcycle travel stories, and done sone travelling myself in africa on a motorcycle. But this story is a great novel and a great journey. Better than e.g. Jupiters Travels.

What a shockingly delightful and profoundly moving book! Not only is Bealby a highly accomplished adventure motorcyclist, he proves to be a most estimable writer -- call him Mathiessen on a motorcycle. I've read plenty of ham-handed motorcycle adventure accounts; this one is of the highest caliber, on par with Robert Fulton Jr.'s "One Man Caravan."

Bealby chronicles his heroic odyssey on a Yamaha Tenere through unforgiving regions of Africa with humility and gratitude. You'll find no chest-beating or tedious complaints here. The work is gorgeously written, richly textured, and acutely observant of both man and nature. Seductive, sensory, lyrical, and rhapsodic, this book immerses you in exotic -- even surreal -- territory with superb grace. Motorcyclist or not, you will revel in this awesome adventure.

Proving his literary virtuosity, Bealby expertly weaves the tragic tale of the death of his beloved Mel throughout his ultimately cathartic and redemptive account. A truly magical work. Buy it. Three cheers to Jonny Bealby!

There are many books in the motorcycle adventure travel genre, but few have been written by someone who is a good writer. Jonny Bealby does a great job of relating his journey across Africa from the northern deserts to the tropical jungles on a Yamaha Tenere with an appropriate mix of story telling, philosophy, and motorcycling. This book is the same league as "Obsessions Die Hard" by Ed Culberson in terms of adventure, entertainment and readability. Highly recommended for the armchair adventurer!

I have two main hobbies, off road motorcycling and reading, so when i bought RUNNING WITH THE MOON, i knew i was onto a winner and would enjoy it even before i had turned a page. From the tragic prologue to the epilogue after his incredible journey is over this book is a real rollercoaster of emotions (sorry about the cliche , but its true). You almost feel like you were there, and i wished i could have been to assist him when the bike got bogged down in thigh high water filled jungle tracks ,i know from experience what its like to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a broken down bike. But then again there is a BIG difference between the middle of nowhere in the Yorkshire Dales, and the middle of nowhere in the Congo!(no gorillas in Yorkshire!). I also wanted to buy him a drink to cheer him up when he was stood up in Cairo, although that did eventually have a happy outcome. Initially i bought this book because of my interest in motorcycles, but non bikers dont be put off, i can heartily recommend it to anyone with a sense of adventure. Excellent!

"Running with the Moon," an autobiography by JonnyBealby recounts the adventures of a man on a motorbike travellingthrough Africa in hopes of finding insights and answers to his lifeafter the sudden death of his fiance. What makes this book so notable is the fact that a journey of the sort undertaken by the author would be impossible in todays age due to the political state of the majority of African countries in the present. After the death of his fiance while travelling in Kashmir Jonny Bealby returns to an England which is not the same. Day to day life having changed into a struggle of lost hopes and loves. Challenged by this austere new world and compounded by his confusion he decides to undertake a journey across Africa apon a motorcycle. Accompanied by his best friend Neil, the two prepare for their journey and set off, a Yamaha Tenere under each...A fascinating insight into the beauty and sadness of a man who uncovers Africa for the reader and once again reclaims the peices of himself lost to him by past tragedies. Defianitely a must for the reader with a soft side for travel and adventure.

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.