Africa Books

This is the most amazing book. The photography is extraordinary capturing the smallest details, such as the smile on someone's face who is waving @ you. It is a must have for anyone interested in Africa & makes one want to go there.

Eyes over Africa (Hardcover) by Michael Poliza (Author)

I saw the bigger version of this book "Eyes over Africa (Hardcover) by Michael Poliza (Author) " in a store were it was displayed and I fell in love with it .
This piece of art is one of those rare items you do not forget after seeing it .
The amazing and breathtaking images were imprinted in my mind , I had to buy this book!

I can only but dream of seeing as much of Africa as Michael Poliza has, but this book carries me along on his journey. The level of detail is incredible - the more I look at the images, the more I find that surprises, delights or intrigues. Many pictures are pure abstract - and then I flip to the back of the book, only to find they are acute observations on some fascinating aspect of the natural world. Sadly, this detailed record is now vital in an age when global warming is changing the face of Africa so quickly. Perhaps these images will inspire us all to make a difference.

A truly beautiful book that gives the reader an immediate sense of the vast and immeasurable beauty of this grand continent. There is a vunerability in his work too. One gets the sense that even though the subject is grand and impressive it is all too fragile.

A new and refreshing perspective on a beautiful place. "Eyes Over Africa" will be a centerpiece of my photo book collection. Absolutely breathtaking. I've always been a fan of aerial photography and this book has solidified it for me.

A stunningly vibrant book. Each photograph tells its own story. It is a book you will open again and again.

I was thrilled to be able to give this book to my Ethiopian-born daughters for Christmas. The book is beautifully done. There is a hilarious forward by Melissa Fay Greene, who wrote the bookThere Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Her Country's Children. Along with pictures of the staff and children at Layla, there are street scenes in Ethiopia, and some thoughtful commentary here and there.

The book is especially precious to me because two of my daughters were living at Layla House at the time the photos were taken. I spotted their faces in several places in this gorgeous book, and they were thrilled to see many photos of dearly loved friends. Though the book is personally interesting to us, any family adopting from Ethiopia would be interested in the views of Ethiopia that this book shares.

The proceeds from this book go to the GRACE FUND, a fund dedicated to giving grants to families adopting older children who have waited a long time for families. Not everyone is able to adopt older children, but I truly believe that we all can help get kids into families where they belong, thanks in part to wonderful projects like this.

Faces of Layla combines extraordinary photography with thought-provoking words. The chapter headings by Jennifer Armstrong expertly and succinctly prepare us for the vibrant and far more upbeat than you'd expect reality of a third-world orphanage while Melissa Fay Greene's introduction offers a thoroughly candid and intimate view of what it feels like to adopt a child -- frightening, beatific, always surprising. Emma Dodge Hanson's photographs redress the decades of images that reduce orphans from poor countries to objects of pity to reveal that these children are like kids everywhere: hopeful, wildly energetic, sometimes sad, and unfailingly beautiful through the sheer life-force of their young selves. When I look at a group of kids listening with real attention to their teacher or breaking into wild laughter on the playground, I understand much more about their proximity to us than their distance from us--Faces of Layla is a moving and human book that closes the gap between seemingly distant realities and offers the chance, rare enough in life as in art, to make a true connection.

We have two daughters from Ethiopia, and though they are not from Layla House, they were adopted through Adoption Advocates International. This is a beautiful book and I would highly recommend it to anyone!

I would recommend this book to anyone, but in particular it is a must-have for those who are even remotely connected to Ethiopian adoption. We are currently waiting to bring home our two children (who are currently at Layla), and what I love about this book is that it makes our adoption seem very real to our friends and family members who previously showed little interest in, or understanding of, our adoption. I've had more than one person slowly flip through the book without saying a word, and then hand it back to me with tears in their eyes as Ethiopia, and the children at the orphanage, suddenly become very real to them. Ethiopia can seem very far away, and the concept of millions of orphaned children very abstract, to those of us in the Western world. The photos and narration of this book draw the reader closer to these resilient children who remain hopeful for their futures despite the tragedies that they have faced.

As a previous commenter noted, all of the proceeds from the book go directly towards a fund that makes adoption possible for the children who have been waiting the longest for a family.

This is a remarkable collection of information on a sorely needed region of herpetology. Not just for advanced hobbyists either...this book has WONDERFUL photographs and is a MUST have for any level of reptile enthusiast.

This is the most perfect book for any snake or reptile fan.

This book is amazingly detailed, giving in-depth information on ALL species of reptile known to occur in the five countries covered.
The photographs are of excellent quality (though where none was available, drawings would have been better than nothing) and the keys very user-friendly.
It is an absolute must for anyone interested in the herpetofauna of this region.
A word of warning though: despite the title this book is much too bulky and heavy to carry around on the field!
More likely, you will want to keep it at home (or in your car?) as a reference.

A great book, with descriptions and photos of al known east african reptiles, including distribution maps.
Which i must say could have a little bet bigger and easier to read(country references).

If you are interested in finding the reptiles in the field or keeping them in captivity, you must own this book !

The long-awaited field guide to the diverse reptile populations of East Africa. This book was everything I expected it to be and more. Comprehensive listings, excellent photography and detailed information on habitat/distribution, natural history, conservation status etc. I can't say enough good things about this book, the list of authors should speak for themselves! ;-)

No serious herper's library is complete without this book...

This is a book I ordered to send to my grandson for his birthday. It was sent directly, so I haven't really read it. It got good reviews and he likes the story. It was shipped well ahead of his birthday. All was well. Thanks

This is a wonderful, well illustrated book about a young boy who has an idea and finds what he needs to create it. What he needs is just a small amount of wire. It is not clear until the end what a "galimoto" is but by then we are all cheering for him to make one. I read this book to students who are studying to be elementary teachers. I think it would be an excellent book to use in the elementary classroom...it is set in Africa and has many lessons for young readers. I would love to see a whol classroom of "galimotos"!

This book is set in the small Southern African country of Malawi, the country in which I spent the first 19 years of my life. This book is very dear to me because of its connection to my home. However, it is a good book in its own right. I can say that the language used in the book is authentic (galimoto is, in fact, Chichewa for car). The illustrations are also accurate. The book also has several plot elements which are great discussion points for parents or teachers. For instance, the main character has to make several deals with people to get the things he needs for his project. This provides a good lesson in compromise. The main character also shows planning by setting a goal and then following through the motions to reach his goal. Although the book is intended for smaller children, I think that it is a helpful book for older kids as well. I have read this story to my 7th graders, and it has prompted many discussions on other cultures.

As I prepared to visit Zambia to learn how communities are coping with the HIV/AIDS pandemic, I tried to help the children of our church understand what life is like in Africa. "You mean they are so poor nobody buys them toys?" Galimoto not only gives a realistic picture of life in a small African village, it celebrates the resourceful spirit of African children. Our young people were filled with wonder when I brought home a galimoto that I bought on a roadside in Zambia. They were eager to try their hand at creating their own galimotos.

I just attended a talk by a Peace Corps volunteer who spoke about how children in Ghana were resourceful about creating toys to play with. This book illlustrates that point. I hope that my students from Africa will enjoy this book.

...this is one of those few books that i could randomly open to a page,-any page- and be thoroughly satisfied. It is that well-written. I was transported. I think that is one of the best compliments you can give to a work of fiction. I literally felt like i left my immediate surroundings and was with her on all her adventures.

One of the most grabbing, well written books I've read in a long time. It was especially intriguing as I read it while on holiday in Zanzibar! A definite read for anyone going there, and for anyone interested in a really good read.

If the shape of a life is determined by what one chooses to notice, maybe its trajectory is determined by what one fails to notice. In a world where nothing and no one are what they seem, Marcella D'Souza, intelligent, beautiful and determined, flees the haunted shores of her native Zanzibar to build a new life amidst an ad hoc family of ambitious immigrants in London. In this politically volatile, multi-cultural landscape where no one truly "belongs" Marcella finds love and an unexpected sense of belonging. The life she designs is satisfying and successful, but ultimately falls prey to the hidden designs of others. Multiple schemes, misapprehended systems and coincidence conspire, collide and explode into chaos. But Roger King, through his intriguing protagonist, seems to be saying that even chaos is illusive. "Disorder is only order we can't see, and coincidences are the evidence." Once betrayed, imprisoned and presently living in quiet exile, Marcella is once again reinventing herself in a foreign world, this time as a professor of Multi-cultural studies at a small Vermont College. From this temporary sanctuary she explores the graceful havoc of her personal history in a voice both poignant and utterly devoid of self-pity. "I had failed to read the signs. I had looked up and out when I should have looked down and in. I watched my front when I should have watched my back. I only noticed that...I failed to correctly evaluate... overlooked... misheard...mistook...I had only myself to blame." But personal responsibility, like personal history, is not so easily traced in a world of blurred borders.

Roger King is an adept magician weaving an intricate web in time. Marcella's tumultuous history casts sticky threads into an uncertain future and her present is delicately balanced between the two. The drama that unfolds when timelines meet is powerful -- it's unpredictable and yet somehow manages to deliver a mysterious sense of inevitability. Along the way, King's complex assortment of characters, all enchanting and unsavory in varying degrees, are rendered with profound compassion and insight. It's deeply satisfying reading.

The writing style is accessible and smart; complex without being confusing; insightful and reflective without weighing heavily. A great read!!!
What makes reading this novel so enjoyable is the adept weaving of history -- Zanzibar has a complex history, and it is told through the stories of the narrator, a young woman -- as well as via an insightful grasp of the contemporary condition -- of mobility, of otherness, of migration; it is both the tale of an individual, and the story of millions.
The author Roger King uses a wonderful method, of the narrator thinking about both past and present -- to bring us the careful, reflective details of an individual's life while at the same time painting a picture of the complex past (and present) difficulties of Zanzibar (particularly relevant given recent international press attention to this island archipelago off Tanzania).
The narrator, a young Goan (Indian and Portuguese descent; many settled in Zanzibar) woman who has recently come to the U.S. to teach, relates both delightfully concrete details of her life in Vermont and her past in Zanzibar, all the while revealing a very reflective story of personal changes and growth, wrangling with her past and present, as an "exotic" immigrant to the U.S. The weaving of past and present, of concrete and cerebral, make this a wonderfully rich story, both intensely personal and more broadly historical.

The wanderings of Marcella D'Souza, the protagonist of Roger King's brilliant new novel, have begun in her native Zanzibar; taken her to the bustling, multi-ethnic streets of Bayswater, London; and finally deposited her in a quiet college town in snowy Vermont, where she has been assigned to teach a vaguely-defined course in "multi-cultural studies." Looking back on her odyssey, she has this observation: "I think I have the making of a new theory here. Maybe these days, everything is so international, there's always an advantage in being from somewhere else. What is important is not local knowledge, but foreign knowledge. If the whole world is in motion, then the world's displaced are those who stay at home." "Those who stay at home" have had little role to play in Marcella's world. As a naive, ambitious newcomer to London--the New York Times calls her a "modern-day Candide"--she falls in with a group of equally peripatetic friends, people whose racial identity, national origin, and even religious affiliations can only be expressed via a long series of adjectives: "I've got it," an earnest British friend remarks of Marcella herself, "You're a Goan Indian Portuguese Arab African of Catholic Moslem parentage." This group of friends, living a hustling and often exuberant existence in the immigrants' netherworld of Thatcher's England, contains elements that the reader rightfully suspects will pull Marcella into dangerous waters. And indeed, from the novel's first page we know that she will end up serving time in prison for an unnamed crime. But the novel unfolds with such luminous grace, effortlessly moving us from scenes of the past, into the present, and back again yet more years, that we surrender to its shifting timeline without impatience. Instead, our knowledge of Marcella and her world becomes more richly layered. Our deepening understanding makes the novel's final revelations far more satisfying then if they had been disclosed earlier. A gloriously enjoyable novel, and one that adds to the reader's perception of a world that exists, if below the radar, in the most ordinary corners of the U.S. and Europe today.

Intriguing mankind for millenia, the pyramids of Eqypt have prompted numerous investigations by scholars and scientists over the centuries. In this book, John Romer's most impressive achievement is his extensive analysis and masterful synthesis of these investigations, enhanced with his own on-site studies and observations. The ease and clarity with which he presents his conclusions, and the scope of the material covered, is astonishing. Many photos, line drawings, and other visual aids complement his presentation.

Even if this had been a strictly scholarly book of dry facts and observations, it would be significant enough, but Romer also brings to life the society and people that produced the pyramids, revealing them to be skilled and dedicated craftsman who created works of timeless beauty with simple tools, professionalism, and perseverance. The idea that "ancient man" could never produce such structures is quietly, confidently, and thoroughly refuted. This book is a "must read" for any layman who wants a clear and compelling answer to the age-old question, 'who built the pyramids?'

It is difficult to imagine how anyone is going to top this treatment of the Great Pyramid. Romer, an Egyptologist for more than 40 years, describes in unprecedentedly precise detail how the pyramid was designed and built. There is none of the mystical nonsense that has appeared in some books about the pyramids. This massive structure was built by humans like us who learned from their mistakes on earlier pyramids and adjusted their plans to the realities of the Giza plateau.

Romer brings out the sophistication and architectural subtlety of the Great Pyramid, and the clever alignments that made its construction possible. This was an astounding feat of planning, organization, and execution for people living 4,500 years ago. Medieval cathedrals look relatively modest by comparison.

Romer admires the dedication and skill of the stone-workers, giving the reader a good feel for the adjustments they used to make their ambitious plan work. Some of the most interesting chapters show how pyramid-builders learned from the mistakes made in building pyramids for Khufu's father.

Romer tracks down related parts of the pyramid project such as quarries and ramps. He provides intriguing sidelights, such as the huge amount of copper needed to make chisels for the masons who shaped the stone blocks.

Romer describes the pyramids as the physical residue of establishing the Egyptian state. This age was short-lived; the pyramids that followed the Great one were less ambitious, and the pyramid age soon died out.

Romer writes with style, though he occasionally dwells too much on certain features such as the "prism point."
He praises some earlier Egyptologists such as Flinders Petrie. The accuracy of Petrie's surveys, made over a century ago, has never been surpassed.

This is a large format book of more than five hundred pages. It is well illustrated with diagrams, drawings, and black and white photographs, including well-chosen photos from as early as 1865. This is not a book for the lazy reader, but it rewards those with sustained interest.

A new book by John Romer on the library shelf! I could hardly contain my excitement since his books have always had fascinating views of Egypt presented in a readable way that suddenly opens vistas of ancient Egypt and puts things in a new light, brings the people more to life than most other authors. I adore his "Ancient Lives" TV series. Here was a new and fascinating book to read - photos of parts of the Great Pyramid and views of parts of it I'd never seen in the books I had available; discussions of sources of minerals, stone and copper; calculations of awesome quantities of resources and how this changed Egypt; methods of transport and calculations of manpower needed; details of quarries; details of earlier pyramids that made it clearer how they "evolved" and were planned. This was also a frustrating book to read and I returned again and again over about 2 months - "squaring the circle" had me going in circles trying to reproduce, from the description, what was intended, and deciding he must mean circumference, not diameter; finding some of the diagrams on how the builders worked things out confusing until finally about page 364 (?) a reasonable diagram finally was clear. Frustrating because I'm sure I could explain the basic idea to my 14 year old students in about 10 minutes with that last diagram and wondering why it took so long to get around to that diagram. Fascinating in the simplicity of the overall method of control once it was clear the east field could be used as a full size planning area. As a teacher always on the lookout for things from the real world to base problems on for maths or science, and as someone used to teaching areas, nets and scale models for a technology unit, maybe the placement of the Great Step didn't seem quite so miraculous to me. I still think the book is a monumental work and should be read by anyone interested in Egypt and the pyramids. John Romer has again given a fascinating and different view of ancient Egypt and its most well known monument.

Since many illustrious and famous Egyptologists have already written their praise for this book on its cover, I shall not try to emulate their eloquent praise for John Romer's quite extraordinary book. However, as an amateur lover of ancient Egypt's history, engineering and artistic achievements, I was spellbound by Romer's quite amazing conhesion of painstaking research and found myself totally absorbed and amazed. The reader is taken on a spellbinding journey through every aspect of the building of the great Pyramid and back in time. His text is elegant and fluidly written, the pictures and diagrams most interesting and easy to understand. I loved this book.
Out of Africa. Johannesburg

John Romer has outdone himself with his book, The Great Pyramid. Highly readable, this well researched book shows the remarkable engineering skills of the ancient Egyptians. For those who will look for such silly theories as building assistance by extra-terrestrias and other rubbish, this is not the book for them. It is a book for rational, intelligent readers who admire and wish to have a better understanding of the creative abilities of older civilizations.
Greg Slater
Australia

I remain fascinated by Gullah and Daufuskie cooking. This book is a welcome addition to my ever-expanding collection. I'm glad I found it.

I have tried to catch Ms. Robinson's t.v. shows when I was able. Having grown up poor and having to make ends meet by stretching the food, you appreciate any attempt to liven up the meals. Ms. Robinson has done this very well. I enjoy her, and I enjoy the book.

I grew up in St. Helena Island (Frogmore). Having and using this book brings back those memories

One of my favorite episodes of Sara Moulton's cooking show featured the author and included a visit to her childhood home. I was THRILLED that Ms. Robinson washed her green leafy vegetables in warm water. What a shame such wisdom (do Americans even know the term "nightsoil" anymore???) has been disregarded in the wake of carnival barkers who demonstrate their cooking ability by ripping open a bag of greens (prewashed, My Aunt Fanny!) and cooking raw meat straight from their styrofoam and plastic packaging. Ewwwww, you know no amount of cooking heat can clean that up. EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

Thank you, Ms. Robinson.

This was the perfect gift for my sister who lived on Dafuskie island for several years. She personally knew Sallie Ann and was sad to leave her east coast home and the lovely people she met there. The book brought back memories of a delightful period in her life.

I bought this book for an African Art class that i was taking. This book is overly informative and captivating. I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about African Art!

The item is in good condition. Arrival took a little longer than anticipated.

I simply wish that I had this book and/or Dr. Poynor's courses in West African and Central African Art prior to living in Central Africa. Now that I had these courses, I find that this book is less a formal text and more a comprehensive guide to understanding the art forms created in the various regions of Africa by the peoples and cultures. This book is a must for anyone who has a true interest in following this facinating subject. I especially recommend this book to anyone planning to visit or live anywhere in Africa, particularly the Sub-saharan regions.

It brings to all, the reality of such a facinating and prevously skimmed subject, without interjecting personal belief or opinion. All facts in the book are well researched and presented.

The good thing about this collection is that it includes art and architecture from not only all regions of the continent, but also of the African diaspora from the 16th Century onward.

The other good thing is that it includes architectural works, such as those of Great Zimbabwe, Lalibela, and Djenne.

The bad point of this book is that the selections are limited. For example, the art of the Nok (the oldest African art outside of the Nile Valley)includes only a few pieces.

The worst thing about this collection is that nearly all of the photos are in black and white. It's difficult to appreciate art of such a vibrant nature (with the exception of photography) without colour.

I took an african arts class with Poynor and he used this book and the slide images. This was a wonderful tool. I usually HATE reading art books but this one read like a recreational book. GREAT illustrations! If u would like to learn more about the culture this is definately the book to get.

My daughter will be teaching 'Home of the Brave' to her 4th and 5th grade class this year. She recommended this book after she took a class on teaching this book. When I first looked at the reviews on Amazon, I was put off by the subject matter. Don't be. It is like a written tone poem. Katherine Applegate's use of language is delightful.

My favorite part of the book is: "You can have your dogs and cat,
your gerbils and hamsters
and sleek sparkling fish.
But you will have lived
just half a life
if you never love a cow."

WOW! This is what I said when I reached the end of HOME OF THE BRAVE; full of emotion and admiration for Katherine Applegate's amazing writing talent.

This verse novel is a gentle, wise page-turner. It's an insightful window into the experience of an immigrant and a subtle lesson on appreciation for being an American. It's also a story of family, friendship, honor and bravery. All told in lyrical language.

WOW. I now know what book I'm rooting for as a Newbery choice in 2009.

Beautifully written, fast-paced, and moving, this book is a winner. Applegate has created a strong, admirable character in Kek, a recent Sudan immigrant to Minnesota, who bravely faces his new and often strange life. An ideal book for class discussions, both young people and adults will also enjoy it as a memorable story. Like many of the best books, it widens my understanding of others while also providing a good story. I'm not surprised it was recommended to me by several friends; I'll be recommending it to many others.

Author Katherine Applegate's novel HOME OF THE BRAVE is memorable and haunting. In spare verse filled with detailed imagery, she introduces us to Kek, an African refugee struggling to come to terms with the loss of his immediate family and his new life in America. On his trip from the airport to the Minneapolis home of his aunt, he spots a tired old cow on a tiny farm. He names the cow, Gol, and she becomes both his link to the past and his hope for the future.

Kek stays in the home of his aunt and his older cousin, Ganwar, who has lost a hand in the fighting in the Sudan. Kek makes new friends: young Hannah (a foster child), an older woman named Lou who owns the cow Gol, and his new ESL teacher, Ms. Hernandez. He refuses to stop hoping that his missing mother will be found, even though his immigration supervisors tell him she is most likely dead.

There are so many things to love about this story. It's very readable and the action moves quickly, so even reluctant readers will find themselves caught in the story. We see America through the heart and mind of a young immigrant. Kek comes alive for us, and soon we are seeing the world through his eyes. He faces both small and large challenges, but he takes action by finding a job on Lou's farm and urging his older, embittered cousin to join him. He helps his friend Hannah reconnect with her lost mother, and ultimately finds a new home for the cow, Gol, when Lou decides to sell her farm.

There are no wasted words in this story. Every page moves the story forward, and every word paints a vivid picture of Kek's world. By the end of the novel, I felt I'd gained a renewed respect for the idea of America as the "home of the brave."

I recommend this story to readers at all levels. Teachers will find many cross-curricular uses for the novel in the classroom. Young readers will enjoy the story on their own as well. The character Ganwar will catch the attention of high school readers, and adults will find this story a rich and meaninful experience. At a time when immigrant issues are much-debated, this novel provides a personal and heart-rending viewpoint that is sure to provoke a thoughtful response.

An outstanding novel, sure to become a classic.

Katherine Applegate's HOME OF THE BRAVE is another novel in verse that will appeal to boys as well as girls. It may help that plenty of middle grade readers already know Applegate from the ANIMORPHS series, but this book has a completely different feel to it.

HOME OF THE BRAVE is about Kek, a Sudanese immigrant who recently arrived in America after witnessing the death of his father and brother. He left his mother behind and wonders every day if she is alive. The poems that explore Kek's emotional state are poignant and accessible to young readers, and the more traumatic scenes are set alongside lighter stories of Kek adapting to life in America and experiencing new things, from snow to washing machines.

This is a kid-friendly story (those who love animals will have an additional connection) that explores a dramatic issue in current events in a manner that is personal, sensitive, and hopeful.

I have lived in South Africa and when this book was released for publication, I bought and enjoyed it as many did. Later, I lost the book during one of my many house moves and was not able to replace it since it was out of print. To my amazement, it is now available on Amazon!

if you have an interest in african history and mythology you will adore this book.even if you don't within is a magnificent new view of life and religion and human beings.one of my favourite books.

Without the infromation in this classic one has no claim to knowledge about Africa and her people.
Credo Mutwa is 'the real deal', and his outpouring of African history flows in the oral tradition to take the reader on a journey of discovery. The book contains incredible facts and insights, sure to alter old perceptions. This book has value for those interested in history, anthropology and archeology, shamanism, sociology, psychology, language, politics and mythology -If you feel any doubt about reading this book -Simply get it and read it.

There is no other book like this one. Any African-America studies student cannot consider his or her training complete without reading this book. It offers profound insight into Sub-Saharan culture, rules, mindset and motivation. Tales are varied, interesting and the book is well written. Thank you Sanusi

This book contains beautifully told traditional legends and history of the Bantu people that goes back to the dawn of human life on Earth. It is an epoch that hints in places of biblical legends but is not derived from the bible by any means at all. In addition to the legends there is some illuminating material about the most sacred places in Africa and about the ancient Ba'ntu language and grand civilization that once covered most of Africa. There is also something about the magical language that is used in Cameroon to communicate with the ancestral spirits which the author believes to have come down from paleolithic times. The last section reveals some of the secret core traditions of African spirituality. Anyone interested in African tradition owes it to themself to read this book. It is deeply moving.