Africa Books

I throughly enjoyed the book. It is what the author has stated it is a 1st hand account of a trooper in the RLI. It sheds alot of light on a what I consider is a forgotten war. My opinion that many of us within the military community (I am in afghanistan right now with an airborne infantry unit) sould read and learn from the tactics and TTP s set forth. It makes a great addition to any military library.

One of the best books of the bush war. One's you start reading you can't stop. Just great.

Wow! That is all you can say after reading Fireforce. C.J. Cocks has written one of the finest accounts of war ever put on paper. Fireforce tells everything the hours of boredom waiting for a call out, the adrenaline rush when the call out comes, and the horrors of combat. Even if you have no interest in the Rhodesian scene this is a must read. Cocks captures the terrible strain that combat causes on young men making them age way past their years. The pictures in the book show the evidence as the men show signs of combat fatigue and Cocks himself looks as he has aged 10 years in the four years covered by this book. The firefights are very descriptive and at times the reader feels the AK rounds whizzing by their ears. This is not just a story of combat but also a story of young men fighting for a country's independence that no one gave a damn for. Cocks describes the final years of Rhodesia's struggle for independence in one of the countries elite units. This is the modern version of All Quiet on the Western Front. I recommend this book to anyone interested in what war is really all about.

You cant put down this book once you start reading it. I cant wait to read his follow up book "Survival Course".

Great book! Chris Cocks really brings into clear focus the horror of war. This book is not about the "big picture." If you want an overall history of the Rhodesian war or the politics involved etc look elsewhere. If you want an excellent read based on one man's experiences then this is it. I particulary found his description of the kit used by the soldiers interesting, who carried what, why, what worked, what didn't. As a bonus the photos are superb! Very clear, crisp and many in color. Strongly recommend this book!

Should be required reading in our schools. Mr. Ford has written an enlightening book that answers the many questions pondered by americans of African origin. So many things explained prompted me to write "The Aha!" in the margin. Superb work. Thank you.

This is an excellent book. I'd give it 100 stars if I could. Like another reader wrote, I wish I had found this book sooner. Every African and African-American should read this book. Thank you so much, Mr. Ford. I'll keep my review simple because I could go on forever. This book puts African myths in their rightful place: as legitimate, awesome, powerful stories that explain the human condition and our connection to the creator. All myths sprang from the African ones and Ford does a masterful job in explaining why myths are important to our lives today.

I've read this book twice and will probably read it once more, because I learn something new with every reading. This is such an essential book for understanding not only the importance of myth, but Africa's far-reaching contribution. Ford's book traces the genesis of myth and belief systems and shows an evolution that not only surfaces in other cultures, but even in the bible. A masterful documentary that takes us all on a hero's and heroine's journey

Increasingly, happily (albeit painfully)the new question for modern man and woman is "Am I my black brother's (sister's) keeper?" Conversely, "Am I my white brother's (sister's) keeper?" The answer is a resounding "Yes!". This book is a tremendous contribution toward the fulfillment of that Dream, toward a universal Philadelphia (phila = love; delphia = brother): the City of Brotherly Love, genuine agape, Unconditional Agape.

Clyde W. Ford helps us to connect to African mythology on so many levels. It is encouraging and illuminating to finally see African mythology treated in the manner that it deserves: as vital as those of any other culture. He demonstrates the importance of myth for centering our lives and providing focus for living. His discussion of the meaning and role of myth in the preface is worth the price of the book alone.

This book is not only a great reference for studying forgiveness and conflict resolution, as other reviewers have suggested, but also for anyone looking for an understanding of apartheid and post-apartheid in South Africa. I purchased this book as a student of human rights law, and found it incredibly helpful in detailing background and implementation of such law in South Africa. A good choice for a student or for entertainment.

Dr. Gobodo-Madikizela is a remarkable human being. I am awestruck by her depth of soul. She puts so many of us to shame. I hope I can learn at least a little of her understanding and compassion.

This is one of the most powerful books I've read on the power of forgiveness and what it means to be human. I highly, highly recommend it.

It's a pity more of our current political leaders aren't reading books such as this one. Forgiveness, open hearts, the space to grow - how can this be anything but good? I heard Gobodo-Madikizela on NPR, inspiring me to read her book. It's amazing. I'd recommend it highly.

I was extremely fortunate to hear Ms. Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela present her book on booktv on December 7, 2003. I strongly urge you who are reading this amazon comment to seek her out and go to listen to her if she is speaking anywhere near your area. Read this book by one of the world's most remarkable women and a true seeker of peace. Judge Albie Sachs also spoke in conjunction with Dr. Gobodo-Madikizela's book presentation and I would encourage the reader to seek him out as well. These two are truly exceptional human beings.

BOOKTV description of the presentation:
A Human Being Died That Night: A South African Story of Forgiveness
from March 9, 2003
From John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio, South African activist Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela discusses her book "A Human Being Died That Night." A psychologist, Ms. Gobodo-Madikizela had many conversations with Eugene de Kock, the former commanding officer of the apartheid police squads. De Koch, whose nicknames include "Dr. Death" and "Prime Evil," is currently serving 212 years in prison for crimes against humanity. Much of the book is set during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) hearings, during which both the perpetrators and their victims were given the right to be heard. Ms. Gobodo-Madikizela suggests that the TRC hearings may not have produced complete reconciliation, but the validation the victims received and the absolution they subsequently offered was therapeutic and necessary for the creation of the new democracy. Albie Sachs, a judge with the Constitutional Court of South Africa joins Ms. Gobodo-Madikizela. This program is hosted by Facing History and Ourselves, a nonprofit educational organization that encourages an interdisciplinary approach to teaching history by relating it to the daily experiences of the students.

An excellent book with some marvellous photographs. After all those years in Savuti I would have thought that they perhaps would have had a greater understanding on the politics of lions and hunting? I spent twenty seven years there, I can remember an Africa with a lot more Cheethas, Leopards and other cats, in the days before "everyone wants to see a lion". Now the over population of Lions is having adverse effects on the other predatory cats. Well, Lions is their passion, so theyre understandably biased, but all in all - a great deal of effort and hard work has gone in to producing an otherwise very enjoyable book

Simply the most passionate book on wildlife, this one in a million work trully complements the Jouberts' films on the Savuti plains, and only makes you dream even more about that magical place. A must read for all wildlife lovers.

This book is a joy to browse through, to read and to admire the photographs. Every page shows the author's passion towards the lions of Savuti, a magical and wild place in Northern Botswana. Derek and Beverly Joubert spend years in that place filming and photographing lions and other denizens of this wilderness. The book is proliferated with exceptional photographs of lions interacting with other animals. We see lions hunting, resting, playing and communicating with each other. There is a series of unique photographs portraying lions killing an elephant calf. There is a great photograph of a running lioness during a hunt, an aerial photograph of a running buffalo herd. I can go on and on. You get the drift. The text is interesting and at times seems almost poetic. "Hunting with the Moon" is one of a few must-have books for a true lover of African wildlife. In other words, great book!

No nature video collection is complete without at least two or three of the Joubert's works on the wildlife of Botswana, and this book complements their video work wonderfully.

The major focus of their work has been the elephants and lions of Botswana, but the book is a good overall view of the wildlife of the Savuti area. Fans of the videos will enjoy the memories they share, such as their agonizing but ultimately correct decision to let Tau the cub fend for himself and the day they gave Ntchwaidumela his name.

It is not always an easy read. Their subjects have not always fared well - in particular they painfully inform us that all but one of the adult male lions in their study group, including the five who starred in their two lion movies, have since been killed by hunters. Their annotated field notes, "The African Diaries", also in print, is largely about how this situation has forced them to take time away from behind the camera to be active in politics.

But this work is largely about happier days and the making of some classic videos. The still photographs within make this book worthy of becoming a classic itself.

This book is one of the best I have ever read.Extremely detailed and imformative,with excellent photography,I read it from cover to cover,every single word,without putting it down once! But then again, lions are my passion,so I suppose I'm slightly bias. For anyone even remotely interested in wildlife,this book is a must. No bookshelf is complete without it. Hunting With The Moon has some clear messages.How much longer can we tolerate the shooting of prime adult male lions for sport?For every male lion shot,effectively between 5 and 14 lions actually die.I personally think this is terrible,and I am glad people such as Dereck and Beverly Joubert make it their business to do something about it.

Great condition for a used book. Plus you can't beat the price at any College Bookstore.

I picked this book (sixth edition) from many others after watching my daughter struggling with Mario Triola's Elementary Statistics that her teacher used in the classroom. I wish Weiss's Statistics was her (and mine) first encounter with the subject. The book is well written and structured, easy understandable, and at the same time interesting and engaging to learn more. My daughter found it very helpful. I also enjoyed reading the book; it helped me to put my knowledge in order and finally understand the logic behind different hypothesis tests and other statistical concepts. If you always wanted to learn basic statistics just read this one book and you will be surprised to discover that learning and applying statistics can be easy and fun (do exercises!).

I can not say enough about this book I have never taken a class in statistics for fear that I would fail it .However, this book mapped it out so well if you fail the class it won't be because of this product.My first grade was a 94%, which is great for a person who hates math. I breezed through the class with this book. purchase it you will not be sorry.

This is the most lucid and well written stats book i have studied from. I used it's concepts and step by step procedures to write my masters report. Excellent book for any beginner in statistics.

I did an independent stats class after being out of math for a long time, the book was very helpful and I could actually figure the formulas. It was great!!

I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin and I love reading this story to my daughter to help her learn what Benin is like. The lesson the story teaches is so true to village life in Benin where everyone looks out for everyone. The pictues are beautiful and amazingly detailed depicting even the smallest details of the typical southern Beninese market including many of the typical prodcuts sold there such as Omo soap.

I simply adore this book. I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo (next door to Benin) and my daughter enjoys hearing my stories about Africa. We both love this book. The illustrations are a beautiful, astoundingly realistic depiction of life "au village". The story is sweet and entirely plausible. The title almost turned me off from the book but I'm sure glad it didn't.

It Takes a Village is an excellent resource for teachers.
The characters and setting are wonderful, the use of color
and pattern on the characters clothes is fun. I teach kindergarten and substitute K-6. I have yet to teach a class of any age that doesn't enjoy the book.
A must have for the classroom!

It Takes A Village is the well-crafted story of Yeis who joins her mother for market day. She's been entrusted to watch after her little brother Kokou and is quite proud of her responsibility, so she heads off with her brother. Departing, she shares news that she's watching her brother all alone. Knowingly, her mother smiles...moments later Kokou is separated from Yemi and she searches through the marketplace worrying over his safety.

Not only has Cowen-Fletcher given us a moving story, but it is complemented well by her beautiful colored pencils with watercolor washes. They bring out the importance of community and the saying "it takes a village to raise a child."

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal...

It Takes A Village is the well-crafted story of Yeis who joins her mother for market day. She's been entrusted to watch after her little brother Kokou and is quite proud of her responsibility, so she heads off with her brother. Departing, she shares news that she's watching her brother all alone. Knowingly, her mother smiles...moments later Kokou is separated from Yemi and she searches through the marketplace worrying over his safety.

Not only has Cowen-Fletcher given us a moving story, but it is complemented well by her beautiful colored pencils with watercolor washes. They bring out the importance of community and the saying "it takes a village to raise a child."

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

The Meanwhile Adventures is hilarious. My 10 year old son was getting a cramp and tears were rolling down our eyes with the nonsense and wit of this book. The author, who is Irish, suggests you read the glossary so you understand some of the local terms - do it! The definitions are a riot!!!!
You can picture Roddy sitting in front of you, animatedly telling the story - it's a hoot.

My 10 year old daughter, who HATES to read, enjoyed reading the "Meanwhile Adventures", "Rover Saves Christmas", and "The Giggle Treatment". My son, age 8, burned through them quickly too. They quote from the books. The humor is "different", but it is good for kids to read all types of books. Thanks R. Doyle! Write more!

I gave this book to my nine year old daughter for Christmas. She read it in two days and was thrilled to have gotten this as a gift.

Forget what I have to say, seeing as how I am far from being a kid. Let me tell you what my 8-yr-old hard-sell granddaughter had to say after I read her the first five sentences, "Really? It says that? Can I read it?"
Then, as she read, "This is great! I never read anything like this."
She carried that book with her, laughing, quoting from it, until she finished it the next day, then started over, more laughter, and then eagerly sharing it with her BFFs. Her review went something like this.
"This guy really knows that it is a kid reading the book..."
"How does he think this stuff up? I love the little girl, the one who can only say 'Who are you?' but everyone loves her so much they know exactly what she means, even if she means 'turn left after this corner'..."
And on and on. She will wear the print off the page with her eyes by the time she is finished with this book.
You can't ask much more from a book that a child love it and wants to share it and gets more from each reading (meaning they are reaching, it's not easy.)

"Who are you?" "Batteries included." I hope you have time to read this book because you will never put it down.

The Meanwhile Adventures is a funny , but exciting story. This book takes you to a silly family that does some amusing things.

The message is that a funny family like this can be a little bit of trouble sometimes.

I think this book is one of the funniest stories Roddy Doyle has ever written.

Angel of hope was the first book I've read by Lurlene Mcdaniel. I have too admit it was a pretty good book. I didn't even know there was a companion to this book until i seen it on amazon. Then i started reading a bunch of Lurlene Mcdaniel books. I'm mostly hooked on the one last wish novels. I only recently got angel of hope. And it was great. Even though i cried a lot. I would highly recommend any books by Lurlene Mcdaniel.

This has got to be one of the most inspirational, sweet, wonderful books ever. It makes me want to join Peace Corp, as I'm in the process of doing right now. Read it if you feel aimless (this, and the Bible, of course :) Read this book!!!

I have read many books but I have to say this my absolute favorite, including the 23 other Lurlene McDaniel books I've read. I couldn't put it down! It was very inspirational. My friends(who also read the book) and I plan on going on a mission trip after we finish school, but the thought would probably never have crossed our minds without first reading this book.

When I first brought this book, I berely had time to read it with all the work I had to do, once I had free time I began to read it and I just couldn't put it down. I thought this is very inspirational and the ending was so touching because you got to know these characters very well throughout the story. You will know what I am talking about if you read the book. After I complete the book, I just want to read it even more... I don't want it to end. All of Lurlene's books are the same, she is my favorite author and I've read most of her books already. I definitely recommend reading this one, its one of my favorites!

Lurelene McDaniel should be very proud of all the wonderful books she has written. I loved the Journey of Hope books. I have read them many times because they are such an inspiration. If you are looking for a great book you should read this one.

I read Karoo Boy with an eye for selecting a novel about other cultures for high school students to read. I devoured the book in one day and was completely swept up in the colorful, descriptive writing and word choices. Now, not being South African myself, I found that I was perplaexed by the meaning of many of the words/phrases, but I was usually able to asertain the meaning from the context of the paragraphs. And I enjoyed rolling the unfamiliar words around on my tongue and guessing at their meaning.

Unfortunately, because I love this book and think many students would feel the same, I don't think I will recommend that this book be placed on the list of "recommended books" for the assignment because of the sexual situations/comments. But I will recommend this book to students who are looking for a good coming-of-age novel, in the same vein of The Catcher in the Rye or The Perks of Being a Wallflower, that aren't using it for a required assignment.

This book has been my favorite summer read and I bet that you will think it is uniquely good, too.

Once you start reading, you cannot put this book down. This book is truly a way for people to visit Africa spiritually and experience another culture. Blacklaws' rich and detailed imagery takes readers on a journey of their own; this is probably why Chris Martin the singer of Coldplay said the book was so colourful. To truly enjoy the adventure u must read it with an open mind.

the african setting is poignant, evocative, romantic -- but the author's vocabulary and use of language raises this book to high levels of literary enjoyment...sort of like dylan thomas in its lyricism and poetic achievements...

This beautifully-written book is full of rich characters and convincing settings, but what makes this book special is the story. The protagonist of this coming-of-age tale (set in the South Africa of 1976) must wrestle with deep and painful problems under adverse circumstances. The ending is a stunner. I reread it within weeks of first reading it. Best book I've read in a long time.

"My mother's cry is a sky full of gaping-beaked seagulls." On the Cape in South Africa in 1976, Dee's twin brother is killed in an accident, struck in the head by a ball while playing cricket; the twin loses the other half of himself, his anchor. His mother can't forgive her husband, who threw the ball, determined to make him suffer for the tragedy. The small family unravels after Marsden's death, the parents drifting away from each other in their grief. In Cape Town, "an un-African Africa, death catches the unsuspecting off guard, dealing the cruelest blow." Dee soon realizes that every time his father looks at him, he sees the boy he killed, a constant reminder of his identical twin.

When Dee's mother leaves the Cape for the more rural Klipdrop, south of the Free Orange State border, the white boy finds himself in unfamiliar territory, a Karoo boy. The Freedom Movement has already begun and is growing in momentum, crowds chanting, the authorities responding with violence, bulldozing the Crossroads shanty town. Apartheid has not yet been defeated. Curious about the township, the black shanty town not far removed from the white enclave, the bright-haired Dee wishes to make friends with the Xhosa boys. Dee's new friend, Marika, defies her father to visit the township with the boy. This precipitates a series of unfortunate events, all of which could have been avoided had the adolescents realized the inherent danger they brought along on their excursion.

Caught between his affection for an old garage man, a black appropriately named Moses, and his friendship with Marika, a white girl his age, Dee's wants are few, mainly to live without conflict in his new environment. Moses is a precious commodity, his willingness to make friends with the white boy putting him in constant danger of reprisal, while Marika is careless, impulsive. But Dee hasn't reckoned with the harsh lessons of apartheid. His young world already broken apart by the loss of his twin, Dee's coming-of-age is painful, a rude awakening for a boy of generous heart in an uneasy land. The author sensitively handles his protagonist, exposing the boy's vulnerabilities as he is transplanted from the relative security of Cape Town to the chaos of his new home, where a carefully constructed world is transformed almost overnight and a fourteen-year old boy passes the boundaries from child to man. Luan Gaines /2005.

Finally the book to popularize Yoruba culture has arrived! A MUST for any serious santero or babalawo, this is the New Testament of Santeria to Migene Gonzalez-Wippler's Old. Told by a master storyteller, this book explains traditional Yoruba society better than any dry text could. One learns through the eyes of the author as a child what polygamy is really like, about obscure herbs/ebbos, and how the language is really spoken. Buy it now.

Toyin Falola's "A Mouth Sweeter than Salt" is a memoir of the first 13 years of his life in Nigeria. Readers will find a fascinating account of his upbringing in an extended family which was Christian, but polygamous, influenced by English colonialism, but more by Yoruba tribal traditions. Fascinated by trains, he recklessly boarded one as an adventurous youth and found himself stranded in a far-away Muslim city, where he supported himself as a "stick-man" guiding a beggar who faked blindness. Returned to his family by benevolent postal workers, he subsequently aided his grandfather in trying - unsuccessfully - to combat the abuse of a poor farmer by corrupt and exploitive tribal leaders. All in all, this book affords insights into African childhood which will absorb the interest of anyone previously familiar only with American or European experience.

I just finished reading the masterpiece, A Mouth Sweeter Than Salt:An African Memoir, Toyin Falola, University of Michigan Press, 2004. This book is truly brilliant. It made me laugh, scream, and cringe. It is a superb combination of critical African oral discourse, brilliant analysis of modern African history, and lucid exploration of the making of the Nigerian state. I hope you will obtain your own copy and recommend it to others.

Olufemi Vaughan
Professor of African Studies & of History
Associate Dean, Graduate School
SUNY, Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY 11794-4433

Falola's memoir, A Mouth Sweeter Than Salt, is a "must read" for anyone seeking to gain deeper and serious insights into the mind of the true African child. The author gives the reader a breath taking, bird eye view of the cultural panorama of the Yoruba society, and the implications of growing up in its most complicated and sophisticated city of Ibadan. The uniqueness of this book lies in its ability to transcend academic and cultural boundaries. It is as good a history book as it is a novel; social scientists will find it valuable and educators will find it to be of great relavance. It is a story of life and of living. It is indeed a celebration of youth and its rites of passage. Humor, wit, and readability add color and lucidity to all pages of this book. Wild, weird, wide, and even scary at times, this is a memoir that will stand the test of time.

Growing up in Nigeria in the years around independence provides good material for a personal memoir. These must have been extraordinary times, full of hope and expectation for the emerging new country. For a growing teenager though, the issues were closer to home. Falola, well known scholar of African history, has used his personal experiences to create a rich innovative kind of memoir that combines his growing up during that time with events in his community and the country as a whole. The resulting book gives the reader vivid insight into a complex society with its intricate traditions, in particular those of the Yoruba culture. Falola writes an easy accessible style, often addressing the reader directly. He demonstrates his narrative skill and an ability to impart local events with gracefulness and humour. He demonstrates how the use of proverbs, idioms and traditional imagery has remained part of everyday discourse by interweaving sayings into his narrative. "A proverb is regarded as the 'horse' that carries words to a different level, investing them with meanings...".

Falola's account suggests that he was already at the age of 10 a curious youngster and an astute observer of people, relationships and events. His early fascination with trains led him to experiences beyond his age level that were to influence his standing in his family and community. After an unplanned train ride and its aftermath, that created upheaval in the family, he was transplanted to another branch of his family in a more rural sector of Ibadan, the city-state in Nigeria's south-western region. Not having taken notice of the hierarchical structure of his polygamous family, he realized only then which of his "mothers" is his birth mother. There he also learned to connect with the rich traditions of the local people who have maintained much closer links to their past than those in the urban centre. For example, children are given an additional name by the family, a praise name (oriki). This name should establish a link to a real or imaginary hero of the past. Such names should enhance the young person's deep character and his ambition to emulate the past bearer. Like a young detective he tracks an old woman, different from any he had seen in the neighbourhood. When he is finally confronted by her, the outcomes are an important lesson for his life and future. These early influences shape his thinking into his adult life.

While the chapters stand as independent stories or essays, they flow together easily as a portrait of a person in his time and place. He merges the memories of his childhood with his comprehension of circumstances as an adult. Understanding of his roots and the culture instilled in him led him to study the cultural traditions of the Yoruba people and the history of the land. His reflections on how the two religions, Islam and Christianity managed to co-exist with the rich African traditions are as pertinent today as they were during the sixties. So is his criticism of the trend among the younger generation to denigrate their own culture in the face of western influences. [Friederike Knabe]