Africa Books

In a world where people indefinitely hesitate to take that first huge leap from the world of corporate B.S. to 'really live life to it's fullest', I applaud Burke in taking that step and sharing his amazing experience. The author invites you into his vivid world and shares his fears, joys, new found friends and the simple pleasures in doing what he loves, "Surfing."

What a great read to help encourage one to take the first leap!

Awesome read! I loved the way Anderson makes you feel like you're right there with him with vivid descriptions and colorful wording. Enough levity to make you laugh out loud, enough somberness to make you think about where your own life is going and realize that the rat race is not the way to happiness, and enough adventure to make you want to experience his travels for yourself! I hope there's another book from him in the not-too-distant future!

Anderson Burke delivers an adventure most of us only fantasize about - leaving an unsatisfying corporate job to fulfill a wanderlust desire.
From Fiji to Austraila to Vietnam to Africa, West of Indigo Blues takes
you on a wild ride through fascinating countries and cultures. This book
will have you packing your bags for Mr.Burke's next adventure.

If you have a) any appreciation for travel (e.g., desire to experience new people, cultures, foods, etc.), OR b) been squelched by working for 'the man', GET THIS BOOK. This book is filled with unique characters, lessons in history & geography, appropriate & intermittent social commentary and a WHOLE LOT OF LAUGHS.

His journey from Corporate Boardroom to Fiji surf breaks to Mumbai's "untouchables" should be required reading. Bring on some more Mr. Burke.

I truly enjoyed this book. Its immense readability allows you to follow the author effortlessly through many countries. There are many interesting characters in this book, some of which seem as restless as the author. Through his travels, Burke shows you a world in flux. The constant movement is a plus for the reader. The book never stagnates as he moves from country to country. This book may serve the reader as a basis for the reader's own search for a more meaningful existence.

Phil Karber is my Dad's first cousin. Trust me, the sarcastic humor runs in the family. I have not read my cousin's book yet, but I have no doubt that it is wonderful. Phil is a great guy to be around, and he could write a dozen books about his life. I would love to read about his childhood also.

While visiting family members in Arkansas over Easter weekend, I happened to read a review for the book Yak Pizza to Go by Arkansas native Phil Karber. The excerpts from the book in the review left me craving more and as soon as it came out, I purchased a copy. I was not disappointed. As an avid traveler (I believe I may have run into Karber while visiting Sapa, Vietnam), this book is incredibly interesting and entertaining. Unlike most travel books that only tell you where to eat, sleep, and drink, Yak Pizza To Go provides the reader with this information along with a capsule summary of the history and culture of the regions that Karber has visited. From the bia hoas of Hanoi, Vietnam to meeting fellow Arkansan Hillary Clinton at the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, Karber's informative and at times sarcastic stories along with vivid and accurate descriptions of these places flooded me with memories of my own journeys and a longing to visit others. This book is a must read for anyone who is serious about traveling and getting the most out of their experiences to foreign lands.

i am unable to leave the usa due to physical problems. this book takes me places in my imagination that i never thought i would go. the writing is crisp with a dry humor. the author lives his life as he says in the book, a roaming vagabond, tied to the countries his wife is assigned to. with her job they spend all their time all over. i just wish i had been able to accompany him on some of these travels. i am only 2/3 through the bbook, it is very long. i just wish it had another 500 pages to anticipate when i go to bed at night which is when i do most of my reading. in short, a fascinating book from a new author. i hope he has another book in his future.

I've just finished Yak Pizza--and how much I was transported from Fort Smith, AR to places I've only dreamed or heard of. Each day I looked forward to that time after dinner when I could grab Yak Pizza, get off by myself, and take trip after trip.

Phil Karber did a remarkable job here, finding the right distance from his subject matter--at times letting places and experiences speak for themselves and at just the right times giving such keen insights from observation and analysis.

There were such poignant moments and then humor and then righteous indignation and then such a knowledge of the background history of environment, economics, political/social structure. . .and gadzooks what a vocabulary.

I wrote a haiku over my impressions the night I finished the book and had such bittersweet emotions on finishing it--here tis Brushed bamboo, twisted thickets of morass. Leeches hold time in their craw.

Warning: This travel guide is not designed for the "accidental tourist," the person who travels to foreign lands hoping only to recreate a faraway, expensive version of his homeland. This book is for anyone who wants to travel not only for pleasure, but also for knowledge. With humor and incredible insight, Phil Karber writes of his adventures in the lands he has visited, lands that most of us will only see on National Geo specials. Karber immerses himself in each culture, learning as much as he can about the history, philosophy, people, and customs of each country that he visits. After reading this book, the reader will feel as if he, too, has visited each place Karber describes. This book is a must-have for anyone who plans to travel to these exotic locales, but it is also a delightful way for those of us who lack the courage, time, or funds to travel to experience places that may no longer exist in a few year's time.

Chaikin has done it again. This spectacular writer keeps me coming for more with this next installment of the "East of the Sun" series. The mystery of Evy's attacker kept me guessing and anticipation over Rogan's and Evy's reunion kept my eyes glued to the pages. Can't wait till the conclusion -- Linda, please write fast!

Linda Chaikin does a terrific job in this sequel to Tommorow's Treasure. I absolutely love the main characters, Rogan and Evy. This book, like it's prequel is a must read. You are sure to love it because it has just the right mix of everything.

I was slightly disappointed in this book, but don't get me wrong...I loved it. My complaint is this: Rogan is in South Africa, while Evy is in England. The relationship between Rogan and Evy is what drove the first book for me...if it hadn't been for their constant interactions, I would have gotten slightly bored. So, since Rogan and Evy are apart for most of this book, it was harder to read and not as compelling. However, it was still great! It was nice to see things from Rogan's point of view, and the storyline in South Africa was very exciting. This book is my least favorite in the series, but it's still excellent.

I read this and the first book "Tomorrow's Treasure" back to back. Both were wonderful. The storyline becomes so much clearer in this one. I can't wait to read the third book.

I must confess, I believe this series is one of the best by Linda Chaikin! I loved the characters. I loved the plot. And I loved the exotic background to the whole story! The future Sir Rogan Chantry of Rookswood estate of Grimston Way, England is searching for the gold his uncle, Henry Chantry had left to him after Henry's supposed suicide. Despite facing his family's opposition and their own plans for him, Rogan sets out on his own to try to find the gold deposit in rich South Africa. His incredible journey to Bulawayo and Salisbury were well-detailed and well-thought out. The description of the colonists' journey admidst the escalating tensions of the natives and the Boers were also well-descripted. In England, Evy Varley has finally accomplished her dream of having her own piano school. But a confrontation with Henry's murderer has left her scarred for life. Will she and Rogan be reunited? Or will they lose the love they had discovered before Rogan left for South Africa? I couldn't put this book down, I finished it in one day. The suspense of finding out who is Henry's killer and Evy's attacker and the impending reunion of Rogan and Evy kept me reading to the satisfying end. But as you know, there is "Today's Embrace" which will continue the story of Rogan and Evy and their destiny in South Africa so I will definitely buy the third book when it comes out. Linda Chaikin is definitely one of my favourite authors and I can't wait to find out what she has in store for Rogan and Evy and other characters she will create in the near future!

I could not recommend any book more wholeheartedly than I do "A Zoo in my Luggage", along with all books by Gerald Durrell. Young and old will find the information of great interest, the writing style hilarious and entertaining, and the geographic descriptions factual and vivid with local color. I have read all of his books when I was a young mother living in West Africa, and I have ordered these books now for my grandchildren to enjoy.

Gerald Durrell spent most of his life collecting interesting animal specimens and Durrell is an interesting human specimen himself. His well chronicled life (mostly chronicled by Durrell) begins with the hilarious, and very succesfull, "My family and Other Animals". It is ably followed up with the equally hilarious "Birds, Beasts and Relatives". Both books are full of tales from the Durrell family's years on the Greek Island of Corfu, pre WWII. Little Gerry dives right into the flora and fauna of the island, including its human fauna. I own very few nonfiction books with such a plethora of memorable characters. Now, of course, we get to the volume in question. It is plenty good, and worth multiple readings over years, as is "The Overloaded Ark" and several other books detailing trips to collect animals. A word of warning, don't go nuts and buy all the zillion Durrell titles. Some of them are out of print for a reason and were most likely dashed off by Durrell to finance a collecting trip or two...

Naturalist/writer Gerald Durrell, with a writer's eye for unusual detail, a great sense of humor and absurdity, and an unquenchable enthusiasm for finding unique animals, recounts his third animal-collecting trip to the Cameroons in this classic 1960 memoir, recently reprinted. Supplying other people's zoos for many years, Durrell, on this trip, intends to collect specimens for his own zoo, one which will be open to the public and which will become a "self-supporting laboratory" with a captive breeding program to prevent the extinction of these species.

Arriving on the west coast of Cameroon, Durrell uses pidgin to converse with the Africans and refers to all animals as "beef," but he soon acquires many rare animals from the local population. A frightening canoe ride through hippo-infested waters, an attempt to capture a fifteen-foot python, a search for the blue-scalped, bald-headed Picanthartes bird, and the experience of smoking out a hollow tree keep Durrell and his staff energized and excited before they head to the highlands. There, Durrell stays with the charming Fon of Bafut, a elderly king with many wives, and he and Durrell enjoy many long evenings of talk, dance, and whisky. Soon the Fon's compound fills up with hundreds more captive reptiles, birds, and animals, including a half-grown baboon, a five-year-old chimp, and a baby chimp, all of which provide innumerable, often hilarious adventures.

Durrell provides details about the care and feeding of these animals, and he and his staff prove to be very "hands-on" caretakers, often having animals creep into their beds. The logistics of building cages and, eventually, packing them for the trip home, reveal the level of detail necessary to keep these animals healthy and calm so they can survive the trip to England. Upon his return, Durrell then begins the daunting task of trying to find a place to house these rare specimens, a task he neglected ahead of time.

A lively writer with a commitment to conservation and a tremendous sense of fun, Durrell gives the flavor of the whole trip, not just the academic details, providing realism at the same time that he reveals irrepressible humor, much of it directed at himself. His sensitivity to his surroundings, which he conveys through vibrant descriptions, makes the countryside come alive, while his anecdotes about the animals and the people he meets show his interest in expanding his knowledge while fully participating in events around him. Though there is no epilogue to bring the reader up to date on the success of Durrell's zoo or its captive breeding program, this information is readily available at: http://www.durrellwildlife.org/index.cfm?a=11 Mary Whipple

Gerald Durrell's books have touched the hearts of naturalists for decades and I admit that I have only become a fan of his in the recent years. I was introduced to his books through my local used bookstore, where I was looking for copies of James Herriot's books that were not offered at my local bookstore, and decided to pick up a few and try them out.

His stories have a incorporated a vivid energy and hilarity into his passionate memoirs of unique nature experiences that will entertain any nature-lover. While some of his scientific practices may now be considered obsolete, we are given a rare glimpse into the love and respect for all things living that has been a core aspect of any naturalist throughout the ages.

I have since bought as many of Durrell's books that I have been able to find, and treasure each and every one of them.

I would seriously recommend this book to anyone on the planet. Do you like nature? Read this. Do you like animals? Read this. Do you like humour? Read this. Are you someone who appreciates a good book? Read this. You will come away knowing lots of interesting facts about obscure animals,have sniggered your head off, and with vibrant images filling your head. This is an autobiography jam-packed with laughs and description.

More than you ever wanted to know about the making of the Film Zulu. Superb, but for Aficionados only. Not A History book of the campaign, but it is fascinating to read (in its Unedited Entirety) the Short story which became the source of the Film. Excellent

Do you know all the words to "Men of Harlech"? Do you long to tell some slacker whining about why you got stuck with a dirty job: "Because we're here lad and nobody else. Just us." Do you believe that one of the component parts of a miracle can be, "a bayonet... with some guts behind it"? Well, my lad, then this is the book for you, the book that will tell you everything you ever wanted to know and more about the greatest war movie ever made: Zulu.

This labor of love by Sheldon Hall is chock full of surprises, like the fact that the creative partnership behind it was composed of three flaming leftists: a couple of youthful Communists, John Prebble and Cy Endfield, who avoided the United States during the McCarthy Era, and an unrepentant socialist, Stanley Baker. Contrary to what one might have expected, surprisingly little of their leftist politics showed up on the screen (some of it Sheldon shows ending up on the cutting room floor in what is either dumb luck or good thinking on somebody's part) in a movie that is often condemned today as a tribute to British imperialism. Why? Well, partly it was just a better grasp of reality. They would have realized what contemporary leftists in the film industry are incapable of understanding anymore: that there is more money to be made in celebrating military heroism than in trashing it. But there was something else that IMHO made a world of difference: they had all lived through WWII, and they had all served in the military as well, making it MUCH more difficult for them to despise the common soldier as the subhuman tool of imperialism that modern leftists who have neither served themselves nor faced the realistic prospect of losing their freedom on the battlefield do so easily today.

Mr. Hall's thoroughness is evident throughout. Among other things he exposes Jack Hawkins' famous claim to have walked out on his own premiere to have a serious problem: the scenes he complains about were never in the movie, and then offers a plausible explanation for it. He also devotes a full chapter to the difficulties inherent in making a film on this subject in South Africa during Apartheid. The later prequel Zulu Dawn is also briefly discussed.

Perhaps the most interesting piece of all was Mr. Hall's spirited, and I must say to me quite convincing, defense of the movie against nitpickers looking for historical errors by pointing out that:

1. the subsequent explosion of research on the Anglo-Zulu War, much of it inspired by the movie itself, was rather obviously not available to the filmmakers,
2. some of the nitpicks are hardly settled questions and in any case reflect PREVIOUSLY made stylistic choices: (Should Chard as an Engineer have been depicted in a BLUE coat? In a contemporaneous painting of the battle HE POSED FOR he is shown wearing a red coat.)
3. during volley fire scenes, you can see in the closeups that Michael Caine possesses anachronistic dental work for the period -- I'm forced to agree with the author that, "this is madness!"

I was a bit dubious at first about Mr. Hall's superficially cutesy layout: dividing the book into three parts before, during, and after the film shoot respectively titled: "Preparing for Battle", "Dispatches from the Front", and "Victory and Aftermath", and further subdividing it into chapters titled with quotes from the movie, for example 8. "Fall them in, call the roll" -- Casting the actors and 18. "Volley fire present!" -- Reviews and criticism, but as in the examples cited, I cannot dispute their appropriateness. (I wonder how long it took Mr. Hall to come up with them all?)

Defects? The only one I can think of is an unfair one: I only wish Mr. Hall could have written this a few decades sooner. After forty years so many of the principals are gone, some to the simple ravages of time and many more to the Big C. Fortunately devoted spouses and children, justifiably proud of their lost loved ones' achievements, were able to fill in many of the gaps.

Note: if you want a complete audio recording of the movie's version of "Men of Harlech", which is slightly different from any other, your best choice is the first track on the Best of Ivor Emmanuel, who sang it in the movie as Private Owen. This isn't precisely the musical track heard on the film, but unlike the version heard on the film's audio track, it is complete and in one piece. (A more recently recorded choral version without Ivor Emmanuel is also available: Zulu (1964 Film) (Includes Other John Barry Film Score Selections))

With the market glutted with works supplying overviews of both the whole of filmdom and specific film genres, more and more authors are turning their attention and critical eyes to the study of individual movies. One of the best of these, and a model for future works of this sort, is WITH SOME GUTS BEHIND IT by Sheldon Hall which deals with the making of the film ZULU. To call this work definitive would simply not do it justice. Frankly, it is hard to imagine any area of the creation of this motion picture that Hall has not covered. No nook or cranny has gone unexplored. In addition, it is gloriously illustrated. The absolutest highest marks in all departments. It was a long time in coming but for once the wait was definitely worth it. Bravo!

Of course the real star both in front of the camera and behind it in Sheldon Hall's book, is actor Stanley Baker. Not a household name in America, but one who was certainly a presence in Britain. Enough that is, to personally get this exspensive epic into production. Together with writer-producer-director partner Cy Endfield, they had just as much trouble making the 1964 Paramount release "Zulu", as John Wayne had in filming his version of "The Alamo" four years earlier. Hall is certainly one dedicated "Zulu" movie buff and it shows in his exhaustive research and attention to detail in this book. It's everything you ever wanted to know about the movie and the real event at Rorke's Drift, South Africa in 1879. When a mere 150 soldiers of the British Army, were forced to take on over 4,000 Zulu warriors.

Stanley Baker sadly never achieved international stardom, but a young "pre-Alfie" Michael Caine was introduced to the world in this film -without the cockney accent though. Indeed, this is a good-read, well illustrated with script pages, shooting schedules and set designs etc. I remember myself seeing "Zulu" on it's first release in London, at my local ABC cinema and the place was packed. A schoolboy's dream of an action picture and it was British produced, well American Joseph E. Levine did help to get it financed...

The book Zulu:With Some Guts Behind It is a great book for people who like the movie Zulu. It explains every stage of the film-making, and tells you about the actors and their own carrers. I love the movie Zulu, and I think that the book has, if it is even possible, made it so I enjoy it more! Another great thing about this book, is that it has alot of pictures, so it is not as intimidating if you were just going to start reading, and say to yourself, Wow, thats alot of pages, of alot of words, and letters. And the author breaks it down, so if you just want to read for a short time you can pick the topic you want to read about, and not have to go through the book to find something you are intrested in that is not too long. All and all, it is a fantastic book that you could read over and over.

This portrait will also fit neatly in travel sections: itportrays a bicyclist's journey across two deserts as he bikes throughsand, dodging lions and elephants and visiting remote parts of outback Africa. The adventure and observations of life in Botswana make for an excellent and exciting read.

I think that Phil Deutschle is a wonderful author, having to put up with all of that stress of how to fit in time to writ after or at the time of his experiences. And just being able to adapt to a community so quick ; but at the same time working.

Across African Sand: Journey Of A Witch Doctor's Son-In-Law is the true life adventure story of Phil Deutschle's bicycle trip across 3,000 miles of African landscape. Along the way Phil was stalked by lions, charged by a herd of enraged elephants, fell in love with (and married) the daughter of a prominent witch doctor. Across African Sand is a compelling, engaging, fascinating biographical travelogue that relates an account of Phil's five years in Botswana (southern Africa) told in the form of flashbacks while he bicycles over the harsh Kalahari and Namib deserts, negotiating difficult African terrain, including soft sand and mud, during the course of his three month cycling adventure. Across African Sand is highly recommended for bicycling enthusiasts, armchair adventurers, and anyone who has ever yearned to travel the world, meet new people, and have adventures of their own!

Across African Sand is a an excellent example of what true adventure books should be. I emphasize the word "true" not simply to point out that events in the book are factual but to distinguish this work from books describing stunts. (To me a stunt is a once-in-a-lifetime event, filled with harum-scarum that a more skilled traveler would have avoided and usually detailing a significant departure from the main stream of the writer's life.) By contrast, Across African Sand comes across as the logical continuation of Phil Deutschle's career as a teacher and introspective traveler. Prior to embarking on his solo bicycle ride across the Kalahari and Namib deserts, Deutschle has spent three years living and teaching in an out-of-the way village in Botswana. An accomplished linguist, he has become fluent-to-conversant with several local languages, including that of the !Kung (Bushman) people, and thus we learn more of African life and thought than we would at the mercy of a more casual traveler. Deutschle clearly enjoys the company of the various people he falls in with along the way but also relishes the solitude which is such a significant part of his journey. Part of the success of the book is its skillful interweaving of events in the course of his cycling trek with flashbacks to his life as a teacher in a traditional Botswana village. Dimi Press has done a creditable job of putting the book together and its illustrations are great. I wholeheartedly recommend this as an interesting and insightful story of travel and adventure.

I bought this book for my husband. While he was reading it he kept interrupting my reading to tell me about what was happening in his book. In self defense, I picked it up as soon as he finished and immediately found myself transported to Africa. This book is much more than the story of the author's trip across the Kalahri on a bicycle. He writes about the people he meets and tells of their culture, the politics and economy of each group. He possesses interpersonal skills that allow him to relate to all sorts of people quickly and he writes about them with affection and respect. He describes plant and animal life along the way. Through flashbacks he tells of his earlier life and recent experience as a teacher in Africa. During the lonely stretches of his trip he wonders about his need to wander the globe. My husband said when he finished the book, "I've learned more about Africa from this book than all of the other books on the subject, put together" I agree, and I learned a great deal about life in general and men in particular from it.

I used this book for my own motorcycle travels - it, along with Asia Overland, was the only reference I truly needed. It was fantastic for both pre trip planning and for during the trip.

Chris highlights all of the things you need for a successful and fun journey, and provides enough excitement to build your motivation to buy & equip the bike and get on the road. If you think that you might like to do this the future - watch out, a few months after reading this book you may find yourself on a dirt track in a country you didn't know existed....

Just the sort of book the rapidly increasing band of motorcycle explorer-adventurers need. If you like the feeling of long-distance independent motorcycle travel and want to take in more of the planet then this book will answer many of your questions and provide plenty of welcome advice.

Most of the practical information is geared towards exploring the more challenging parts of the world rather than the comparatively simple Western countries. Every adventurous touring motorcyclist is likely to benefit from reading this thoroughly.

Highly recommended.
David French, Chairman, Irish Motorcyclists Action Group

A very helpfull book indeed. It gives you prcatical advice and touches all possible subjects that involve a motorbike trip. It even reminds you of the possible failure, or that one should reconcider the possible departure date. Very usefull are short stories written by teachers, workers etc who have done a long overland journey, even in a short time (as like most of us they have to get back to work! ) Most travels books are nice to read, but unfortuanetly we all cannot take months off from work. This really helps anyone planning a trip

If you want do a overland journey, this is a MUST !

This book is the best way to find out what it is like to ride your bike around the world without actually doing it. Great practical tips on bike setup, routes, what works and what doesn't. The last quarter of the book is full of interesting stories from those adventure bikers who have actually put the principles of this book to the test, including some great color pictures (my favorite image is one of Helge Pederson dragging his BMW through the Darien Gap in Panama). The appendix has a good list of Web sites and related readings.

You'll find updates for this book, latest trip reports from readers, a discussion forum and a whole lot more atwww.adventure-motorcycling.com

If you are looking for a book that does it all, this is it. Each page is a wonderfully modern treatment of the wildlife and artistic essence of unspoiled Africa. Beautiful collections of drawings, and sketches using photographs of field notes really sets off the wonderful format of the book. The artwork is breathtaking and the paintings will make your heart stir with the desire to be in Africa yourself. This is the next best thing.

Africa: An Artist's Journal comes from Kim Donaldson, a renowned wildlife artist who grew up in Zimbabwe on a ranch. His lifelong passion for capturing wildlife in art lends to a journal that covers the wildlife, culture, and history of Africa as a whole. A highly recommended pick for any interested in wildlife art.

This book is for anyone who loves Africa, wildlife and or artwork. It has pages and excerpts from his field sketchbooks, drawings, sketches and paintings. The artwork is exquisite. What makes it a must have is that you also get a well written brief history/description of the countries, the national parks, animals and people residing in each region interposed with Kim Donalson's personal experiences. It makes you feel like you have been there.

For anyone who has been on safari or only dreamed of going, for animal lovers everywhere, and for those who love Africa or want to know more about the continent, this is an extraordinary guide. What I loved was the quality of the art (virtually photographic), but with a translucence and depth that photographs cannot match coupled with the insiders commentary that is incredibly humble, given the authors obvious knowledge of the subject. One of the finest African wildlife books ever and a definitive addition to my collection. Buy it, you won't be disappointed.

The Strand Book Stall at Bangalore was having its yearly sale in DEC.2003. I was out there browsing when I ran into this gorgeous elephant on the cover of this book. I get this feeling about books and knew I had to buy this one - it reminded me of the book by Ernest Thompson Seton that I read way back in 1986. It set me back by INR 1,615, but what the heck; the "Lions of the Serengeti" on pp. 12-13 itself recovered the cost of the "investment"!

The more I go through this book, the more I am amazed. Somehow, Kim Donaldson has come out with a masterpiece on Nature in Africa in all its glory and has been able to capture the many animals and their many moods in their natural habitat in a style that makes you feel that you have "walked the walk and experienced the silence" of Africa. Here's Kim's idea of a painting: "The way I decide the worth of a painting of Africa is by the feeling it evokes - whether it makes me homesick."

There are real gems right through the book. Tucked away at the top of the painting titled Grevy's zebra on pp. 154-155 is this African song of praise to the zebra:
~~~~~
You, who are night & day in one body
You, who are dark & light in one form
You, who are good & evil in one shape
Animal of two colors, animal of perfect harmony.
~~~~~

I browse this book at the junction points of a day: dawn and dusk. It reminds me of Sri Ramakrishna's observation that Nature is a majestic expression of divinity. It also reminded me of a particular verse in the Bhagavad Gita. So I hunted for the same in the copy of the Bhagavad Gita that I have, which is a translation by Barbara Stoler Miller (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0553213652/104-8977925-4483157).

After some searching, I found the verse:
~~~~~
Deluded men despise me
in the human form I have assumed,
ignorant of my higher existence
as the great lord of creatures.
~~~~~

Imagine my shock when I noticed that the number of the verse was 9.11 (Chapter 9, Verse 11)!

Mr. Kofi Akosah-Sarpong wrote an excellent review of "Africa and the West" by Godfrey Mwakikagile, an academic author from Tanzania who has written many books about Africa, seven to date.

It is a major African work in the African Renaissance tradition and dignifies Africa, especially in the author's philosophical discussion of the African personality and Africa as an organic entity, in a way many African writers don't. And as always, as in his other reviews, Akosah-Sarpong captures the essence of the author's work few reviewers are able to.

There is, however, one semantic detail that needs to be clarified. The reviewer says: "Meanwhile, though the book deserves to be taken seriously, Mwakikagile states in the introductory chapter as if he wrote the book with another person by stating 'we' repeatedly."

As a well-read person himself, I'm sure Mr. Akosah-Sarpong knows it's common for writers, especially for academic authors, to use the first-person plural 'we,' instead if 'I,' in their writings; for example, by saying, "in the first chapter we discussed...," "We are going to address in the next chapter..." May be it comes from the imperial "We," when British kings said "we" instead of "I," and probably still do. It's acceptable in King's English.

One renowned African academic author is Professor Ali Mazrui in his book "Towards A Pax Africana" and others. As he states in the introduction to "Towards A Pax Africana": "In general terms we are concerned in this book with...We do not propose to limit ourselves to..." In chapter one, he states: "In this book we define diplomatic thought to be..." In chapter two: "In the last chapter we discussed utilization..." In chapter four: "We hope to discuss..." In chapter five: "We pointed out in the second chapter that..."

It does not mean Mazrui wrote the book with another person.

Otherwise Akosah-Sarpong's review of Mwakikagile's "Africa and the West," is not only excellent, but one of the best I have read of a major African book by one of Africa's prolific authors.

An impressive range of scholarship. The author's knowledge of the works of leading Western thinkers - from Kant and Fichte to Heidegger and Montesquieu and others - and of African philosophical traditions, is indisputable.

A lucid thinker of penetrating intelligence, Godfrey Mwakikagile is one of those Africans writing scholarly works to reclaim the dignity of the African personality that has been subjected to so much abuse since the imperial powers conquered Africa. Yet he is honest enough to admit Africa's mistakes, and shortcomings, including many in the glorious past of ancestral ways so much glorified by Afrocentric scholars.

This is a vital text in the study of African philosophy and identity, an area of abstract ideas in which the African mind is grossly underrated.

And the chapter on South Africa is a brilliant analysis of where this multiracial nation may be headed after the end of apartheid. The legacy of apartheid may be with us for generations to come; a bleak prospect for a country that is a beacon of hope on a troubled continent.

To be a modern African is perplexing experience. Not only is Africa the only region with the most dominant of foreign values, but the African, more especially the elites, are confused, transmitting such confusion unto the entire African personality, and making the African not only misunderstand himself/herself but difficult to explain himself/herself to the world about his/her personality.

Godfrey Mwakikagile, a Tanzanian journalist who worked with Tanzania's leading mass circulation "Daily News," echoing a familiar rallying cry, argues passionately for Africans to return to their native roots for balance and order. "Africa and the West" is also a reflective treatise, especially in its philosophical discussion of the importance of African values, history and tradition, African philosophical concepts, and way of life in pre-colonial times as compared to the advent of colonialism. "Africa and the West" is also an uncompromising demand for dignity and respect for Africans which they have been denied by today's leaders, which was not the case in pre-colonial times and continuing, as the author says, though contentiously, under traditional rulers in most societies across the continent today.

The author says the traditional leaders ruled by consultation and direct mass participation at village meetings. How to transform such pre-colonial consultation and direct mass participation across Africa's 2,000 ethnic groups in order to usher in democracy that fits the African environment is missing.

Mwakikagile recognizes Africa's natural beauty and abject poverty, diseases and disturbing ignorance, but his thesis aims at Africa's weak unity - "That is one of the main reasons why they [Africans] were conquered by foreigners, and why Africa is still weak and poor today." Before Mwakikagile attempts to answer why Africa's weak unity is the root cause of all its crises, he reveals the contradictory nature of Africa: Africa endowed with numerous world-class natural resources but at the same time Africa as "the only continent where it has been so easy for foreigners to take what does not belong to them." Why this? Weak co-operative spirit among Africans, more markedly their elites.

For Mwakikagile, Africa's weaknesses can be located in its personality. So to understand Africa, there is the need to psychoanalyze the African personality in relation to the world, "especially to the West." Why especially to the West? Because the West, more than any other people, conquered Africa, colonized it, brutalized it, demeaned its culture and indigenous institutions, and a large number of Africans, especially those who have been to Western schools, "were brainwashed into believing that they had no history they could be proud of; that all their customs and traditions were bad, and that even their languages were bad. Nothing good."

More than physical brutality to Africans such as Belgium's King Leopold ordering the amputation of Congolese for not meeting working (quotas) as expected in rubber farms or Germans brutalizing and killing Namibia's Herero ethnic group, the author demonstrates that the West's capture of Africa has been more at the metaphysical plain through propagation of ideas that skillfully but quietly demeaned African values. While he acknowledges that not all foreign ideas are destructive to Africa, he also states that not all foreign values are good either. It is here that Mwakikagile takes a swipe at Africentrism, a courageous venture aimed against the excesses of Afrocentric scholars. For Afrocentrists, there is nothing wrong with African values, and in their zeal to recall Africa's glorious past, have distorted Africa's values in order to "inflate our achievements."

His prejudices are firmly on the side of African Renaissance thinkers who recognize both the negative and the positive values of African culture and how to discuss them for the health of Africa's progress. This reveals the balances of Mwakikagile who is honest enough to criticize his own kind regardless of the wrath which he may spark, and which the African intelligentsia need for the health of the climate of the African Renaissance process.

Mwakikagile's piece adds to the struggles being waged by the new generation of African thinkers, journalists, and media outlets such as "Expo Times" (Sierra Leone), "West Africa" and "New African" magazines to open up the African culture, its negative aspects as well as its positive aspects, for eventual policy formulation. The reason being that colonialism did not help the growth of African values in relation to Africa's progress, and African elites, ever weaker, have not been able to mix their colonial legacies with African values unlike other ex-colonies in the development game. Meanwhile, though the book deserves to be taken seriously, Mwakikagile states in the introductory chapter as if he wrote the book with another person by stating "we" repeatedly.

A perfect rebuttal to the imperialist arrogance of the West.
Blunt in its assessment, incisive in its analysis, "Africa and
the West" is a vital work by one of Africa's most important
writers.

He may not be well-known like many others the continent has
produced; at least I have never heard of him, or read about him,
until recently. But that's probably because he's relatively new
on the literary scene, all his books on the market having been
published only since 1999. That alone is a credit to him, a mark
of distinction as a prolific author. And it does not diminish the
importance of his works.

"Africa and the West" is not only a definitive response to the
denigration of Africa by the West and others; it is also a major
achievement in the rehabilitation of the African personality
after centuries of subjugation by our conquerors. Godfrey
Mwakikagile has written an important academic book, which is
also a significant philosophical work about Africa, members
of the general public will find to be equally useful in their
study of the world's second largest yet least understood
continent.

Except for a number of typos, the publisher's fault, the work is
virtually flawless: unassailable its logic, well-documented, and
passionate in its defense of the African personality as a
spiritual and organic whole reminiscent of German nationalist
philosopher Johann Fichte in his lectures he delivered at the
University of Berlin, and published as "Addresses to German
Nation."

In one of the most important books written by an
African about African identity and the concept of the
African personality, Godfrey Mwakikagile's work,
"Africa and the West," is a compelling argument for a
return to roots, what Amilcar Cabral calls "a return to
the source," in Africa's quest for peace and stability,
equality and justice. Born and raised in Tanzania where
he also worked as a journalist at the country's main
newspaper, "Daily News," and at the Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting before going for further
studies in the United States, the author knows Africa
well. His book is also a philosophical treatise,
especially in its discussion of the importance of
African values, philosophical concepts, and way of life
before the advent of colonial rule. The work is also
an uncompromising demand for dignity and respect which
the vast majority of Africans are denied by their
leaders who constitute the modern African state, which
was not the case under traditional rulers in most
societies across the continent; they ruled by
consultation and direct mass participation at village
meetings. The book is also a blunt assessment of
post-apartheid South Africa whose economy is still
dominated by whites, as are most of its institutions.
The chapter on Afrocentrism is one of the most
courageous statements ever made against the excesses
of Afrocentric scholars, by an African scholar himself,
who is honest enought to criticize his own kind
regardless of the wrath he may incur. The book is also
an important work in the history of Africa's conquest
and subsequent colonization by the imperial powers. But
the author could have done better if he had concluded
this important study with a much longer chapter. The
last chapter has some very strong points, but is just
too short. Nevertheless, the book is recommended for
scholars and laymen alike, and has undoubtedly earned
its place in some major public libraries, and in
institutions of higher learning where it is used for
undergraduate and graduate studies like all the other
books by the author. He has a thorough command of the
subject, and the book is well-written without scholarly
pretensions.

Excelent recount of great african hunters and adventurers, very well written and documented.

Capstick has an ability to write as few others have ever mastered and those that did are also revered. His stories are addictive and captivating! A must read for those who love to hunt.

I've loved all the Capstick books and own and have loaned the ones I own many times, mostly to husbands of friends. But I must admit that I can only read one or two and then I have to stop for a while. Times were different then and there were lots of animals. No talk of endangered species. Today when I read about macho men slaughtering beautiful animals for sport it can get to be sickening. But, again, he is an excellent author and the books keep you on the edge of your chair. When you see the movie based on the Lions of Tsavo and have read the book - the book is soooo much more exciting. And - no love interest.

I know Peter personaly and have hunted with him. I am in his book Sands of Silence. I highly recommend all of his books. They draw from real experiences and actively bring the reader into the wild. He loved the outdoors and his work helps preserve memories and times of people and activity that is passing away. Each book is a treasure of adventure. BL Melrose, MD

I could not put this book down. What a sad world we live in today when there is no dark continent to explore the way that the professional hunters and wardens described in this book had to experience around the year 1900. What a sad world and what a bunch of counterfeits the Croc Hunter and Croc Dundee are. Author Capstick puts you there a hundred years ago, where prides of lions manage to devour 450 villagers before being shot, or where 30,000 elephants are shot in one country alone just to limit crop damage! These examples give you an idea of the world the hunters profiled by Capstick in this anthology of sorts walked into circa 1900 to 1940. Lions walking into huts populated with 100 sleeping people, only to leave without molesting a soul, only leaving their footprints around the myriads of sleeping African tribesman. Big cats jumping through windows to snatch infants in bassonets, toddlers grabbed off porches, the head being found a day later in the grass, Cheetahs killing humans just for the fun of it. Guns jamming and cartridges failing in the face of wounded lions. Deadly snakes, Puff adders, Black Mambas, no antidote, one example of these snakes even dropping out of trees to bite a human victim.

Make no mistake about it, Africa was all the danger you ever dreamed about and more at the turn of the last century. ANy game animal in North America is tame in comparison to the African beasts described so vividly by Capstick. Get this book and dream of an Africa unspoiled, full of game more cunning and ferocious than you, and dream about the original tribes, and the Englishmen that first made contact with them.

I will work my way through all of Capstick's books. I am hooked. This book is fanstastic.