Africa Books

This book covers the complete evolution and development of tracking from the first hunter-gathers to today's hunter-trackers. In his explanations and discussion of tracking Mr. Liebenberg touches on and covers a wide range and field of topics; botany, zoology, anthropology, paleontology, and archaeology to name but a few areas. He explains his theories that the art of tracking may present a crucial step in the transition of early man to modern man. His work is not only backed up by his years of tracking and research but also by his many years of studying and living with primitive tribes; like the Kalahari hunters. I found this book to be the definitive text on tracking; this book puts all the other works of tracking into perspective and provides added insight to this science. The book in its presentation is geared toward the Africa but as we know as trackers the fundamentals and principles are the same were ever you are. So weather you are naturalist, search&rescue, law enforcement or a military tracker, the information presented in this text will enhance your overall knowledge of tracking; man or beast. If this book goes out of print do your self a favor and track down a used copy, it will be well worth your time and effort, because that is what I did. But luckly it is back in PRINT!! HHOOOOAAAHHH!!!

I provided a copy of the contents:

Introduction-- Part I: The Evolution of Hunter-Gatherer Subsistence-- 1. Hominid Evolution, 2. The Evolution of Hominid Subsistence, 3. The Evolution of Tracking, 4. The Origin of Science and Art-- Part II: Hunter-Gatherers of the Kalahari-- 1. Hunter-Gatherer Subsistence, 2. Science Knowledge of Spoor and Animal Behavior, 3. Non-scientific Aspects of Hunting-- Part III: The Fundamentals of Tracking-- 1. Principles of Tracking, 2. Classification of signs, 3. Spoor Interpretation, 4. Scientific Research Programmers-- References-- Index.

Hi Readers, The Art of Tracking is now back in print. regards, Louis Liebenberg

"Honest, straightforward and audacious" is how the author describes Che Guevara, the Argentine who along with Fidel Castro led the Cuban revolution to victory. Such description is the polar opposite of the dishonest, double-speaking and cowardly character of imperialist leaders in Che's time: Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon, as well as today: Bush, Clinton and Bush. Some of who used their wealth and privileges to evade the fire of war. All of who glibly sent young people off to slaughter others or be killed while trying to protect the interests of the ruling rich.

This 36-page pamphlet, including the excellent footnotes and photographs, is a wonderful introduction to the Cuban revolution and its foreign policy. It is made up of easy-to-read interviews with "Pombo" - Harry Villegas, brigadier general in the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba who fought alongside Che during the final battles of the Cuban revolution as well as with freedom fighters in the Congo and Bolivia.

Additional reading: Cuba and the Coming American Revolution by Jack Barnes; Our History is still being written by Armando Choy; Capitalism's Long Hot Winter Has Begun by Jack Barnes.

One way to measure the Cuban Revolution is to look at the women and men it produces. This pamphlet does just that. It both tells us about Harry Villegas's amazing life and gives us a number of his insights. Villegas (also known as Pombo) joined the Revolution as a working class youth in rural Cuba. Since then, his life has been dedicated to world solidarity, frequently risking his life. Pombo served at the side of Che Guevara in Cuba, Africa, and Bolivia. After Che was executed by the CIA, Pombo led a small band of Cubans in a courageous escape from Bolivia. After that, he served in Angola as part of the Cuban force that helped defeat the invasion by apartheid South Africa. What a life! This man and his insights are a true reflection of the Cuban revolution and its incredible record of solidarity with the oppressed. While Amazon may say this book is not available from time to time, it is always available from booksfrompathfinder store listed under new and used at the top of this page.

I picked this book up in the library probably because of its alluring cover image and title, I'll admit it. And I was prepared to even enjoy what I thought was coming: an intellectual travel book of the Paul Theroux ilk, with perhaps the added sarcasm and chip on the shoulder due any returing British colonial.

It was, however, immediately more interesting and engrossing than any of those books Mr. Theroux has written, and it had even more honesty than Maya Angelou's book about coming to Africa, "All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes." For a long time I was not sure if it was meant to be novel or not. It was acertainly a novel idea, to make such trips, one after the other, in the time that one would need to see the places one was visiting (although I get the feeling that he might have strayed further afield in Africa than he did. There is an element of depression at times that was perhaps strongest in Africa, that kept some of his questions from being asked, so that he decided to move on and end any meandering reflection.) He was always interested in takling to people of the places he visited, but not to justify or romanticize about some book-learned image of the place. He aims more to appreciate what the possibilities of the places he visits are now, and then more importantly, what people there feel their history to be.

It is almost as if he goes to visit a relative in each place, (although he never does this) and in the process was not recognised as a visitor or tourist (was not recognised as anything, perhaps, something that helped lend the novel air to the book, and an interesting element of his reflection. I guess it is based upon the narrator's (and author's, I suppose) African heritage, colonial experience, and English mother tongue, despite his never having lived in America, Britain, or Africa.)

I recomend this book as history and even as a novel. I Guess it is a new sort of book for this age, frank and real and yet also curiously fictitious. It is hard to put down. I look forward to reading it again.

This is a remarkably complex and thought-provoking book.
It would be of interest to anyone who thinks about:
slavery/the middle passage, the limits (or failures) of Pan-Africanism, the power of the 'Exodus' myth in the Bible, and finally the invisible histories of urban space (i.e., of cities like Liverpool, UK and Charleston, SC).

The different destinations in the book -- Ghana, Liverpool, Charleston, even Israel -- all have some bearing to the middle passage. The argument of this book, if there is an argument, seems to be that the journeys "homeward" that many people of African descent invent for themselves are all in some way symptomatic of the original event of separation, the forcible departure constituted by captivity and the journey to the new world.

Amardeep Singh

A fascinating book, well worth the time to read. I found the following article about Nicholas Said in THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION (newspaper), dated July 23, 1870:
"A REMARKABLE PERSON"
"Nicholas Said, a very intelligent native of Africa, called yesterday at THE CONSTITUTION office to make arrangements to have published his autobiography, written by himself. He is tattooed over his face, arms and body, and says that he was born in Bornou, of a royal family -- was sold to Mischacoff, the Russian General, in whose service he was during the Crimean war. He seems to have traveled much, and talks intelligently on almost every subject. Originally a Mohammedan, he joined the Greek church in Russia, and now professes to have been converted to the Swedenborgian faith, about which he seems to be well informed. Upon the subject of the European war he converses with great intelligence, and seems to be decided in his convictions. He has been teaching school at Thomasville, Georgia, and in the Herald of that place he showed us a very complimentary notice of himself. We examined his manuscript with some care, and were astonished to find it well written, both as regards arrangement and the grammatical construction of sentences. The contents are novel, and, as far as we read them, very interesting.
"Whether he is what he represents himself to be or not, (and we have no reason to doubt it) Nicholas Said is a remarkable character, and a few moments' conversation will convince any one of this fact. He proposes to publish his autobiography if a sufficient number of subscribers can be obtained to enable him to do so. He will wait upon our citizens to canvass for subscribers."

It introduces us to the life of a talented, ambitious and well educated man. This is an inspirational journey of an African and of an American. You will not be able to put this book down.

Amanda Smith began her life as a slave. She later became a very successful evangelist, preaching to both black and white audiences all over the United States, as well as in England, Liberia and Africa. Fame on that scale in that field would, of course, be rare for an African-American woman even in today's society. In the face of the social obstacles she faced in the late 19th century it was surely nothing short of miraculous.

Her autobiography is, of course a real autobiography. They didn't often have "ghostwriters" in those days. Her style of writing is easy to read but intelligent, articulate and piercingly insightful.

She writes about encounters with racism, sexism and class distinctions among African-Americans with a rare combination of uncompromising integrity, wisdom, humor, tact and graciousness. She writes about holiness and theological issues within the context of her own personal experience with God in a way that is compelling and inspirational.

The autobiography of Amanda Smith is a remarkable telling of a remarkable life. She is an undiscovered American treasure. Her book ought to be a perennial bestseller.

I just finished reading the biography of Amanda Smith. I found this book to be a faith building testimony of God's faithfulness and sufficiency, to all who will only trust Him both for spiritual and temporal provision. In today's complicated secular society and even in the organized church, Amanda Smith's testimony rises up in a refreshing way to glorify the Lord and teaches us that God's ways are still pure and simple, easy for anyone to understand and full of goodness and mercy, if only we would humble ourselves to hear what the Lord is saying to us, in His Word, the Bible. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a closer walk with Jesus.

I lived in Tanzania for two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Now that I have children I want to read stories to them about life there. This is the best children's story I have found that accurately depicts life in Tanzania and also tells an engaging story.

This moving story is enhanced by the beautiful illustrations. My five year-old daughter and I both enjoyed this book very much.

I am from Thailand and a native Thai.
I read his book; he is my professor.
I am impressed with his idea- the so " socratic idea".
I love his book and everyone should buy it.

I was unfamiliar with the trends in African and Southeast Asian development before reading this book ... the title and subject seemed interesting. However, during the course of my reading it, I have grown significantly more knowledgable about how "3rd world" nations are on their own tracts to develop and enter the ranks of "modern societies".

He begins with a short history of both African and Asain developments, the key players, and background that sets each region up before they take charge of their own destinies. From there, he investigates the cultural, economic, environmental, and international pressures that disseminate one economy from another, as well as invesitgating the ultimate consequences of this growth.

This book is well-written, interesting evenfor a non political science or economics major, and thought-provoking to the core. I highly recommend this book to any who would be interested in learning more about modern development in differing regions of the world.

If you love the Drakensberg and like to explore the mountains, you cannot go without this publication. The author relates and shares his experiences and love for the Berg and also tells you about the history, people and explorers. If ever you plan to spend a vacation in the mountains, especially the Drakensberg, you must read this book, for it will enable you to survive and enjoy many pleasurable and exiting hours of joy and relaxation, whether you are a day hiker, backpacker, or mountaineer.

I searched bookshops in South Africa for two months to find a copy - after having found and read it, I would have continued searching for much longer! Barrier of Spears is without a doubt the definitive work on the history of the Drakensberg, its personalities and natural wonder. Everyone who loves this beautiful mountain in South Africa should (and probably already) have one. I fell in love with the Drakensberg all over again and could not stop reading. Although not describing any of the numerous routes of the 'Berg in particular, it gave me a deep understanding and knowledge of the different peaks, passes and areas that would not otherwise be possible. Knowing the story behind the name of a peak, the triumphs and tragedies that took place on it gave my outings to the Drakensberg a whole new dimension. Pearse have a wonderful way with words and I keep referring to many of the thought provoking passages such as the end of the chapter on George Thomson. It may be difficult to find, but it is certainly worth it.

Having spent a year in Africa, I can assure you that the illustrations so beautifully painted by John Butler, recreate the African plain. Most of the colors are yellows and oranges, with the brown mud. Bashi is born into an elephant family whose young females all protect and mother him, as is the norm. It is a good thing they do so, because Bashi's natural enemies are out there awaiting an opportunity. Unfortunately, they almost find one when little one day old Bashi is caught in the mud by the water hole. Luckily, his mother digs out around and under his feet and finally gets him free. The reader gets the idea of just how hard it is for the wonderful little creature to survive his first day of life on the African plain. Children loved it at a recent storytime I did.

This book provides a magnificent escape, with its astonishing illustrations that somehow really do capture the flat, endless essence of the desert savannah, the world the elephants and their potential predators inhabit. There are ordinary books with ordinary illustrations, and then there are books like this, with perfectly executed lines and colors. When you close the book, it is almost as if you've been to Africa, or seen a film of it. I suppose it is somehow like storyboards of a film. Anyhow, it is a beautiful, distinctive book that adults will like as much or more than child readers will. In addition, its story includes a deep motherlove between adult and child elephant that is moving in a calm, realistic way. A really excellent book.

The Douglas-Hamilton's tell a fascinating yet often heartbreaking tale of the struggle to save Africa's elephants from ivory poachers, corrupt officials, governments, and an explosive human population, with great style, objectivity, elegance and passion. This is an important book that should be made into a film, for it encapsulates the conservation story as a whole - why we must try to save the wilderness that remains for the future of the planet.

The Douglas-Hamiltons tell an amazing story of their work on the ground and flying across every African country hosting elephants, to document the status of and threats to the species. The story and writing style is captivating; a constantly exciting adventure, hard to put down. This is a beautiful and incredibly informative account of the slaughter of elephants that went on and on for 20 years while conservationists stood by, bickered, and asked for more information. Eye-opening, heart-breaking, but ultimately the efforts of this heroic couple were essential in bringing Africa's elephants into the 21st century. The description of the vast wild landscapes and flying across Africa are wonderful. This story will capture your imagination. Highly recommended.