Africa Books

Here we find a man who is middle-aged ...
... and experienced with life - taking a part of his life to devote to bettering the lives of others. The altruistic Peace Corps helps him to reach that goal. In the process - he discovers bureaucracy of governments and the inefficiencies of worldwide networks of people down the smallest scale of community and survival. Some of the Peace Corp's elite do NOT (I repeat- NOT) appreciate his candor as he exposes the rather seamy side of international aid as it relates to human interaction at the most basic levels. If you are looking for a perception of the glories of the Peace Corps - this book is not it. If you would find interest in observing personal interaction with nature and communities that are totally foreign to what a successful life might hold in America - then Fred delivers with a raw and critical narrative. I think if Fred had the backing of a government grant to dress this book up with better pictures and maps - the book could attract a wider audience, but the people who get those kinds of grants are already wrapped up with professorships at elite universities and film budgets and advance fees from PBS. Fred casts a jaundiced eye at the system. For this - he is not welcomed among some of those the system favors. His observations could be helpful to anyone looking for a real flavor of volunteerism in Africa. As Fred notes - it is good to volunteer - but it is also good to do so with your eyes wide open.
Fred Pitts died of heart failure not a week after I met him in Milton, Florida in 2007. It was obvious when he spoke that his health was not good and he did note that lingering health issues followed him home from Africa.

I am recommending this book to anyone who is interested in Peace Corps. I knew the author while training in the same program, but I was stationed in a different county and experienced many similar trials and tribulations. I hope that this type of experience in the Peace Corps might not disappear even as expatriot Americans increasingly worry about security, the Equitorial rain forest increasingly comes under threat, and Peace Corps focusses on areas outside of Africa.

I think this book represents a typical white American male experience with the Peace Corps in Africa. Mr. Pitts was in rural development, which is typically based further from major cities and towns than other Peace Corps roles. He does an excellent job at displaying a range of emotions typically from culture shock and isolation in the beginning to a greater appreciation of his host culture. This seems to be an honest account without too much romanticzing, although it is often hard to not get nostalgic when volunteers look back on their service. Prospective volunteers can learn from Mr. Pitt's experience to help them make important judgement calls.

Things Are Different In Africa is the personal account of Frederick Edward Pitts life in an equatorial village located deep inside the Congo for almost a year. Pitts describes in vivid detail his dangerous encounters with animals, risky skirmishes with robbers, dealings with corrupt cops, and more. He also describes the beauty of the Congo, as well as an African culture that can evoke laughter, frustration, and anger. Pitts also describes a motorcycle crash in the jungle some 360 miles from the nearest medical care, as well as being drawn into political unrest, city violence, and eventual evacuation out of the Congo to neighboring country near the Sahara desert. Strongly recommended reading, especially for armchair travelers wanting to know something about the culture and geography of far flung countries of the world, Things Are Different In Africa is a compelling read revealing a unique, sometimes irreverent personal journey that left the author with a greater understanding of life in a vastly different culture on the other side of the world.

I don't usually like to spend nineteen dollars for a paper back, but
I'm sure glad I did. I was totally surprised at the frankness of THINGS
ARE DIFFERENT IN AFRICA, the way it told the story without any regard
for political correctness, and how nobody was spared (not even the Peace
Corps). I liked the descriptions of the villages, the people, the
contryside and the rainforests, but even more I liked the way I was taken on
an emotional ride that ranged from anger to laughter, anxiety to
relief, understanding to frustration. Anyone who wants a highly informative
view of the Congo and its culture, told with straight up language,
cannot go wrong with this book.

What can I say, the author is my revered grandfather. His is a remarkable story of personal courage and fortitude, only a part of which is told in the book. As a personal memoire of combat experience, "Through Hell and Highwater" compares favorably with Guy Sajer's the Forgotten Soldier. In his book, you'll find how my grandfather faced exhaustion, fear, cold, confusion and death with the taciturn resolution of a man who had no other choice. In the process he became an exemplar of leadership and a hero to his country. When men like my grandfather are finally gone, we may never see their like again. As for the book, as a source of history, it's been good enough to figure prominently in Pulitzer Prize winning historian Rick Atkinson's new Liberation series on the U.S. Army in World War II.

An honest, realistic and introspective account of war. This book was given to me as a present from my grandfather almost ten years ago. In classic youthful, ignorant fashion, I dismissed it as the ranting of a nostalgic old man. Recently, I discovered the book in the sweater drawer of the clothing dresser in my room, the cover and binding still in immaculate condition and the text largely unread. I was surprised at what a quick and enjoyable read it was, full of important lessons. This eloquent account of a young man's experience in a war all but forgotten among those in my generation has brought me to realize that it is foolish not to listen to the old wartime stories of our grandfathers. Thanks Grampy!

An honest, realistic and introspective account of war. This book was given to me as a present from my grandfather almost ten years ago. In classic youthful, ignorant fashion, I dismissed it as the ranting of a nostalgic old man. Recently, I discovered the book in the sweater drawer of a clothing dresser in my room, the cover and binding still in immaculate condition and the text largely unread. I was surprised at what a quick and enjoyable read it was, full of important lessons. This eloquent portrayal of a young man's experience in a war, all but forgotten among those in my generation, has brought me to realize that it is foolish not to listen to the old wartime stories of our grandfathers. Thanks Grampy!

An honest, realistic and introspective account of war. This book was given to me as a present from my grandfather almost ten years ago. In classic youthful, ignorant fashion, I dismissed it as the ranting of a nostalgic old man. Recently, I discovered the book in the sweater drawer of a clothing dresser in my room, the cover and binding still in immaculate condition and the text largely unread. I was surprised at what a quick and enjoyable read it was, full of important lessons. This eloquent portrayal of a young man's experience in a war, all but forgotten among those in my generation, has brought me to realize that it is foolish not to listen to the old wartime stories of our grandfathers. Thanks Grampy!

This book is fantastic. I used this book in conjunction with websites like http://www.cometocapetown.com (which handled my accommodation & car hire bookings) and I was fully equipped for an excellent holiday in South Africa. Can highly recommend, and like the rest of the time out series, this one doesn't dissapoint.

I was skeptical about this book, particularly since I have no interest in the wine country. But with two five star reviews, I ordered it. I was amazed. Very well written. Covers everything. Great pictures. With our weight limits we will not take most of our guide books, but this one will accompany us.

I gave the book to my wife. She took a look at it and said something to the effect that it looked superficial. I urged her to read it and she immediately became a convert.

One of the best travel books I have read.

As many other Time Out Guides, the Cape Town one didn't let me down. It is a very reliable and updated source on best hotels in town, best shops, best restaurants, bars, and so on, for all budgets. I believe it enhanced greatly my experience of knowing new places. I took my Time Out Guides with me to NYC, New Orleans, Buenos Aires and Cape Town and I must say their recommendations rarely disapointed me. They also have a comprehensive session on tours, museums or sight seeing, but they are not the most complete in the market, though.

I spent a month in Cape Town and this guide was always by my side. Excellent guide with wonderful endearing side bars on locals-it gives you a great sense of Cape Town and its local flavour. All the sections are dead on. I found the dining and shopping extremely helpful with its guide to what is uniquely Capetonian. This is by far the best guide to Cape Town out now. The writers and contributors for this guide should be commended.

I was hooked from the start - young New Yorker goes from radio pioneer to OSS agent and learns to survive. That it is a true story only adds to the enjoyment.

Brought me through a part of WWII I had never known about. The author describes feelings, choices, preparation and then takes you along for a dangerous ride. Well written, I kept having to get back to it to see what would happen - and I was never disappointed. Spy chasing, hasty exits, from the tremendous heat of Casablanca to the most bone chilling cold of northern Russia.

My only wish would be for a sequel - but in real like I guess that doesn't happen.

As president and editor of a Merchant Marine Veteran organization it is my job to search for stories that tell about being at sea during WWII. This book is a great testimonial to the hazards of the Merchant Marine and the OSS in WWII.
His duties as a sailor and a spy put him in harms way.His ships sailed in convoy to Russia. These waters were the most hazard of all. We lost many ships and lives in the North Atlantic. This was his duty on the sea. Then he had to face great danger with his undercover work on the land. The world of spys, spooks, and shadows makes for great stories. He writes with such skill that he puts you with him at every turn. A great true adventure story that takes place on land and sea. Well Leon Wortman did both and lived to tell about it. I Couldn't put it down.

Told in the first person-present. A tough job for any writer. Wortman, by this technique, makes you a participant in all his tasks.

This is a fascinating true-life story of how a young Brooklyn radio engineer wound up chasing Nazi double agents in New York, posing as a Belgian in Morocco, and getting in big trouble spying in North Russia during WWII.

The book opens up innocently enough, nice Jewish kid grows up in New York City immigrant family during the depression and gets job at radio station. Then, the war breaks out. Instead of joining the army, the author winds up in both the OSS and the Merchant Marine.

From there the book takes off. The OSS' training is tough, but it doesn't prepare our hero for the surprises and perils ahead of him. He chases spies, fights Arabs and Nazis, braves dangerous North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean crossings, and meets characters that must have been prototypes for James Bond villians.

The writing style is easy-going and straight-forward. The tone of the book is warm -- like sitting down for an after-dinner reminisce with your Father or Grandfather. And, there is plenty of humor at sea and on land to balance the tension of the war drama.

This detailed book that contains 6000 heavily interpreted personal names is likely the biggest book collection of African personal names. Just as with his other books on names, written quite recently, Musere goes into dedicated detail in showing aspects like the origin of the name and the meanings (which can be one or many). A lot of the names are shown to be associated with aspects like proverbs, significant occurences and traditions. African names are shown to be unique in that analyzing them provides a wealth of information concerning cultural practice, migration, and assimilation. This is a study and naming guide that gives detailed examples of God/ Goddess, war, natural phenomena, and season related personal names. Many are examples of names that depict the behavioral characteristics, physiological or physical condition of the newborn. Indeed many African names illustrate the state of mind of the namer, states of bereavement or jubilation, and so forth. This book is heavily referenced and indexed unlike most other books on African names.

"...the topic [of personal African names] is sufficiently rarely treated as to merit close attention. ...[The book's] introduction is a splendidly informative essay. In it [Musere] explores the origins of African names. Just as we have many names revealing the activities of our ancestors, such as Archer, Fisher, Smith, Taylor and many others, the same applies to African names. [Musere] gives examples such as canoe builders, executioners, rain-makers and cattle-keepers. The reverence for human relationships is perpetuated in many names, while a variety of birds, animals, fish, trees and other natural phenomena are the bases for others. Africa has long been one of my favourite continents and I have numbered many Africans among friends. ...Musisi means "earthquake" and...Bukenya means someone who acts ungraciously or reluctantly. ...Musere's book is packed with information and it is easy to consult. It is equipped with a useful index, so you can be directed to all those names derived, say from eating and harvesting, lakes and
roads, trees, witchcraft and a host of other topics and activities." K.C. Harrison, Founder President, Commonwealth Library Association in "Languages and Literature" Reference Reviews 14/5 [2000] 29-36.

"'A thorough exposure of African name meanings encourages and stimulates people of both African and non-African descent into feeling comfortable about taking on such names.' ...such as Sindushwa (I cannot be surpassed); Mbarushimana (God is on my side); Nkurunziza (Good news). ...Okot (Born during the rainy season). ...This is a fascinating book. ...it certainly brings home the fact, of which I was previously unaware, that the uses and the choices of names have quite different connotations and expectations in different societies." (Sheila Allcock, University of Oxford, in "African Research & Documentation" No. 85, 2001).

"Some examples are 'Libbila (m): setting sun; [name] given to one born at sunset'; 'Kimenyi (m): the one who knows a lot'; 'Shumpa (f): a name given to a child who is troublesome'; 'Baliza (f/m): they cause to weep [or mourn, or cry].' The 6000 [name] examples [in the book] are fascinating to read, and will most certainly open up a new area in the field of nomenclature. In addition, an interesting index will lead the user to specific works found in the definitions, such as lakes, plants, gardens, and food. This is an impressive volume and should fill a void in the area of etymology. It is highly recommended." (Carol Willsey Bell in "C&RL News," May 2000, pp.428-429).

Until the publication of this book, it has been extremely difficult to find any primer that collects and defines the meanings of African names in English. Africa is a continent with thousands of cultures, traditions and languages. Names are part and parcel of the enriched African tradition. Unlike other parts of the world, virtually every African indigenous name has a distinct meaning or connotation. African personal names run into the thousands, if not millions. Therefore, it would be next to impossible to compile a comprehensive thesaurus of all these names, let alone their synonyms. The book compiles about 6000 names from key central, eastern and southern African countries, such as Burundi, Congo-Kinshasa, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Although the compilation of African names is not entirely a new phenomenon, what distinguishes this book from previous ones is its simplicity in name descriptions and definitions. This volume looks at the in-depth meaning of indigenous as well as adopted African names. African personal names have multitudinous functions such as the association of one's occupation, habits and personality. Many African names emanate from one's ancestry through clan, ethnic/tribal or religious affiliation. Names can also be named as the result of ancient wars and conquests. Since most of these names emanate from the "Bantuphone" region of east, central and southern Africa, it is not uncommon for many of these names to have a similar meaning albeit different pronounciations. A word such as Muntu connotes a person, but actually is derived from the ancestry of people in this region. It is therefore least surprising that the word, "ntu" is common amongst most ethnic groups in the region. For example, a word such as "Gahungu" which denotes a small or young boy, has a similar connotation amongsts the Hutu, Tutsi, as well as the Twa ethnic groups of Rwanda and Burundi. The author also includes new African words that have been adopted from Western political as well as cultural contexts. For example, the word, "Democracy" in most African contexts is pronounced as, "Demokrasi." Like other African names given to people during a certain historical phenomenon, this word has been given to some newborns born during the current democratic struggle on the continent. The alphabetical listings of these names as well as its well-prepared index will be very helpful to those that are not familiar with African appellations. This book is highly recommended for scholars and students of African anthropology, linguistics, literature, history, politics as well as those in the African/Black diaspora that are very interested in learning more about African culture.

From cover to cover, the powerful images in this book took my breath away. This book depicts the evolution of the human spirit from primal to potential. As each new section presents itself you are immediately thrust into a different environment. Each distinct, each equally captivating. The images show the beauty of Southern Africa and the fire that lives inside of its people. The photographs are impeccable. From the lighting to the subjects, each picture tells the story of those in it. Whether the faces are smiling or stoic, the strength displayed by the people is almost palpable. The elders are the wisdom that from their experience throughout and the children are the hope for the next generation. The book has a general uplifting feeling that speaks to the wonder of all that makes up South Africa. This book is a must-have for anyone wanting to go on an emotionally fulfilling journey. The best part of purchasing this book is knowing that the proceeds go to the people depicted in it. This is a strong reccomendation! Jump at the opportunity to make this a part of your library.

Gordon Clark's riveting collection of photographs bring the mystery, beauty, and infinite power of the South African psyche up to your amazed eyes with the stellar skill of a master. From the first page of this must-have for any lover of photographic art, the South African landscape and it's inhabitants, the people, seem to welcome you with deeply interpretive eyes and impeccable composition. Clark's use of color here is revelatory in that it envelops the viewer like a velvet sunset. In other words, the images early on are inviting and strangely familiar in their human qaulity. Whereas many photographs of Africa are general in their topic, making one feel that it is untouchable and removed, Clark's book beckons one to become as vulnerable and generous as his vibrant Southern Africa. The warmth he uses to portray the rugged danger inherent in the people of this region and the land itself causes one to realize that perhaps their are qaulitites about the subjects that are not far removed from the viewers': Strength being the prominent feature, the strength of the human will to persevere. Ultimately, Clark's genius is that he allows Southern Africa to become a metaphorical mirror, peering into one's one emotional landscape and thus truly connecting to the subjects of his passionate collection.
Transitions is a book that lives up to it's title. Clark and his subjects take you along a journey, beginning at the peremiter, into the center of his subject's joy and struggle. I was shocked to see the unbelievably intimate, almost Rockwellian scenes come to life like a moving painting towards the conclusion of the book. The delicate beauty of Brassai's photographs came to mind. By then, I was so saturated with feeling, my emotions had to be released and they were, as I walked through the homes of these beautiful people. It is truly an experience and will be a great artistic progenitor on the viewers voyage to become connected to this important part of our world, and in the mission to heal South Africa. It is a priveledge to view Gordon Clark's Transitions.

I purchased this brand new book because of Oprah Winfrey's Foreward. What an incredible surprise inside! This is the definitive book on the region's beauty, rich heritage and infinite potential. The words and pictures create an indelible impact. The images are so beautiful -- from the hopeful children in their natural environment to the soulful eyes of the elder natives in their village huts. This fresh, visual look inside the whole of South Africa has to be unpralleled. Oprah's Foreward began a journey that will stay with this reader forever and ever.

This is a remarkable collection of exquisite photographs which capture the dignity and humanity of people in Southern Africa. There is a rare, soul-stirring quality to these images that make this an important book for anyone with an appreciation for great photographic art or an interest in Africa. Gordon Clark's artistry clearly reflects a deep love for his nation of origin, as proceeds from Transitions go to fighting HIV/AIDS in South Africa and caring for children orphaned by the disease.

Incredible story of trekking from Namibia's Atlantic Coast to the Indian Ocean (ending up at Zanzibar). Although the author's attacked by neither man nor beast (just insects aplenty), he has his share of troubles, starting with recalitrant wild donkeys, and finishing up with a week of malaria treatment (apologies if that proves a spoiler). Terrific writing skills and a great sense of humor make this book one of my top books for the year. Highly recommended.

I have to admit firstly that I'm English, and secondly that I loved Africa as an inhabitant for over 20+ years. Consequently, the description for this book on Amazon seemed like the ultimate indulgence. It was. However, unlike many indulgences throughout my life - and throughout Mr Sandham's journey - this was immensely memorable... for all the right reasons. Mr Sandham expertly describes, with infinite humility, his traversa from the Skeleton Coast to the Indian Ocean 5000 km away. I allowed myself the pleasure of only a chapter a day as I wanted to really savor the pleasure of devouring this memoir for as long as I possibly could. Sandham never truly reveals, in fact I'm not entirely sure he knows, the reasons why he really undertook this trek - but I am immensely glad he did. His pinpoint almost staccato descriptions of people he meets leaves a lasting impression and visual image of those people. I don't think I will ever look at a man named Dan quite the same way again! During his 50km a day walks through Africa he discourses on such idiocies as where do flies go at night? I found myself laughing out loud, smiling, grimacing, shaking my head and even empathising at..... and with... Mr Sandham and the people, insects, flora and fauna he comes in contact with during this amazing journey. He expertly weaves history and the stories of the great explorers into this memoir providing a multi-layered view of human idiocy, kindness, ignorance, arrogance and humour in such a way that I learned much about the continent that I love. This book is ideal for people who enjoy the sardonic, understated part of English humour; those who love a story of myopic refusal to veer from the goal; voyeurs of human nature and those who overall appreciate the indomintable spirit of an individual who is driven by the need to do something that noone has quite done before - and lived to tell the tale. I was genuinely sorry that Mr Sandham hadn't decided to cross another continent so that I could vicariously continue his journey.

It's hard to read many travel books without a sense of 'Why? Why are you putting yourself through all this?' and Traversa is no exception. Those who sit at home may not understand what drives some people to these lengths, but that doesn't stop us lapping it up and asking for more.

In this enthralling book, Sandham brings his solo walk from the aptly-named Skeleton Coast to the Indian Ocean to life. He comes across, variously, as courageous, determined, bloody-minded, and completely insane. By the end of the book, it's easy to feel, as he does, that he has earned his right to be in Africa, even among people so poor that a man who has scrimped, saved and given up chocolate biscuits to be there, is immeasurably rich.

Throughout, Sandham places his experiences in a historical context, evoking the horror of being preserved from shipwreck only to die of thirst, the shame and waste of the slave trade, and butchery in wars over territory that match anything Europe has achieved in that line. As his traversa progresses, he moves from a theoretical understanding of Africa to a genuine affection for the place and its people.

The book is filled with dry self-deprecation and humour--there's a disastrous donkey, and we can only imagine Sandham's problems with his mule, as he declines to go into details--and some of the characters he meets are portrayed as so much larger than life that there's a temptation to believe they're imaginary. Perhaps the best example of the man's courage is when, having invested time, effort and money in a donkey (diseased), a donkey-cart (beautifully painted), and a mule (disobedient), he's able to walk away from all three. Many people would have persisted even in the face of so much discouragement, but Sandham knows when to cut his losses. He probably wouldn't have made it across Africa without that knowledge.

Apart from the not-so-tame domestic animals, there's lions. Real, live, traveller-eating lions. Fortunately, the threat they pose is more perceived than actual; some people have been eaten, but Sandham gets through. There's also explosive diarrhea, a very unpleasant, if probably inevitable, attack of malaria, and, of course, blisters. Yet day after day, he gets up, and gets going. Even after side trips to investigate mules or donkeys, he insists on being driven back to the point where he stopped walking, so he can start again. He knows when he's idled somewhere too long, and somehow gets himself going. There's no cheating on this journey, even though the temptations must have been enormous.

This book entertained and saddened me by turns, and I heartily recommend it--reading what Sandham has to say is the only way even partially to answer the question, 'Why?'.

[review written by Debbie Moorhouse of GUD Magazine]

There are many things to admire about Mr. Sandham's book: the fact that he underwent great hardship at times in order to write it; the way in which he has unveiled some little-known parts of Africa to a wider audience; or his eloquent turn of phrase and sometimes biting self-deprecating humour. But what stands out for me is in the way which he stuck to his task and wasn't seduced by the touristic, bombastic way to travel through a country. I don't mean that he didn't occasionally stay in a hostel,(after hundreds of kilometres across lion country you might too), or that he didn't occasionally eat Western-style foods in souless supermarkets. What I mean is that he stuck to the task at hand and didn't go to see something or attempt to do something just because a guidebook said he should. It is extremely hard sometimes to resist the pull of the mass-market. I myself have been to countries where I thought I had been to every 'must-see' site in an area and then found that to my disappointment there was one I had missed. But those were not the real experiences and stories which will stay with me. Real meaning can be found in the tapestry of human interactions and the beat of a way of life different to your own. In an era of travel being accessible to so many more people, how refreshing to hear an account of someone who decided to tread a more personal path.

Mr. Sandham did things 'his way' and I am sure his mentors Messrs. Livingstone, Stanley et al, would be proud.

We liked the book a lot. It's read in 5 minutes or less, but still great pictures and beautiful book.

Voices Of Ancient Egypt is an extensively researched picture book that presents simple, moving poems by Kay Winters about the daily lives and jobs that Egyptian people once held, including scribe, marshman, birdnetter, weaver, goldsmith, and more. Flowing illustrations by Barry Moser and historical notes complement this excellent and fascinating National Geographic "window" into ancient times for young folks.

This is a beautiful book and will be a great addition to classrooms and libraries, as well as to homes. Children study Egypt in sixth grade, and this book will add to their knowledge. But it is more than an informative book. It is unique in the way it is written. It is told from the point of view of different workers in Ancient Egypt--not the pharoahs we are used to hearing about, but the every-day people who made the kingdom run. And the voices are poetic and lyrical.
Kay Winters, the author, has written an excellent book and Barry Moser, the illustrator has painted beautiful pictures. The book makes me want to go to Egypt--or at least to give a piece of Egypt to the children I know. It will be a favorite Christmas gift this year.

Gorgeous watercolor illustrations of workers busy at work accompany text in prose style in this non-fiction picture book for children. The writing is eloquent and is a fresh change from the usual content of most history books. Using first-person narrative, the worker tells what their job is like. Some examples of the vocations covered are launderer, scribe, farmer, pyramid-builder, embalmer, and dancer.

There are two pages of background information about the 13 vocations, and a list of source materials at the back that is helpful for locating more resources to use when learning about life in Ancient Egypt.

I can't say enough about the beautiful illustrations by Barry Moser. The cover's illustration is exactly the type of high-quality work that lies inside the book. The background paper for the entire book looks similar to papyrus. A wonderful book! I hope that National Geographic makes this one in a series and that future book have equally high quality writing and illustrations.

I purchased and read this book while in Morocco and loved the descriptions of life in the streets.

"The voices of Marrakesh. A Record of a Visit" is one of the sharpest and most original accounts of the life in the Moroccan city written by a tourist. The1981 Nobel Prize winner, and author of the famous "Auto da Fe", Elias Canetti, has described his impressions from the stay in Marrakesh. He was indeed a tourist, although the better word in his case might be "a visitor", and many of his observations are typical for such, but his language and style would make this slim book exciting anyway. His view makes the streets of Marrakesh interesting and mysterious, the camels have their own personal life, the donkeys accept their sad fate and the art of negotiation at the souk is a starting point for the divagations on the human nature.

There are, however, many chapters on not-so-touristically-obvious subjects. Canetti, being Jewish, was especially interested in the life of the Jewish minority and explored the Jewish quarter, which resulted in amazing observations, central to the book. His perception is acute and his opinion of people he encountered (he loved the native women!) are witty and deep at the same time. His voice is very fresh, the book does not sound like a guide, and one of the best points is that, despite his obvious fascination with his exotic surroundings, he can be very critical without being offensive and retaining the respect for the people he describes. His use of words is superb and the translation does not cause the loss of the flow and atmosphere he evoked.

Although written more than 50 years ago, "The Voices of Marrakesh" did not lose the charm and magnetizing quality.

"The Voices of Marrakesh," by Elias Canetti, has been translated from German by J.A. Underwood. The copyright page of the 2001 edition notes that both text and translation have a 1967 copyright date. The back cover notes that author Canetti was born in Bulgaria and received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1981.

"Voices," which is divided into 14 short chapters, is the first person account of a visit to the Moroccan city of the title. Canetti tells of encounters with and observations of camels, beggars, donkeys, merchants, and other inhabitants of the city. The book is a fascinating record of cross-cultural contact, and includes an intriguing view into the Mellah, the Jewish quarter of Marrakesh.

The book is full of vividly rendered scenes; Canetti really brings these people and animals to life on the page. The book also has a dark edge as he recounts the exploitative underside of the city. Literacy and linguistic difference are also key themes.

"Voices" is a short text (103 pages), but rich in mystery, tragedy, and wonder. As a companion text I recommend "The Jaguar Smile," by Salman Rushdie.

As a twelve-year foreign resident of Marrakesh, I read with interest this slim volume in about two hours. Before reading, I thought this was something written in the past 20 years. But I quickly discovered that the author's sejour in Morocco must have occurred in about 1959 (according to my Moroccan husband) due to certain events mentioned. (The book was first published in 1967.)

The book takes place in the time when Morocco was still part of the French Colonial Empire, and when the French had placed a "puppet" sultan on the throne. The author speaks of camel markets in Bab Khemis, the camels having walked in a train of 105 animals from the Western Sahara. Those not purchased by butchers (yes, for eating) in Marrakesh were to continue walking north to Settat, the end of the line for the camel trains (just outside of Casablanca). This must have been before trucking was the common method of transport. Occassional "blue men" of the Sahara could still be seen in Marrakesh.

This book will be of particular interest to any visitors of Moroccan Jewish origin who may be returning to visit the land of their parents. The author, we find out, is Jewish, and just happens to meet up with some members of the Jewish community. He gets pulled into their own little world (which no longer exists in Marrakesh, as most of that community emmigrated to Israel after 1967). He relates his experiences.

If you are thinking of traveling to Marrakesh, or anywhere in Morocco, this little book will open your eyes to the sights, sounds, and smells of the city. Much of the city has changed, but the atmosphere has remained the same.

Your book will definetly help students and patrons alike find information on a period of American art that has not been fully covered.

Carl W. Peters: Ameican Scene Painter from Rochester to Rockport is magnificent and as a seasoned bibliophile it's a superb production in every respect. My highest praise for its scholarship, reproduction, and encyclopedic content about Peters.

In Carl W. Peters: American Scene Painter from Rochester to Rockport, Richard H. Love, with scholarly expertise, tells the story of a pioneer American regionalist whose career developed amid the conflict between modernisn and realism. Not just about Carl Peters, Love's book is rich with stories of American art. His coverage of the art scene in Woodstock and Cape Ann, America's first art colony, is a fascinating contribution to art history. What a place Gloucester must have been in the early twentieth century! John Sloan's description gave unique insight, "there was an artist's shadow beside every cow in Gloucester, and the cows themselves were dying from eating paint-rags."

Carl W. Peters, American Scene Painter from Rochester to Rockport.is the first comprehensive look at the American Scene and mural painter. Art historian, artist, gallery owner, and former media personality Richard Love, a consummate scholar and cultural commentator, contrasts the European-inspired traditions and modern movement with "home-grown" American realism. Throughout the book, Love's extraordinary grasp of American artistic and cultural events enriches the story of Peters' life and art in a marvelous way. We conclude that Peters was a distinctive American artist. This remarkable book, beautiful in design, dense in delineation of all aspects of American culture, and rich in expression will long be the scholarly standard for the life and works of Carl W. Peters, who rose from humble origins on a farm in the Genesee country to become an outstanding painter of the American Scene.