Africa Books

There is so much to say that I will have to force myself to be brief.

I tend to speed read my way through books but Crossroads 1969 demanded my time and I was glad to give it. This is the type of book that should be read more widely and maybe, through more exposure for the author in Amazon Shorts, it will be. Reading it reminded me that there are probably more John Cassells out there who, with one simple break, could be acknowledged as some of the great writers of our time.

John Cassell describes Crossroads as 'based on a true story' and his decriptions of people and events are so real, so 'in the moment', that he most certainly must have experienced them first hand. That said, it is one thing to experience a person or event and quite another to put it down on paper in a manner that gives the reader a sense of having watched it happen. That is Mr. Cassell's true gift. The people who populate the pages of Crossroads, from the drunk singing his own interpretation of "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling", to the centred and sensible Marcie, to the the bribable Spanish customs official, are so well described that I felt like I had just watched a movie instead of reading a book.

I am grateful to Amazon Shorts for providing a forum for my short stories but I am equally grateful that being there allowed me to make the acquaintance of John and other fine writers. Without the Shorts program, Crossroads 1969 would never have found me and I would have missed something truly worth the reading.

Brother John, I kid you not when I say that this is a wonderful book. Well done and five stars!

>> I'd already begun the battle to secure a berth for myself in a seminary at Berkeley, having submitted the necessary applications and labored over the essay which was supposed to explain in detail why I wanted to become an Anglican priest. All my friends and family had their own ideas on the subject, ranging from the worst reasons to the best. Mine, I am afraid, would have probably surprised them all and could never have been included in the essay. In truth, I was looking for a dream world to inhabit, a small country parish in the west of England where I could write scholarly theological works, drink scotch, and go prematurely senile minding a turnip garden. <<

For me, there's no substitute for reading a passage of the author's own words, to get a sense of whether you'd want to read a book. For that reason, I often quote a passage from the book I'm reviewing, isolating a segment which exposes some of the most compelling or life-filled word usage. One of the many possible prime quotes of John W. Cassell's syntax in CROSSROADS: 1969, the above passage gives a feel for this author's rich, clear voice. That quote can be found in both CR: 69 and SOLDIER OF AQUARIUS.

When I read that passage, I was already pulling for this warm, intelligent, spirited young man to succeed in living in that dream world, even though I feared that reality of pure scholarly theology might not even exist within the darkened political arenas of religious sanctuaries, except in a few very isolated, monkish cases. I wanted that world to exist, if only for John Cassell to be able to cloister himself into that dreamed type of sacred luxury of religious ecstasy and intrigue.

But, as the novel's plot developed and I saw how John was blocked from entry into that dream world, it was too clear that another world and path awaited this young man's footprints. It didn't take long before the author Cassell's words immersed the reader into subcultures of different paths and possibilities, each disallowed or road-forked-way for various reasons. Each time I fully shared John's disappointments, as I admired his ways of moving ever onward into whatever experiences he lived, through nightmares and joys, catastrophes and raptures, empty spaces and intrigues.

One thing John's life and his books do not provide is any whiff or hint of boredom. Enthrallment is in there, for keeps!

In this case, the enthrallment was not only through a philosophical journey with fascinating directional changes (as intriguing as those in the Tin Man's Quantum Leap out of the Kansas of his heroine's childhood); it's the most unusual travelogue you'll ever read on a USA citizen touring Europe and North Africa in more intimate ways than possible through friends who "live there"... and with less (almost equal) means than it would take to buy a Kindle Reader. Kindle: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device (John's novels are available through Kindle, too.)

I recommend taking the journeys through Cassell's novels, either in physical book form, and/or through Kindle. Eventually, I'll own both/all forms of this pioneering author's works now forming their place within The Classic Literature of the Next Age.

CROSSROADS: 1969 may be my favorite of JWC's novels listed below, though now that SOLDIER OF AQUARIUS: 1969-1970 is out, that would be my favorite of those two, because that is where this saga of a series is seeded, and because my blurb is included in the opening quotes from, "What other writers are saying about John W. Cassell."

There are a few logical ways to approach a step into reading the sequential counterculture novels of John W. Cassell:

-- One is to begin with CROSSROADS: 1969 (published 2005) and follow that with AN AQUARIAN TRAGEDY: 1970 (published 2006 under pseudonym James Mundell). An Aquarian Tragedy

-- Another is to begin with SOLDIER OF AQUARIUS (published November, 2007) Soldier of Aquarius: 1969-1970 SoA is a compilation of the two above novels; the two component novels were formatted for each other in their original united state.

After reading the pair of books (CR & AAT) or the original manuscript which had both of those novels in one (SoA), the road fork would offer:

-- ODYSSEY: 1970 Odyssey: 1970

That novel gives a brief summary of CR, then covers the plot of AAT with a few chapters added to extend the protagonist's experiences through the whole year of '70, the effect of which broadens the view (through the expanded time structure and interjected research of major, news-breaking events) of what Cassell calls the Counterculture movement, with its multi-angle-motivations (realistically exposing dark and bright). Whereas CR & AAT focus on an individual's personal perspective of how he reacted to and worked within and through those timeframes; ODYSSEY presents a broader cultural perspective, looking outward into the world as well as inward into the psychological, sociological impositions and enhancements of the same individual.

The author's suggestion is to read CR:69 + Odyssey:1970... or S of A.

Then, the sequence would be as follows:

-- HELL'S QUEST: 1971 Hell's Quest: 1971

This novel continues from the base of either of the above alternatives, through the same protagonist, based on the author himself. In HQ, however, the author adds extensive (and fascinating) fictionalized elements to some of his biographical base, whereas the other novels listed above are based strongly on autobiographical realities.

-- DEVILLIER'S COUNTRY BLUES: 1972 DeVilliers County Blues: 1972

This novel continues where HQ leaves off, including the addition of fictionalized elements into a biographical basis, with the balance of fiction continuing to increase.

-- UNCERTAIN PARADISE: 1973: Part 1 (Release scheduled for late December, 2007)

This novel continues where DCB leaves off, with the balance of fiction again increasing. This novel is a satisfying read in itself, even if Part 2 does not materialize. However, you will be wanting more of JWC's novels, no matter what books you read first.

Take time to visit our discussion forum in the Amazon Shorts category, "A toast to John Cassell's novel, "HELL'S QUEST: 1971, an ongoing commentary."

That forum title has evolved well beyond a seminar on writing within a successful story format, for short pieces, novels, or sequencing sagas; yet in its evolution that forum has remained carefully focused on highly informative concepts related to writing while using Cassell's works as the baseline for comment. If you're at all interested in an X-ray view of "authorship-in-progress" or completion of Nobel Prize worthy literature, you'll feel satisfied with what you'll find there. Maybe the best part is that many of those contributing to that forum are still alive and writing... though a few quickened characters, ghosts, and poltergeists did and do apply!

From your friendly, local (on Amazon) parapsychologist,
Linda G. Shelnutt
Morning Comes: the Pre Dawn Blues - Part 1

Review of John W. Cassell's "Crossroads: 1969" (Once, We Were Young) - By Jack Engelhard

John W. Cassell traveled to Europe in search of America and to understand this it helps to be a Child of the 60s -though in a sense we are all Children of the 60s since the art, the music, the literature and even the politics of that era, all of it is still very much alive. In "Crossroads: 1969," Cassell' uses a bio-novel technique to recover the past - the second half the 1960s and into the 1970s - and the result is a masterful rendering of an era.

In trying to find America, through the backroads and the highways of Europe, Cassell was obviously trying to find himself as well, and this no one ever achieves, something nearing perfection, but it's the pursuit itself that makes for an exhilarating adventure; in this case, Cassell's adventure, wherein he introduces us to new landscapes and new people, and we never know, until we turn the page, who might be waiting for him around the next corner.

Cassell writes it straight and his most noticeable skill is in his ability to take us with him wherever he goes. We're with him when a friend turns into an enemy and we're with him when strangers turn into friends and we're with him when at any moment he could be arrested by the French police or the Spanish police - or the dreaded ESTABLISHMENT.

We understand his shyness toward women at a time when women were getting bolder. This took some of us off stride.

This is all about being young and the 1960s were about many things, but mostly about being young. America, during that period, was going through the symptoms of birthing, or rather, renewal. America was trying to figure out exactly what kind of nation it wanted to be. Therefore, there was that, the Establishment, and then there was the counterculture.

Like so many of us, Cassell found himself caught in the middle. Lucky for us that he turned to writing to share the excitement of a nation and a man still unfinished.

The adventure continues.

Today, the lines are much more clear-cut. You're left or you're right. Back then, we were still trying to make up our minds.

The 1960s were the defining decade of a generation. But which America was the correct one for us?

Cassell doesn't lecture or pontificate. He only observes and lets us, his readers, arrive at the conclusions. That's what we call good writing, and as so often happens in this bio-novel - great writing. There are so many nuggets to choose from here, but Cassell pretty much puts his finger on what the 1960s were all about when he writes: "The future was certainly ours - there was nothing but time. Yet there was not a moment to lose."

What a beautiful snapshot! Yes, we knew that at this moment the decade belonged to us, we were all in revolt, and yet we recognized that at any moment it could all be over. Vietnam was happening, after all, and the cities were burning, and everybody, it seemed, had issues, so we knew that it could not last. How long could we continue to protest when at some point we'd actually have to raise a family and earn a living? We'd have to cut our hair and most likely join a corporation - the Establishment.

One day we would have to grow up.

Cassell did grow up and what an incredible bio he developed over the years, much too long and storied to repeat here, except to note that out of all that, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, served as a New Mexico State Trooper, and also served as a district attorney - but that only touches on his many achievements.

His greatest achievement, though, as far as this reviewer is concerned, is in reminding us that once upon a time we were young. Once upon a time everything was possible.

Maybe such a time will come round again.

Bravo, John W. Cassell!

Jack Engelhard's latest novel, "The Bathsheba Deadline," is now available in paperback. Engelhard wrote the international bestselling novel "Indecent Proposal."

John W. Cassell is an author of extraordinary talent. His descriptive style, wit and smooth prose take you along on his journey, which is not only interesting, but captures the imagination and takes one to boundless territories.

If you never read any of John W. Cassell's work, you have missed more than just a little. You have missed adventure, excitement, romance, and wonderful trips, journeys, where you feel, almost believe, you are there with him sharing his sometimes wild, sometimes hair-raising, and often just plain fun adventures. Definitely five stars for this very, very talented writer.

John's story begins in his teens, and probably long before, where he is searching for something better than what he is accustomed. Disillusioned and with a certain sense of emptiness, he decides to embark upon that quest. He doesn't want to consider graduate school, as is strongly suggested. Instead, he wants to travel to Europe and soon has a passport. However, John and his friend Chris work for several months, while John is saving up money for his journey.

Following months of hard labor, John finally finds himself on his mother's porch, saying goodbye to his mother and brother, Barry. Mixed with the excitement of what may lie ahead, is fear and apprehension. Still, this is something he has to do.

In England, John is stunned when he learns that his acceptance into King's College, London was a mistake. It had been believed that it was his brother Barry who had applied. Once more, John feels the pain of humiliation from his childhhod that he'd fought against for years to overcome.

John enjoys the wonderful meals of England, but when he travels to France, he finds the bread really good and the coffee very bitter. And he finds he has difficulty chewing the delicious bread and believes it is a molar problem, but later comes to realize it is much more serious.

John makes many friends, some strange, some mysterious and some really close, male and female alike. He travels a good deal by bicycle, often taking daring chances, entering tunnels where he could find himself approaching head-on with a car or truck. Picking apples from orchards in France and nearly getting killed, along with his French friend, who is something of an enigma, but he doesn't remain that way for long. John soon gets one of the biggest surprises of his life.

In Spain, John finds the people a little warmer and friendlier than some he has encountered on his trek, and his knowledge of Spanish is a definite plus, not only for himself, but for friends he makes along the way. However, he realizes that he must return home, one of the main reasons being his health.

At one point, he ends up getting arrested due to a misunderstanding. He realizes that no one who ever cared about him even knows what continent he is on. In this hell of a prison, he is beaten and bruised and receives a rifle jabbed at shoulder length into his spine. Then, just when he believes he is at death's door, he is suddenly assisted in cleaning up and finds himself a free man once more. But, for how long, he is not sure. He realizes though, that in spite of everything that has transpired, he has met some kind people.

At last, he turns back for home and finds himself at Victoria Station in London, England, anticipating a previously arranged meeting with Marcie, a young woman he met earlier on. He loses grip with himself on a train, and the conductor brings a Doctor Cordova in to check him out. Doctor Cordova proves to be a kind and sympathetic person. This is where it is discovered that John may have a very serious infection in his mouth, but the doctor, though very concerned, has no antibiotics. He makes John promise to get the problem taken care of as soon as possible. John manages to connect back with Marcie and soon makes his way back home, but he is a changed man, much wiser and more appreciative of what he has.

This is only a bare sketch, if you will, a short synopsis of a great - and I emphasize great - book. A journey of a young man. A must read! It is educational, entertaining, gripping, riveting, sometimes frightening and definitely inspiring. No less than five stars. There should be ten!

Wow. This book got my attention from the very beginning. The Darkside of Debonair entertains the subject of bushmeat and the practice of poachers in Africa. This book was action packed. It shows the greed of man, friendships, romance and amazing animals. The Author had a way of making you feel like you were there in Africa. You could feel the physical and emotional pain, the fear of the characters involved and the heat of the countryside along with the beauty. Some of the scenes were graphic and others made you laugh. I couldn't put the book down. I Have recommended this book to my bookclub and many others.

This book was very good. Once I started it, I could not put it
down. I felt as if I was right there at the scene , or like I \
was watching a film. I can't even imagine the work the author,
must have done to come up with the information in it. I
definitely learned a lot about the bushmeat issue, and just
how the poachers actually operate. What I enjoyed most ,
was the characters , and how real they were. I found myself, sometimes on the edge of my seat with the action involved
in the book. The guys would also love the adventure , and the references to the types of guns used and calipers, and the facts were so real. Enjoyed the romance too!

I loved the book so much that I recommened it to my bookclub for their monthly selection. We chose this book for January. I look forward to our discussions generated by this book. Wilbur Smith is one of favorite authors and Barbara Davis has found his formula for intrigue, romance, and adventure mixed with a liberal dose of reality. I will be anxiously awaiting her next book.

I read many books set in Africa, but prefer a setting in South Africa. This book is set in Kenya and that is fine with me. I enjoyed the education I received from reading this novel. Barb did a splendid job of making us aware of the bushmeat trade and its associated atrocities. The storyline is interesting. The setting is beautiful. The lessons important. Overall the book is a great read. I look forward to Barb's next novel. I would recommend this book to anybody, not simply those who already enjoy reading novels of Africa.

As a hunter who visits Africa yearly, I am always skeptical to see an action/adventure book based in Africa that is written by a woman. I heard a radio interview with the author and I was intrigued and I must admit, she knows her subjects! The hunting scenes, the culture, the animal's behavior are spot-on! The story flowed from the first chapter, and held my attention non-stop to the end. I'm most impressed how and why the author used a current event like the bushmeat industry as a backdrop. I found it very interesting. This lady has one heck of a imagination too! Some of the scenes are gruesome and real, and others made me chuckle. I enjoyed the way the chimp, dog and elephant became important characters that I cared about. I highly recommend this book, whether you are a hunter or not. It's a real thrill!!

When we were at Ft Ord with the 7th Infantry Division and
D Company, 7th Combat Aviation Battalion, from 1981 through 1984.

Colonel Casper was a consumate leader in all regards, and if I had a chance to serve with him again, I would not hesitate one moment.

Finally! A great book written about 2 events of military history that I was a part of. Col. Casper tells my tale from a commanders perspective in a straight, to the point fashion. This book is 100% proof of the great care that the military commanders have for their soldiers. There wasn't a decision made that didn't involve or address the issues of soldier safety. Although, I never understood the military decision making process then (I was a buck private), I certainly have to give my respects to people such as Col. Casper, who always thought of the troops. The book is well written, at a nice pace(It doesn't stagnate or wander off), and is a MUST read for any and all people who lead soldiers in the military. From the young NCO to the brass, this book is an invaluable training tool.

Outstanding! Well written insights from the man who lived it. The leadership knowledge shared is valuable for military and civilian alike. Colonel Caspers military training was tested to the core as he takes command of the Falcon Brigade already deployed in Somalia. The Colonel and his soldiers quickly find themselves in the thick of it. He shares many leadership lessons learned over 25+ years of service and how he uses those lessons in critical situations. He shows us the good, the bad and the ugly without holding back. Personal stories and thoughts intwined with the facts make this a great read that accurately records historic events and grabs your attention. I couldn't wait to get to the next page. Well done!

This is an outstanding book to have in one's library if you have an interest on American military involvements. COL Casper book is well written and you get to see the picture of what happened not only from a soldiers perspective but from a BRIGADE COMMANDERS view. A must for any soldier or military historian.

I have six years experience in the U.S. Army, in light infantry, special forces and as a linguist (translating Haitian Creole, amongst other languages). I have worked with and flown in most of the helicopters mentioned in Falcon Brigade. Col. (ret) Casper did an excellent job discussing attack helicopter fire support to MOUT and staff operations for a joint/multinational task force. I especially liked his discussion of using hand-drawn sketches of the cityscape for controlling close air support and the use of snipers in helicopters for counter battery fire against mortars and his account of flag- and cabinet-level politics.

However, although quite a bit could have changed between 1992, when the events in Falcon Brigade occurred, and 1995, when I joined, it seemed obvious that Col. Casper was "not read in" (one of Col. Casper's favorite turns of phrase in this book) to special operations: his familiarity extended only as far as necessary for him to provide helicopter support. For example, his few references to SOF in Haiti usually evolve around his use of his helicopters for their re-supply. The further you get from the helicopter, the more sketchy his knowledge becomes: on pg 35 he claims soldiers are "attached" to the rope when fast roping. As someone who has fast roped, I can tell you that there was nothing attaching me to the rope except my steely grip. (although fast roping is done from a helicopter, these were SOAR helicopters and not under Col. Casper's control)

I enjoyed Col. Casper's discussion of clan geopolitics in Somalia. On the U.S. side, he does show insight (but does not elaborate) into U.S. foreign policy as far as it relates to the role of the U.S. military at the flag officer and cabinet level. The description of garrison life was also interesting. It seemed that Col. Casper had a few axes to grind with some of the generals who (mis)managed the campaign in Somalia. Unlike SOF and ground combat, Col. Casper seemed well acquainted with problems at the flag level. I just wish that he hadn't pulled his punches the way I have a feeling that he did.

I was put off, though, by Col. Casper's annoying use of the word 'crony.' According to Col. Casper, the "Crony" clan must be the largest and most prestigious clan in Somalia: every important Somali in the book is surrounded by Cronies. Why is it that Americans have assistants, aides, XO's, etc., but Somalis only have cronies? And, why is it wrong for Somalis to get through battle chewing khat, but not wrong for Rangers to get through battle chewing Skoal? Why the double standard?

Unfortunately, Col. Casper's description of Haiti and the Haitian people was rather ignorant. The Crony clan seems to be equally widespread and well placed in Haiti: every Haitian leader has the perequisite entourage of cronies. I'd really like to get 'read in' to this Crony clan! Then, on pg 201 he claims Port-au-Prince is a city of 1 million, but on pg 208 the population suddenly grows to 2 million. Either Port-au-Prince experienced some pretty intense activity nine months previously, or there is a mistake here.

His description of Voodoo on page 209 shows the typical American condescension for this religion. Why is Catholicism capitalized but "voodoo" is in lower case? Why is Catholicism acknowledged as a religion but Voodoo is just "magic"? Why do Catholics pray and Voodoo adherents 'cast spells'? Contrary to his claim that Voodoo lacks theology or clergy, Voodoo has a very well developed pantheon (the Loas) and clergy (the Hougans). Then, on page 221, Col. Casper claims that clairin, an alcoholic beverage, is the national drink and the 'sole pleasure' of the Haitian peasant's life. This is a rather skewed and unwarranted representation of the Haitian peasant. Why the double standard? I believe American per capita consumption of beer is far greated that Haitian per capita consumption of clairin, but I would certainly object to America being characterized as a nation of beer-swillers. If we are to believe Col. Casper, then it may have been a hiccup in the clairin supply that led to the sudden increase in population noted above.

On a more serious note, I believe that, regardless of military might, any U.S. peace keeping operation is doomed to failure unless Americans acquire a knowledge of the local people beyond the bare minimum necessary for combat operations. If we knew the people better we probably wouldn't have to fight them. As Col. Casper noted, U.A.E. had good rapport with locals and were able to accomplish the same tasks that severely tasked American military ability peacefully. Col. Casper's stereotypes of Somalis and Haitians as of khat-chewing, clairin-drinking, spell-casting, cronies will not help to establish that rapport.

Seeing as this book is entitled 'Falcon Brigade: Combat and Command in Somalia and Haiti,' I expected a balanced account of the U.S. involvement in Haiti (and Somalia) tempered by Col. Casper's personal experiences. Unfortunately, the account was largely about helicopters and I didn't find a lot of detail on Somalia or Haiti beyond what was visible from the door of Col. Casper's hooch or through NVGs from Col. Casper's cockpit at night. If you can't get enough 'Black Hawk Down' and are already 'read in' to the special forces portion, this may be the book for you. Stylistically, this is an enjoyable page turner with little complexity to slow you down. However, if you want true grit on the situation in Haiti or Somalia, this book may be somewhat of a pricey disappointment.

The combination of colours and language throughout this book creates an effect missing from many on the children's market. This sort of promotion of cultural diversity is needed in the West.

I thought this story was very intresting,It used a lot of adjectives,which would help children a lot with thier school work.I liked the part when the rich man was insulted and was shouting"How dare any-one in my village isult me!".But I didn't like the beging because it didn't catch my attention that much!

I thought this story was very intresting,It used a lot of adjectives,which would help children a lot with thier school work.I liked the part when the rich man was insulted and was shouting"How dare any-one in my village isult me!".But I didn't like the beging because it didn't catch my attention that much!

I think Mamo on the mountain was a good story because the rich man learned his lesson and there were lots of detail in it and finally it was a happy ending and I love happy endings. In school we have been doing some work on Mamo on the mountain and I have enjoyed it. We have been writing stories and been doing differences and similarities. Example in Ethiopia they have the same animals that we do like cows and sheep. Ethiopia is the place where they lived. Well anyway the story is brilliant.

I think Mamo on the mountain was a good story because the rich man learned his lesson and there were lots of detail in it and finally it was a happy ending and I love happy endings. In school we have been doing some work on Mamo on the mountain and I have enjoyed it. We have been writing stories and been doing differences and similarities. Example in Ethiopia they have the same animals that we do like cows and sheep. Ethiopia is the place where they lived. Well anyway the story is brilliant.

Having experienced the power and wisdom of traditional African healers, I was glad to see that Yaya took great efforts to convey the potency derived from following ancient traditions. His life story, like many other traditionalists living in the west, is one that is inspiring given all the efforts he and his tribal elders make to keep their old ways alive in the face of pressures to modernize.

As a student of cross-cultural and shamanic traditions I found this book provides clarity into the use of music and sound for enhancing and stimulating healing, as well as the need to gain sufficient mastery before using this healing modality.

"The Healing Drum: African Wisdom teachings" by YaYa Diallo and Mitchell Hall offers an introspective view into the Minianka culture of Mali. As an African-American student, this book helped me to understand a lot about myself. For example, YaYa explains that in his culture, musicians have a responsibility for the affect that the music has on it's listeners. "In my culture, art is allied with morality." (94)We in the West have debated the issue of the artist's responsibility for some time now. As an aspiring actress and writer, my belief has always been that we have are responsible for the messages we send through our art. YaYa explains that music can not only heal, but also can hurt. This is evident in the complacent attitude of many of today's rap artists and it's consumers. YaYa also expounds on some of the differences between the value of time and structure in Minanka culture vs. the same concept in the West. Understanding this element of an African culture allowed me to realize that I am not as crazy as many of my peers and professsors would have me to believe. YaYa's description of the late-night festivals helped me to understand why I can stay up all night and sleep all day sometimes.
I was offended by one review which stated that YaYa's book describes Minankas as drug addicts. His description of the Minianka's use of herbs and medicines to heal is no different or worse than the Western philosophy of popping pills to make troubles disappear, i.e, prozac, ridalin, sleeping pills, etc. YaYa also emphasizes the importance of music in the healing process, and his descriptions of instances in which music was used to heal in his culture are both moving and sincere.
In light of American's recent "liberation" of Iraq, it was also interesting to read YaYa's description of the French colonization of Mali. "The French glorified their colonization of large parts of Africa as a 'mission civilsatirce', a civilizing mission...The textbooks spoke of Africa rarely enough and then only referred pejoratively to the 'natives', not the human beings who belonged to our continent." (120)
It has been long understood in the elevated members of my own culture, that Africa and America are inextricably connected. I believe a closer look at the statement above could easily be related to the reluctance of many Black youth in America to take an interest in formal education. The teachings in this book are, in many cases, universal and, in most cases, interesting and inspirational. YaYa Diallo tells his story with simplicistic eloquence,humor, and wisdom. The book offers much in the way of history and parables, without beating you over the head. Mitchell Hall has done an excellent job of translation.
I was required to read this book for an African Dance class I was taking at the University of Louisville. For any person who is interested in learning more about music, Minianka culture, or the world, I would highly recommend YaYa Diallo and Mitchell Hall's "The Healing Drumm", and for anyone in Louisville, I encourage you to take Harlina Churn Diallo's African Dance class. Bring out the Drums!

Over the years of owning this book I have returned to "The Healing Drum: African Wisdom Teachings" again and again. As a person of African descent I find it incredibly enriching to read the stories of Yaya Diallo as retold by Mitch Hall regarding his upbringing in the musical culture of the Miniaka (Bamana) people. We are all lucky that Diallo's words are preserved by Hall in "The Healing Drum" because a great deal of healing wisdom of Africa is oral, passed through families, thus it remains secretative. I welcome this open-hearted effort and openminded collaborative work seeking to contribute to international healing through authentic sound, as such I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking knowledge of alternate ways of healing inspired by West African spirituality.

I wanted to read this book because I have recently started learning African drumming and I wished to find out more about West African culture and how traditional music is used to heal. This was the perfect book for both aspects.

The author helps us to appreciate the culture of his village through his own experiences. We read about his struggles to follow the customs and teachings of his village as he is educated in French culture and taught to embrace the Western way of life.

We also gain an insight into the secret societies and social aspects of life in his village. Suspend disbelief at some of the awesome sights that he relates, I only wish that I could see them for myself! The sociological, psychological and religious knowledge that he reveals about his community is fascinating.

Yaya shows us that a musician in this culture does not just "play" music, music is a vital aspect of life which sustains the society and heals lost souls. The musician is a healer and a protector of the people. Each piece of music has implications, positive or negative, and the musician has a responsibility to the community to play well and appropriately.

This book has helped me to gain an insight into African culture and music; from now on my djembe playing will have more significance for me and I feel inspired by the healing potential that I now hold in my hands.

This book is about music, healing, indigenous view of life and above all, it is about harmony, which is achieved when life is lived with respect and with generosity.

Diallo is a member of the mainly agricultural Minianka/Senufo tribe living in what today is Mali. The Minianka have been able to resist the depredations which occur when Islam or X-ianity enters African societies; they are animist, that is, they still observe and follow ancient laws that emphsize the interdependence between humans, nature and the transcendent realms. Music to the Minianka music is much more than entertainment. It is used for work, celebration, ritual, inititations, funerals and healing; each activity (as well as each profession and each person) has its own special rhythms and harmonies. The MInianka understand music as a bridge between the visible and invisible. As such, it is used to establish harmonious relationships between an individual, his community, his ancestors and the Creator. Every night there is dancing at the village square - and EVERYBODY dances. Minianka musicians learn to transpose the essence of their fellow men's characters into music, so that when a villager gets to dance, he is greated by rhythms which match his/her character and emotional configuration. By observing closely, the musicians can adapt the music to the needs of the listener and thereby lead them to health. In Minianka villages, says Diallo, "musicians are healers, the healers musicians.... Music...amplifies to our sense the unheard tones and unseen waves that weave together the matter of existence. The beat, the rhythm, the timing, the orchestration, the flow, the balance between action and rest must all be within well-defined limits...and the music becomes a healing art that helps restore emotionally and psychologically disturbed people to harmonious human functioning. "

THe book is well written and brings us a close -up of Fienso, the village of Diallo's childhood. I found the descriptions of initiation ceremonies, daily work, secret societies very interesting. It made me see the Minianka society as an extremely sophisticated - where there is place for everyone and where everybody is interconnected in a web of mutual obligations between people, spirits and God. Unfortunately, the interdependence on mutual obligations makes the African society also fragile; when reciprocity inherent in such webs is interrupted, as during incursions of oil and diamond money, radical X-ianity or Islam, the African society collapses and we get what we see today in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Liberia or Sudan - lack of harmony and lack of peace.

Still, we would be fools to pass the opportunity to learn what Africans have to teach us. Music is one of the keys that can open the door of the gilded cage in which the giant of industrial nihilism has imprisoned us and Yaya Diallo shows us in this wonderful book, that it is possible to open one's body, spirit and destiny to the amazing world of harmony and beauty where true healing occurs.

This has been one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. Parfitt traces the origin of the Lemba, a self-described Jewish tribe in South Africa. Although its oral tradition is vague some elements recur persistently: "Our forefathers came from Sena... They came from the North... they built Great Zimbabwe...". Tracing backwards the journey that the Lemba took over the course of many generations, Parfitt travels North from South Africa to Zimbabwe, Malawi and, ultimately all the way to Yemen. Along the way, he encounters proof of the Lemba's passage and demonstrates that their oral tradition is, indeed, correct and they originated in Yemen.

Subsequent genetic testing brought further support to Parfitt's conclusion. This is detective work at its best, without the crime.

There is not a dull line in this book - I just got it after reading the author's Ark of the Covenant. It is one of the most remarkable journeys across Africa and the Middle East written in the sort of prose that is fast disappearing. The subject matter you feel is real. the charcaters are real. It's a journey with a point. It's a real mission. And a wonderful read.

It should probably be no surprise that the two most peripatetic peoples in the ancient world, Jews and Africans, should sooner or later have encountered one another.

Tudor Parfitt, a British academic, traces the origins of a Southern African tribe known as the Lemba, whose history both recorded and unrecorded embraces a claim to Jewish ancestry and identity.

Relying on scant written data and on the Lemba's own oral traditions and reports by contemporaries, the author traces backward the journey that the Lemba took over the course of many generations. Parfitt travels North from South Africa to Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and, ultimately to Yemen.

Along the way, he confronts evidence of the Lemba's passage and demonstrates that their oral tradition is, indeed, correct that they originated in Yemen where they embraced Judaism. Subsequent genetic testing brought further support to the Lemba's claims indicating not only a high proportion of Jewish genetic markers but specifically those markers associated with the Cohanim, the Levitical priestly caste of ancient Israel.

Starting off from Lemba villages in Vendaland, South Africa where he encounters Lemba customs such a circumcision, food taboos and a devotional life that to all appearances seem Jewish, the author retraces the quasi-legendary path of the Lemba's forbears through Southern, central and Eastern Africa and the Arabian peninsula, along the way embracing the lore and romance of King Solomon's mines and the building of the walled city of Great Zimbabwe.

This is a delightful story, delightfully told. The author's writing style is lively, mixing the styles of the travel essayist, the novelist and the scholar and gives rise to a rarely-encountered kind of work that is so compelling that once begun it simply cannot be put down.

I think that this book is very important because it preserves the legacy of the Lemba on paper, a legacy that for centuries, has relied mainly on oral traditions. The Lemba tribe, who presently reside in various parts of Southern Africa, have kept a tradition for hundreds of years that they are Jews, and Parfitt takes the journey to explore these claims.

The author, Tudor Parfitt, starts off in the northern parts of South Africa in Vendaland, where many Lemba reside today. From here he goes to the Zimbabwe ruins, then to Malawi, briefly to war-torn Mozambique, up to the east coast, and off to Yemen in search of "Sena," where the Lemba attest that they came from. In all these areas he finds interesting facts through his research about the Lemba and their history.

There is no doubt that the Lemba contributed to the building and livelihood of the Great Zimbabwe civilization that flourished in the 14th century, but the big question here is just how big was their role? With the history of the Lemba becoming more popular, I think this debate is going to resurface once again as to who built the ruins.

This book relies on earlier descriptions of the Lemba by mostly European and Arab explores. Parfitt really makes good use of these. The book also highlights the indelible influence that colonialism has had not just on the Lemba, but on all African societies. It also underscores the prevailing attitudes that many "white Africans" today have on black Africans.

The genetic evidence presented in the afterword makes for a good ending to strengthen the core theme in the book. I highly recommend Journey to The Vanished City and I think it's an excellent, scholarly work.

The author's quest for the origins of the Lemba, a Southern Africa tribe with certain Semitic customs and a folk memory of Jewish origins, took him from Johannesburg via the Limpopo province of South Africa, through Zimbabwe and Malawi to Tanzania and ultimately to the Hadramaut in South Arabia.

In Johannesburg's Soweto township he encounters his first Lemba people and researches the tribe in Wits University library. Then he takes the train to Pietersburg where he visits Lemba scholar Professor Mathiva at the University of the North and makes excursions into the surrounding areas of the Venda and Lobedu tribes where he encounters Mojaji, the famous Rain Queen. The known history of the area, including the colorful figure of Joao Albasini, spices up the narrative.

In Zimbabwe his journeys take him to Bulawayo, the Matopo Hills, Mberengwe and Dumghe Mountains, Masvingo and the ruins of Great Zimbabwe. On the way he takes part in a Lemba tribal assembly. The next stage takes him to Malawi and a short way into Mozambique where he sees the town of Sena from afar. In Tanzania he visits Dar es Salaam, Bagamoyo and Tumbatu, concluding the African leg of his journey.

His research finally leads him to Yemen where he visits Sanaa, Aden and the Hadramaut towns of Habban, Terim, and ultimately, the town of Sena on the Wadi Masila, where he discovers that the Lemba clan names are familiar to the area.

Along the way he has funny ecounters with a wide variety of interesting people. The travelogue is interspersed with relevant quotes from an impressive array of explorers, missionaries, scholars and ethnographers, including Joao de Barros, Livingstone, Junod, Mauch, Schlomann, Schapera, Van Warmelo, Jacques, Von Sicard and Roger Summers. Their observations - including the legend of Monomotapa - are engagingly woven into his always arresting travelogue.

The Afterword contains the results of genetic research conducted in 1996/97 that shows a significant similarity in DNA between Jewish groups, the Lemba and the Hadrami of Terim and Sena. For more detailed and up-to-date information, please consult DNA and Tradition by Rabbi Yaakov Kleiman. The Buba clan of the Lemba has a high frequency of the Y-Chromosome type called the "Cohen Modal Haplotype" which is known to be characteristic of the paternally inherited Jewish priesthood.

For a very thorough ethnographic study of the Lemba, I recommend The Lemba: A Lost Tribe of Israel in Southern Africa by Magdel le Roux. It is a selective comparison between the social and religious practices of early Israel and the Lemba of today.

Journey To The Vanished City contains plates with black & white photographs, maps of Africa and Yemen, 18 pages of notes arranged by chapter and an index. The book is a most engaging read on account of the author's humour, wit and flowing narrative style. There is not one boring moment in this fascinating account of a journey in search of lost origins.

Professor Godfrey Mwakikagile is unquestionably one of Africa's leading academic and public intellectuals addressing our continent's problems today with intellectual verve. One has only to read his book, "The Modern African State: Quest for Transformation," among others, to appreciate this.

A Tanzanian by birth, but a Pan-Africanist in outlook, he draws inspiration from two African titans, the late former Presidents Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, my native land, who saw Africa as one, even if a fragmented whole. Dr. Mwakikagile also takes a continental approach, providing a sharp analysis of the modern African state which, he contends, is deeply flawed. Few would disagree with him. Just come to Africa and see for yourself. Those of us who live here know this to be true, painfully true.

I just wish that his works were more accessible to members of the general public. As hardcover and library editions, the cost is prohibitive; and as college textbooks, accessible to only a few.

His work is outstanding, nonetheless. Africa has many intellectuals of his stature and calibre, but few as committed and analytical, and as compassionate for the masses as he and a few - very few - of his colleagues are. One is also reminded of firebrands such as Wole Soyinka and Ngugi wa Thiong'o and my fellow countryman George Ayittey, an economics professor and author of "Africa Betrayed," and "Africa in Chaos." Africa is indeed in chaos. It is, in fact, chaos!

We wish we had more of such committed intellectuals. And it would be even better if our leaders paid attention to what they say. Unfortunately, they don't. Instead, they destroy them. While other countries highly value their intellectuals and the contributions they make, African countries - the leaders in particular - destroy ours. And you wonder why Africa has lost so many of them to other countries where they have the freedom to think and say what they want to say? And you wonder why so many of those still in Africa end up in the grave or rotting in prison?

Our leaders can stop this brain drain, the carnage, and the persecution of these committed intellectuals and others - just plain ordinary folks - who demand their natural right to be treated as human beings in their own countries. But such fundamental change is impossible without transparency and accountability. And it is impossible without democracy, true democracy, not the counterfeit kind so prevalent across Africa. And the author make this clear, abundantly clear, in his masterpiece, "The Modern African State: Quest for Transformation."

African leaders, nothing but dictators, may hate to hear what Dr. Mwakikagile says in this book and others. But they would at least be of some service to Africa if they heeded Voltaire's advice: "I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to death your right to say it."

Unfortunately, they are not that enlightened, because of the darkness in their mind.

An excellent book, well-written, packed with vital information, highly analytical, and professorial. But not pro-African, I'm sorry to say, in spite of all its merits.

Why highly intelligent and educated people like Godfrey Mwakikagile and others of his ilk write books so critical of Africa, is beyond me. What they say is true. Rwanda made history - it was our Nazi Germany. So did Somalia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Angola, Congo, Ethiopia and Eritrea, Sudan and many others, leaving indelible scars on our continent. We couldn't even hide that from the rest of the world, and still can't, I'm ashamed to admit. They all made history. And many continue to do so.

But why help our detractors and enemies make Africa look so bad? You can say - we already look bad! And we do. It's all on television, on the radio, and in newspapers worldwide, in all kinds of languages. But that does not mean we Africans should also harp on it, like these African writers and our enemies do.

Remember the old saying: Do not air your dirty laundry in public. Although you may not always want to keep it in the closet. But don't just toss it out there in the yard, either.

Say something good about Africa, even if it's not much. So nothing good comes out of Africa, just because we have all these wars, AIDS and other diseases, hunger, illiteracy, poverty and corruption? Come on!

If Mwakikagile had plenty of good things to say about Africa in the same book, in spite of all its negative aspects, I would have been tempted to give it the highest rating, five stars, for excellence. I'm sorry I can't.

Professor Mahmoud Mamdani, a leading African scholar who teaches at Columbia University, uses Godfrey Mwakikagile's book "The Modern African State: Quest for Transformation," as a textbook for graduate studies. Other professors use the book as an assigned or recommended text for graduate students in African and development studies and international affairs. It is also found in graduate school libraries across the United States like all the other books written by Godfrey Mwakikagile who, himself, is becoming an increasingly influential African scholar.

But that is not the only reason why his book, "The Modern African State...," got my attention. At a recent academic seminar on Africa, one of the participants cited George Ayittey's work, "Africa in Chaos," together with Godfrey Mwakikagile's "The Modern African State...," in his discussion of civil conflicts on the continent. Most of the participants knew or had heard about Ayittey. But that was the first time some of us heard about Mwakikagile, although quite a few had. His work, "The Modern African State...," equally trenchant as Ayittey's, is a great contribution to the growing literature about post-colonial Africa written by the Africans themselves.

It is interesting to see that more and more African intellectuals are taking an "internalist" approach to Africa's problems instead of always blaming external forces for her plight. Dr. Mwakikagile is one of them.

But such an approach must be balanced with an analysis of external involvement, including colonialism. Africa is still reeling from its devastating impact. However, this does not mean that all of Africa's problems should be placed entirely on the shoulders of her former colonial masters, as many Africans who take the "externalist" approach are fond of doing.

Most of the problems Africa faces today - rampant corruption, mismanagement, brutal repression, ethnic conflicts, hunger, illiteracy, endemic poverty and disease - are either caused or exarcebated by the Africans themselves; not by the former colonial masters who are now even being asked by some Africans to go back and rule them again. Things are that bad. And it is African writers like Mwakikagile who should be commended for taking up the challenge to tell the truth about their continent, however bitter.

It would be even more encouraging if their kith and kin here in the United States, African Americans, also faced this reality, instead of romanticizing Africa. Randall Robinson of TransAfrica is the exception, together with a few others; although their attitude is not the same as the attitude of black conservatives who are sometimes extremely hostile toward Africa and usually don't want to have anything to do with - "that place." Foregetting that white Republicans and others don't care about them either. They don't even want them in the Republic party. Alan Keyes knows that. Brilliant, highly articulate, he should have been the standard-bearer of his party, but still was not nominated as the Republican presidential candidate because he is black. And, yes, African!

But bad as their attitude is, one must not entirely ignore what black American conservatives - they hate to be called African Americans - say about Africa. Africa's problems can only be solved by Africans. We can help them, but the initiative must come from them.

It is also in this context that Dr. Godfrey Mwakikagile's highly acclaimed work, "The Modern African State: Quest for Transformation," must be viewed; although, unlike black American conservatives who hate Africa and by extension hate themselves, he writes out of deep concern for the well-being of his continent as much as his compatriot Professor George Ayittey does, as do many others.

This is a work of mature scholarship by one of our finest and most mature African intellectuals writing about Africa today. Having read his other writings as well, there's no question that they meet the criteria of informed scholarship and standards of rigorous analysis one would expect from a writer and scholar of this calibre.

Africa has lost an entire generation since independence because of bad leadership. And the author is blunt about it.

Highly critical of corrupt leaders across the continent, also notorious for brutal repression, he's mature enough to be on guard against blind acceptance of multiparty democracy patterned after Western parliamentary institutions, unlike many other Africans who have embraced wholesale the virtues of multipartyism as it is practised in the West, without taking African realities into account, simply because they have suffered so much under the one-party state, de jure and de facto.

Neither the one-party system, suppressing dissent, nor the multi-party system, promoting sectarianism, is ideal for Africa. The author is critical of both, yet realistic enough to give multiparty politics a chance in this highly unstable continent whose most combustible elements include conflicting ethnic loyalties transcending nationalism. How to defuse this highly volatile situation is one of the most urgent issues Godfrey Mwakikagile addresses in his book, "The Modern African State: Quest for Transformation."

I have only one complaint, although even this does not in any way impair the quality of his work or diminish the validity of his central thesis. AIDS is devastating Africa. Entire communities are being wiped out. The author should have devoted at least an entire chapter or two to this pandemic which has already killed more than 20 million Africans, and is killing millions more every year. May be that is a subject for one of the books he may write in the future. I hope so, on a continent with so little hope.

Mwakikagile's work is a masterpiece of fact and analysis. In the one book he manages to extensively cover the 'rebirth' of Liberia, the 'powerless' state of Sierra Leone, 'ethnic cleansing' in Rwanda, 'stateless' Somalia, slavery in Mauritania and Sudan, and the fall of Mobutu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (former Zaire). Any one of the topics is the subject of a book in itself.

Mwakikagile uses the precedents of the history of other African countries, as well as other countries around the world, to make a case for the fragility of the 'African State' as an institution owing to structural flaws.

In his introduction he states, "In a very tragic way, Sierra Leone is Africa, and Africa is Sierra Leone. So is Somalia, Congo-Brazzaville, the Central African Republic, Kenya and Angola. And so is Rwanda, Burundi, Congo-Kinshasa and Nigeria."

This sets the tone for the rest of the book that is full of comparisons between countries. At times this can be confusing for someone trying to concentrate on a single issue. But then Mwakikagile deliberately does this to bring home the fact that Africa is not, or should not be, considered a collection of numerous unrelated states, but a continent with a common experience much closer than many would care to admit.

Mwakikagile does not pull any punches in condemning those who he considers guilty of causing the current woes of Africa. He also does not hesitate to name the continent's heroes.

The whole book is a great read for scholars and people merely interested in affairs on the continent. Some scholars may quibble with some of the facts as he presented them, but in general the book reads as a piece put together by someone who has taken the trouble to research his facts properly.

Recommended reading for anyone wishing to get up to speed on African affairs.

This was a most excellent book. I found it hard to put it down. If you are interested in reincarnation and the Ancient Egypt of the Pharaohs then this is for you. Very well written!

Knowing Hanny El Zeini and all of his family since years and having them as dear friends, knowing them as broadminded and intellectual, helpful and adorable people far away from any obscurity but with both feet on the ground, I have to admit after also having read his second book about Omm Sety that there must be quite some more than scholarship usually teaches us. Hanny El Zeini does not tell us any cranky stories here!
Though myself not believing in reincarnation, I must say that Omm Sety showed us that there are more ways for revealing the hidden things than just digging deeply enough somewhere in the sands...
All those who are with me still on the side of logic should nevertheless read this book and ask themselves how we could enable our full capacities leading to results the classic scholarship would not have allowed to postulate - but also how we could find ways that the acceptance of those findings is advanced in our world - having in mind that Omm Setys "knowledge" is hardly to bear in our days' scientific world - and nearly everybody would firstly shout out: "Amentia!". But I feel, it was just deepest love and affection that made possible what Omm Sety showed us.

As books go, this one was desert for me. I am a beleiver in reincarnation anyway and a lover of Egyptian history. With this book the two naturally go together. The author is not only credible as far as getting his facts right, he is also sincere and, I might add, a friend to this amazing woman the world now knows as Omm Sety. I read the book in one sitting. It is an adventure, a love story and a good case for life beyond this life. I highly recomend it.

Through-out my life which has lead to eventually owning an Egyptological academic bookshop I have felt influenced by the lady known as Omm Sety. When I first read about her in a Reader's Digest book "Strange Stories and Amazing Facts" at the age of 12, I was smitten with the idea of past lives. My own interest in Ancient Egypt was already well rounded at that age. This was just another part of the jigsaw for me.

I have gone on to know several people who knew Omm Sety and I have visited her grave in Abydos. The first book I imported for my business in 1988 was Abydos, Holy City of Ancient Egypt. If you can get a copy do so as it was Omm Sety's seminal work.

Having said all of the above I highly recommend this book to readers, I read it over a few days, some of the information in this book you will find in earlier writings such as the Jonothon Cott book mentioned by the other reviewers, but this book rounds out the picture, it also covers Omm Sety's marriage and more information about her son, Sety.

Therefor this book now fills in the gaps in our knowledge of Omm Sety, what an extrodinary women she was, in her own way she influenced Egyptology greatly although many Egyptologist will only talk of that privately, she was also a great humanitarian and did very good works for the village surrounding Abydos temple.

I enjoyed the book very much and I hope that one day Hanny el Zeini will publish Omm Sety's complete diarys and notes to absolutely complete the picture.

Whether you are a academic Egyptologist, a past lifer, a romantic, or just interested in Strange stories I feel you will enjoy this book, and you'll want to buy a couple of copies for it would make a great gift.

Blessings to you Omm Sety your amazing life is an inspiration to all.

I've just finished reading "Omm Sety's Egypt", and wanted to say what a delightful book it is. I recall seeing a documentary a few years back centered around Omm Sety that left me wondering. Hanny & Catherine did a remarkable job of fleshing out that fascinating character in a warm, compassionate manner that also was quite scholarly. As a long-time student of ancient Egypt, I will never look at things the same way again, which can be called "growth", I think.

A glimpse, however seemingly fantastic, into our ancient world is a golden opportunity to learn things the strictly academic world does not offer. It's been my firm belief for decades that the fields of archaeology and Egyptology in particular have had their heads in the sand, so to speak. New discoveries are being made daily; I just wonder how many of them are getting swept under the rug because they don't dovetail with accepted theories.

I think I accept the experiences of Dorothy Eady because of a pet theory of mine. Greek mythology, I think, tells about the deceased being dipped in the "river of forgetfulness". If reincarnation is real, and I think it is, that might describe a "seal" placed on the consciousness at death, which would serve to separate "lives" from one another, to prevent contamination and preserve the purity of each individual "life". Traumatic injuries or near-death experiences might rupture that seal somehow, perhaps even provide a "link" to another place/time, as in Omm Sety's case. We know so very little about the "soul", but every testament like Dorothy's opens up a new window of exploration, and adds a missing piece to the puzzle of life.

This book will be read and re-read until it's dog-eared, I'm sure.

The 2nd grade teacher that I volunteer for has a great collection of "books that teach a value" and she had me read this book to her class. I knew immediately that I had have it. The story teaches children not to say unkind words to another even though someone has said unkind words to them.

Ms. Cannon will probably always be remembered for her first book, Stellaluna, but she has had a series of wonderful children's books that all deserve attention. Pinduli is the latest and one of the best and I have purchased it for multiple kids as gifts and they all have loved it. I highly recommend this book!

What a cute puppy! Just look at those soft brown eyes, that little tongue, its smile. How adorable! Let's get this book for our grand. What's that you say? A hyena! No way! No animal this cute could be a hyena! Why, those critters are known for scavaging and tearing chunks of meat from an animal. A hyena! Why, I declare, at least, let's look through the book.

And another Janell Cannon illustrated children's book hits the bestseller list. Hyena or not, this is a cute puppy. But I mis-speak. From the back of the book I learn that there are four kinds of hyenas, which do resemble dogs but belong to their own Hyaenidae family. Our Pinduli belongs to the striped species which has the fartherest habitat range and eats anything from bugs to fruit to small animals. All the facts about striped hyenas, as well as the other animals, can be found disguised in the story. Clever.

The story of Pinduli takes her adrift from Mother. When the wild dogs laugh at her ears, she plip-plops them and finds her hearing diminished. The lion laughs at her bristly fur and shames her into the water to hide it. Then her weak stripes are made fun of. Finally, Pinduli rolls in dust, making her a ghastly white. When she begins her return trip home, she passes the water hole where the animals are gathered. They scream and run from "the ghost." Pinduli also runs. Once she realizes the mistaken identity, she assumes the character of the Great Spirit and demands each bad deed must be erased and the Great Spirit appeased.

There is food aplenty for Penduli and her mother from then on. The mother exclaims that Pinduli is not only beautiful but smart. As a children's librarian, I try not to emphasize the lessons of the stories but let children make their own conclusions which they do. Through experience, I have learned that this is a beautiful book for children. And there are no cute puppies in it!

A great book to read that sends a much needed message to our youth. Janell Cannon has written another wonderful book to add to her long list. I felt that this book had a great message and displayed it in a colorful and imaginative way. Little Pinduli was getting picked on by all the animals and come to find out, the animals that were picking on Pinduli were also picking on one another. In the end, all the animals realized that they were different and that they shouldn't make fun of someone for being different. This message was apparent when Dog said "Who am I to be talking about ears?" Overall it was a great book with vivid and bright illustrations that really captivated the eyes. I will definitely be reading Ms. Cannon's next book.

I bought Stellaluna even before I had a child! I absolutely fell in love not only with the story and message the book conveyed, but also the wonderful and endearing artwork. I have since had a child and purchased all of her books, the latest one being Pinduli. It is the perfect follow-up to her other books.

My son absolutly loves these books as well! As I read these to him, he is just captivated!