Africa Books

Short, humorous stories make this an excellent read for adults and children. It gives insight into African culture from a young American couple.

My son spent 2 years in West Africa as a missionary so I purchased the book for his grandparents.
They enjoyed it so much they want to buy it for some of their friends. It gives insight into the life
of missionaries.

This a wonderful book about the joys and challenges of life as a missionary in West Africa. Having traveled to Togo and Benin, the author's stories were true to my experience and served as a nice reminder of our cultural differences. I especially appreciate the accessability of the book, the fine missionary prayer points and the invitation to engage the reader in God's mission in their life. I have been recommending this book to everyone I meet that may be interested in missionary life and West African culture.
Thank you Suzanne for a book that is sure to bless many people.

Great collections of adventures of a missionary family in Africa. Full of inspiring thoughts and humor and insights into the life of a missionary family.

Peter Dallman, a retired pediatric doctor and docent at Strybing Aboretum in San Francisco, California, spent many years
studying plants and traveling the world to see them where they grow in the Mediterranean climate areas of the world. Prof. Robert Ornduff, the late director of the Univ. of California Botanical Garden, encouraged him to write about these
plants and his travels. The result is a book giving the reader the best armchair picture of the vegetation of a very special part of the world.

This book falls into a category somewhere between botany, climatology, and geography; it looks at several different types of "mediterranean climate" around the world, and describes the different vegetational types within each region, explaining (in a scholarly but accessible way) why these plant communities look the way they do.

It's beautifully produced, with both climate maps and full-color illustrations of plants and plant communities. I know of no other book that explains the relationship between geography and botanical ecology this elegantly; it's a lot of fun to browse, and I would recommend it *very* highly to armchair travellers with botanical inclinations.

This book is great. It has plenty of pictures, diagrams and drawings. Most of the pictures are not in color, however, which is its biggest downfall. It is not a detailed evaluation of mediterranean climates nor is it a good plant ID book, but provides an excellent overview for both the layman and scientist. It provides informatin on the plants that make the mediterranean climate unique and the typical plant communities that are found in them. It is great for someone who doesn't want to get bogged down with individual species and wants to see how all the parts fit together. I first checked this book out of my local library and felt it would be such a good reference book for work, play and travel that I had to have it. The book uses the most scientific and inclusive use of the term Mediterranean which means you are going to get descriptions of plant communities from San Diego to Sacramento to San Francisco. For those of us that prefer the more exclusive definitions it may come as a shock that San Francisco and Sacramento could be considered mediterranean so I'm warning you now. I am currently using this book to help plan a trip to Australia as a supplement to Lonely Planet's travel guides. This book has inspired me to visit all the world's mediterranean climates at some point in my life and I'm not even a plant lover.

Peter Dallman's Plant Life In The World's Mediterranean Climates covers plants of California, Australia, South Africa and the Mediterranean, and will prove more accessible to general audiences studying plants. Here are photos, charts, and a host of details on plant communities and plant life common to this climate, with chapters providing both individual regional details and links between plants of each area. This is a highly recommended pick not just for specialty libraries, but for general collections.

This book was very informative about what to bring and expect on a safari. So much so that we went on a African Safari with the author Mark Ross this past summer. It was the trip of a lifetime and Mark Ross is brillant. It was truly the best trip ever.

Normally books on African predators are full of pictures with little text or the reverse. This book contains an excellent balance of both, wonderful photographs illustrating a very interestingly written text. I was very struck with the quality of the writing and how easy it was to navigate the book.
I was also pleased that the author is so knowledgeable about the habits of these animals, that he was able to debunk some of the more popular myths about the species.
The photography was first rate.... I was extermely pleased with my acquisition.

A great book for all to read who have either been or considering doing a safari in Africa.
I have made 2 trips to Africa, 8 weeks each time and found this book informative, you learn things you never actually stopped to notice or even think about!
Enjoy the read!

I originally purchased this book after skimming it in a store (the pictures sold me). However, after reading it I think it's likely one of the best books out there about African predators and would be really useful if one is planning a safari in Africa. The book is geared towards someone that is going on safari as it covers many aspects of the animal; all of which help to give the observer a better understanding of what they are seeing. Despite this leaning towards future observers the book would be interesting to anyone that is fascinated by the animals featured in it (leopards, cheetahs, lions, hyenas, and crocodiles). If you are like me and watch every show on TV about African predators (that was made within the last 7 years) then the book probably does not contain much that you have not heard before, but if you only have seen a few shows or done a little bit of reading then the book will contain some new information. If you are an African predator junkie then the pictures alone will make the purchase worth it. I also have to mention how well the book is organized and written. It's starts off with a typical day/s for the animal then goes into some of the biology and anatomy and then goes into behavior of the animal; all of which is very useful in understanding the animal and even more so if you are going to observe the animal in the wild. Also, in the reading useful tips are made about how to find and identify the predators. I only have two complaints. First, there is nothing about the African wild dog. I am assuming that this is due to their rarity and most people do not encounter them on safari. Second, I would like the book to have been longer (it's about 205 pages), but being realistic the book is a great deal (I would have easily paid over $40 for it) and if it wasn't such a good book 200 pages would have been way more than enough.

Overall, I don't think National Geographic could have done a better job. If you want an informative book that is realistic and contains some great realistic photos get this book. If you don't care about the reading and you want a book that just has pictures of the major African animals then consider "On This Earth: Photographs from East Africa" by Nick Brandt (I've looked at and liked both but bought "Predator....").

This novel, the second in the Children of Violence series, will be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone who first met Martha Quest in Doris Lessing's first novel of the series of the same name. This is a story about a young woman about to create her own life with her own family and home, but Martha's self-absorbed indecisiveness make for a character who refuses to do what is expected from her by family and community. Yet Martha is always viewed with compassion and loved by her reader even in her darkest moments.

A central theme of the novel, set during World War II, is Martha's determination not become her mother, or any of the domineering society mother figures of colonial South Africa, but as her own baby is born she sees that circle beginning to repeat itself and rebels with all her strength against the fear of a future filled with domesticity and garden parties. Martha's subsequent actions become the proverbial ripples in a pond as she fails to learn that now that she is adult her actions have long lasting consequences. Yet this is not a typical coming of age story.

By the end of the novel, Martha's stakes out her own path after having become involved with a fledging communist party and its colorful comrades who begin to play an increasingly important role in her life to fill the gap she has created by her rejection of the society in which she was raised and the family she has created.

Any fan of Doris Lessing or any student of history will thoroughly enjoy this novel. One of the richest features of this novel is Lessing's brilliance in the development of her characters whose personalities and idiosyncrasies will echo long after the reader has finished the novel. That said, I thoroughly recommend that the reader read Martha Quest before delving into this novel or other in the series. Only by reading the series in order can one truly understand the evolution of Martha's character and life path.

Doris Lessing is at her best showing the habits of the ruling classes in most african countries -- mainly during the times of Martha Quest's marriage, right before the beginning of the war.
This is the second book of The Children of the Violence series and, as the others, is impossible to put down before the end.

In Doris Lessing's second "Children of Violence" series *A Proper Marriage*, we discover that Martha, in marrying Douglas, becomes even more torn in her quest to attain full stature as a woman. Martha, in this story, not only has to reconcile her self to the causes she believes in, to her marriage with Douglas Knowell, and to motherhood, but also to the townspeople with whom she becomes entwined. Another delight of this novel for me is the way Lessing has Martha look at both individual and group dynamics throughout the story, providing seductively keen insight. Lessing's writing promises tension, suspense, and wonder for the engaged reader. *A Proper Marriage* sequels *Martha Quest* in which many of the delights in the first of the series continue on to the second, including the beautiful way Lessing mirrors Martha's interior life with the exotic and varied African natural and elemental landscape. I would recommed reading *Martha Quest* first in order to more fully appreciate *A Proper Marriage.*

Doris Lessing remains one of my favorite writers. I first fell in love with her work when I read The Golden Notebook in college, as you do. I'm still slowly working my way through her complete novels.

I really enjoyed Martha Quest, the first book in the Children of Violence. But I was deeply moved by A Proper Marriage. Take the bright young things of a Fitzgerald novel, give them sweat, hangovers and physicality and put them in a troubled country on the eve of a World War. If you can imagine that, then you have a little bit of an idea about A Proper Marriage.

There's something so smart and complicated about the way that Lessing develops Martha in this book. Her disaffection with the excesses of the left lead her into a middle class life, even as her sympathies lie elsewhere. Relationships, war, child-bearing and the colour bar are all woven together into a book that somehow manages to bear the weight of the themes while still givng the reader a very human tale.

Lessing is a simply amazing writer. She works with complex ideas and communicates them without simplifying. Her writing is always lovely and human. A Proper Marriage is one of the best examples of her work. I think that it adds richness if you begin with Martha Quest, but the book can stand on its own right.

Recommended both for fans of Lessing's work and people new to her work.

The story upon which this picture book is based changes depending on the locale--it might be a tiger in Indian tales or a bear, as I have heard it told in a Native American version. In all, the story is a tale of patience and love discovered, and Kurtz paints this theme beautifully in LION'S TAIL.

In this version, set in Ethiopia, the story is told from the point of view of a little girl who feels left out when her father takes a new wife. The girl gets advice from her grandfather, and thus the tale is set in motion. What sets this apart from the traditional tellings is the strong character development, as well as the point of view.

Cooper's expressive illustrations set the mood for the story setting, as well as the images of the characters, beautifully. With Kurtz's well written prose, illustrations are hardly necessary, but wonderful icing on the cake.

In this beautiful new version of a traditional Ethiopian folktale, it is young Almaz, the stepchild, who must earn the love she seeks from her stepmother through great patience. Jane Kurtz has created a story that transcends culture while transmitting a strong sense of place. Floyd Cooper's evocative oil paintings complement the text as they convey the strong emotions of the characters and the beauty of the countryside

I found this book to be very good and highly recommend it to teachers who have children from Ethiopia or any other African country in their classroom. They will find an appreciation for their country or continent in the reading of this story. Many times Americans tend to put down the African continent and dissolve it into stereotypes. Kids from Africa need support that where they come from is appreciated and that they are welcome in the US too.

My son (age 7) brought this book home from library day at school. We read it together and while I think the lesson of the story might have been lost on him, I don't believe it would be lost on children who face the difficulties of negotiating new mom's, dad's, foster parents, etc. I work with children that have emotional problems and the issue of acceptance (giving and getting) in step and foster families can be dealt with powerfully and sensitively with this book.

My wife and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading "Rescue." We have been so blessed and encouraged by all the lessons that Jean and Gene have learned and shared in that book. Jean is a gifted writer. We knew this already, having read her children's book "The Meaning of Christmas" to our daughter countless times. As pastor of the church where two of Jean's sisters are members, I deeply enjoyed "getting to know" Jean and her family more through reading this excellent book. I will be recommending it often to others. I have asked our church librarians to put my "Pastor's Picks" label on it for others to enjoy. Gene and Jean are truly heroes in the kingdom and we value their lives, ministries, and the brief moments of fellowship we have shared together.

Jean Phillips' book RESCUE not only was very interesting but it gave me a new perspective on life. I particularly appreciate the last chapter concerning trials and affictions. It was the most straight forward and easy-to-understand explanation I have come across.

The Phillips' journey of faith in Africa, which lasted over 40 years, is one that can be an encouragement to all. The watchcare of God over them, even in the midst of the Rhodesian Civil War and many other hazards, is a miracle. God honored their faithfulness with His faithfulness to them during their lifetime of service.

This book is, to put it simply, a record of one woman's walk of faith. It is a depiction of God's servants being repeatedly led into the "valley of the shadow of death" and experiencing divine deliverance.For those who consider foreign missions "pie in the sky" preaching to the heathen, this book will immediately disabuse them of such a misconception.As a teenage friend, college suite mate, and bridesmaid to the author, I have intimate knowlege of her early dedication to God and His calling in her life. This book is a lifelong record of her answer to that call.The comment has often been made that some Christians are "so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good". One of the most appealing facets of this book is the revelation of the oh-so-human emotions of the author and her husband, as they faced many hardships and even death while fulfilling the ministry to which God called them. She makes no attempt to hide nor deny these emotions, but reveals them to the reader, and in so doing shows us that by facing our humanity and turning it over to God, He is able use us to glorify His name, regardless of where our place of service may lie.The author presents to the reader not only the nitty-gritty aspects of day-to-day mission work, lived out with her husband over a period of more than 40 years, but also, the simple joy to be derived from seeing lives changed by God's working through His devoted servants.After many years, during which our paths took different directions, it was a blessing to recently renew our friendship and observe, first hand, how the many trials and tribulations the author and her family have endured have matured her faith and her love and acceptance of all God's creatures.

A Ripple From the Storm continues the Children of Violence series that began with Martha Quest: A Novel. I had honestly hoped that her well-deserved Nobel Prize for Literature would bring some more attention to this under-rated sequence of books. Sadly, from looking at the numbers on Amazon, that seems to be far from the case. Too bad. I write this review in the hopes that more people will pick it up.

Martha Quest is a privileged young white woman growing up in a fictional colonial country in Southern Africa. (Echoing Lessing's own upbringing in then-Rhodesia) The first book is a coming of age story (at least of a kind); the second (A Proper Marriage) tells the story of Martha's embrace and eventual rejection of the classic housewife role. This third book in the sequence tells the story of Martha attempting to find her way in local radical politics-- both as a white person and a woman.

Although all of the Children of Violence novels can ostensibly be read independently, I would think that this volume would be the most trying if you hadn't gotten to know Martha already in the first two books. The politics of the time seem so foolish and innocent and her abandonment of her child so callous, that she is very difficult to understand in these pages without backdrop. Those very elements are a lot of what make it so interesting for me. What I admire very much about this series is the unflinching way (that word gets used a lot, but I think that Lessing really deserves it here) she examines the intersection of race, gender, youth and politics in a setting that is fundamentally bad from the get-go. Whether it is the debates among the white communists as to whether they should work openly in the townships or whether it is Martha wryly commenting on the nearly permanently marginal role of the women within the communist party-- it is a fascinating discussion. If the first two books tell about the development of Martha's life, then this book treats the development of her mind. This all sounds very intellectual, but I found it quite moving. I flinched at her second marriage and the way that she seems to try to abandon herself in the name of ideals in which she can't quite honestly believe. It's a brilliant book, and a powerful look (much like Dostoevsky's Demons) or de Beauvoir's The Mandarins) at the evolution of political ideals as shaded a bit from the larger conflicts of the times.

I highly recommend the whole series, at least so far. Looking forward to Landlocked.

This woman!, I've named my daughter after her: DORIS

Trying to understand the mid-20th century? Race relations, facism, colonials, communism, sexual politics? Take a ride with Doris Lessing through her strange and fictional small town in southern Africa. This was probably my favorite book of the Children of Violence series, perhaps because in it, Martha actually takes some action. Admittedly, she and her friends are running around like rabbits and will never accomplish anything substantial in the field of race relations, but they're trying, desperately, as they marry the latest currents in European liberal thinking to the absurdities of colonial life.

Steal this book!

Lessing presents us here to a third (or forth) phase in the life of Martha Quest, a white woman in "Zambezia", a colonialist state in Africa. "children of violence" which consists the present book is a highly recommended series as a whole, but the whole is to be differentiated as the fifth book belongs to a different genre if to any existing one. the former books, this one included, on the other hand, make an important contribution to female bildungsroman, as Lessing tells us with what i heard to be a tone of apology, in the end of the fifth book. "a ripple in the storm", specifically, suggest some more categories. it faces us with a small comunist group in "Zambezia" through world war 2 which implies all the domain of questions from justice to power in its external and internal spheres, to the state of an individual inside a storm. the story is rich, clever, subtle. it leads us to the continuance of changing and growing of Martha (the author seems to hold a certain popular enough judgement of comunism as something to grow of personally and historically, though not without retaining something of it). it leads us there as if by ourselves. it's not that you want to be or feel yourself to be Martha, actually Martha is half hidden - to herself too - in the turbulence of activity, this is part of the story. it is that you can imagine your shade appearing there in the little rooms. another point,one gets a sad description of the status of women in an example of an ideologically egalitarian organization. this fact is made clear thoroghly by description. one might believe the author doesn't even know this fact (but of course, one shouldn't).

From Brown's perspective the Christianization and formation of Europe is the result of a process in which a deeply rooted Christian politic, looking outward from its mediterranean seat, gradually dispersed and emerged from within the tiny Roman sub-cultures, embedded throughout the northwestern frontiers, to establish micro-Christendoms that sucessively meshed together under aristocratic influence, martial conquest, sojourning holy men and missionaries, and the organization and education of the clergy. Brown also looks to the "East Roman Empire" where a more harmonized Christianity boldly sustained the invasions and dominion of the Muslims, and triumphantly struggled for orthodoxy under the Iconoclasts, Nestorians, and Monophysites to eventually convert the Russians, Bulgars, and Slavs. This work is definately a one of a kind, and an interesting and contributing effort to explain the rise of Christendom.

It is always a pleasure to read Prof. Brown's writing, prose so gracious that the author's remarkable erudition fades effortlessly into the background. What makes reading The Rise of Western Christendom particularly enjoyable (and educational) is the vast expanse of its theme. In about 350 pages, Brown guides the reader across a spectacular terrain through eight momentous centuries of transformation. With the easy touch of a consummate storyteller, Brown brings to life a cast of characters as remarkable as any novel while tracing the developments of the first millenium in Europe, the Near East, and even the Far East. The scope of the book gives Brown the opportunity to integrate themes that he has explored elsewhere into a composite survey of this age. It is a remarkable accomplishment.

Peter Brown is an excellent historian of early European and early Christian history. In addition to this book, he is author of one of the foremost biographical texts on Augustine, the major Western Christian figure of the first 1000 years after the Apostolic Age, as well as another historical reference book I use frequently, 'The World of Late Antiquity'. Brown is an excellent writer, clear and engaging, drawing the narrative to life for the reader.

One of the best features of this book, even though the title specifically speaks to the rise of Western Christianity, is that it does not treat Eastern Christianity as an afterthought or mere appendage onto the 'more important' Western history. While this book covers the period of time of the 'undivided' church (the years 200 - 1000 C.E.), in fact, as Brown demonstrates, the church was anything but uniform across the various political units and culturally diverse regions.

In Brown's narrative, there are two primary Empires of concern, and not the traditional Western and Eastern Roman Empires, but rather the Roman Empire (as a whole), and the Persian Empire. Christianity flourished in Egypt, throughout the region of the Fertile Crescent, in Asia minor, and along the trade routes into the Far East and the Indian subcontinent. Because these strands of Christianity did not lead to the Western Catholic and Protestant church, they tend to be overlooked by Western historians and students. However, they formed the basis of the greater Eastern Orthodox church, which spread Christianity through Eastern Europe and Russia, a force that may begin to grow again on the world stage of Christianity.

Brown also traces the rise of Western Christianity, not in lock-step manner as focussed upon an all-powerful Rome, but rather as a continuing process of give and take between various powerful centres of political and intellectual life, which include the Celtic influence in church survival, the 'frontier' churches in Britain, Germany, and the Carolingian consolidation. The rise of the church in former imperial lands was more assured, but the frontiers lands still had powerful systems of legend and mythology -- the Britons had monsters like Grendel (of Beowulf), the Germans and Scandanavians sharing such and similar stories. The amalgamation of popular culture (priests would 'cast spells' and perform old fertility rites, using updated Christo-centric wording) into the church's missionary framework set the stage for later diversities to re-emerge.

Brown's text shows how different the Western Church is from the Eastern Church (for which it is important to develop an idea of the Eastern Church), both in development and in outlook. This is a broad survey -- within any text that covers a thousand-year time span, the author must be selective in choosing relevant events and personalities. Brown does a good job at tracing the primary history with enough detail to keep it lively. Brown concludes with select bibliographies divided by chapter topic, various chronologies of key groups, and a good index.

This book is one of those extremely rare achievements - a work of broad and learned scholarship which is easy to read. In fact it is more than easy, it is so fascinating and so perfectly written that I could hardly force myself to stop when I had to. It is a work of secular and religious history, of course, but it gave me in addition a sense of how people actually lived in the ancient world, an experience that only a truly great scholar could give. I recommend this book to anyone who has the faintest interest in what happenmed in the early centuries of the Christian Era, religious or otherwise.

This is the most entertaining and at the same time interesting book I read on the exploration/exploitation of Africa. In the beginning I thought I would read a book on the river Congo, but it turned out that it was much more than that: It gives you the background to the main events since early times. So it covers the geography and the historical setting. Recommended for any vacation.

This book is one of the best history lessons of Africa I have ever had. It taught me more about Africa than I would have learned in any one semester course - from the early navigational schools of the Portugese and the inability of early sailing ships to tack and sail south, to Stanley and Livingston (whom I had always thought to be a missionary and not the explorer he is portayed as in this book) and on to Leopold's desire to carve his own little fiefdom, the Belgian Congo, which not even the Belgians wanted. For anyone wanting to educate themselves on the history of Africa this is a must read - educational, erudite, and well written.

"The River Congo: The Discovery, Exploration and Exploitation of the World's Most Dramatic River" by Peter Forbath was intended to follow Alan Moorehead's two excellent books, "The White Nile" and the "Blue Nile." Indeed, Forbath has done an admirable job in this regard. The human association with this river, often witness to horrible blood baths (including those still in progress) is minutely documented here up to the mid 1960s, from the first exploration of the West African coast and the discovery of the mouth of the Congo by the Portuguese explorer Diogo Cao in 1482 to the immediate aftermath to independence- the Simba uprising.

In all, the Congo River (called the Zaire for a time and now renamed the Congo) witnessed some of the bloodiest wars and genocides in recent history. Brought on to a large degree by the early slave trade, later misrule and cruelty under King Leopold (think "Heart of Darkness"), and benign neglect from Belgium after Leopold, the Congo still suffers from man's inhumanity to man to the present day. Yet at the same time the Congo is one of the mightiest of rivers and its basin encompasses some of the most biodiverse regions on earth, aside from the Amazon.

Forbath, once a foreign correspondent, has written a classic and definitive history of a great tropical river, whose very name "Congo" evokes a dangerous and exotic imagery.

If anyone would like to understand why the Congo has such a dark reputation, this is the book to read.

I really enjoyed this book, which is a very well balanced compendium of history, geography and adventure. Mr. Forbath achieves a perfectly consistent presentation of a complex subject matter that conveys a lot more than just the tale of a river. Mr. Forbath wisely retraces the historical feats back to their very origin in a wider than local perspective which provides the curious reader with sound extra insights of the history of Africa after its 'discovery' by the europeans. Besides, the 'adventure & exploration' side of the book is simply compelling.

So, whether you're looking for a historical introduction to Central Africa (not just Congo), or an account of its exploration by the europeans, or both at once, do read this book.

Note: The edition in Spanish, which I read, was enhanced by an addendum updating Zaire's recent history since its independence to this day.

A reclusive elderly widow (based on the late Helen Martins, whose South African home is now a museum) has created her own "Mecca" by decorating the inside of her home with candles and mirrors and by surrounding the house with an assortment of personally-sculpted mermaids, wisemen, peacocks and pyramids. Although her neighbors view Miss Helen as a crazy old woman, she has made friends with Elsa Barlow, a young teacher who has returned for a surprise visit. On that same day, clergyman Marius Byleveld has come to help Helen apply to a nursing home. Marius is fond of Helen and fears for her safety. Elsa is in opposition to a move as it would take Helen away from her art.

I was originally concerned that a drama focusing on an old woman's artwork would not translate well to a listening experience. How could I care as deeply about Miss Helen if I was not able to see the oddball sculptures she had created? Surely the vision of "a city of light and color more splendid than anything I had ever imagined" could not be adequately transmitted through the speakers of my tape player. I need not have worried. One of my favorite parts of the entirely wonderful listen remains the moment when Helen lights her room with candles -- music comes up and there is absolutely no problem seeing a room aglow in a growing light of imagination and art. Adding to the experience is a superb cast performing a well-written examination of what it means to be an artist, what it means to be older, and what it means to be shunned. Fabulous!

Excellent recording quality, an interesting listen.

The Road to Mecca is a crucible for Miss Helen, the seemingly strange, eccentric widower holed up on her bizarre property in rural New Bethesda, South Africa. She is clearly different, as evidenced by her many sculptures and odd creations surrounding her house, which unto itself holds a myriad of eccentric charms.
She comes to odds when Elsa, a young woman committed to Helen surprisingly appears at her door and discovers Helen on the verge of giving up on life. Elsa's staunch commitment to Helen's unique beauty conflicts with Dominee Marius', a local preacher who stands on the side of the patronizing, yet caring Christian community.
The play is dynamic in it's a)exposure of isolated aging, b)Elsa's youthful/urban attitude vs. Helen's elderly/rural one, c)soul crushing Christian convalescence vs. a spirited iconoclastic artistic home, d)characteristics of artistic inspiration, e)creativity's essential place in daily life, f) the long journey of self discovery, among others.
A powerful conclusion as well demonstrates Fugard's unbound compassion and empathy for spirited life under South Africa's skies.

Home sweet home: a place of love, refuge, and memories. For Helen Martin's it was also her life, her work and her Mecca. In the play "The Road to Mecca" Athol Fugard explores the question: Should we leave our Mecca, our spiritual fountainhead, when we can no longer take care of ourselves? The conflict between the three strong willed characters Helen, Elsa and Pastor Marius explores the question in the light of different religions, cultures, genders, ages and environments. Fugard said the play was suggested by the life and work of Helen Martins of New Bathesda, South Africa. The real Helen from age 50 to 75 transformed her house into a personal universe that enters the realm of archetype, symbol and metaphor. The house, furniture, windows and walls became a kaleidoscope of colored glass. In her garden she constructed over 200 figures: owls, Biblical figures, Buddhas, and ancient gods and goddesses. One South African scholar described her work as one of the most stirring experiences of his life and another called her one of South Africa's artistic geniuses. Fugard in his play shows Helen's creations as a glorious, makeshift oasis of creativity and life force and Elsa, his character, sees Helen as an example of freedom and transcendence. One powerful scene is when Helen, seated in her Mecca with dozens of candles playing off glittered walls and mirrors, tells Pastor Marius "I can't reduce my world to a few ornaments in a small room in an old-age home." The effect is stunning. The play is thought provoking and gives few answers. Helen is alive when it ends. Sadly, in 1975, the real Helen committed suicide. She drank caustic soda and died after three days I solitary agony. Her will included complex instructions listing in detail the ritual disposal of each of her sculptures. But today her home, known as "The Owl House" has been proclaimed a national monument and is a mecca for artists and tourists.