Africa Books

Fascinating book written by Henry Louis Gates Jr. that complements the PBS special of the same name. On the back cover Oprah says, "Knowing your family history is knowing your worth-- your whole worth"...and it goes on. I've done a bit of ancestry work on my father's family personally and I have to say it was amazingly rewarding. An easy to read 172 pages plus an appendix on how to research your own family is a nice contributon to any family bookcase. Gates uses Oprah as an example and explains how you can adapt his search for her roots to your own --starting with oral history. Oprah always says she consults her ancestors prior to any big meeting...and it was rather surprising to find out that her ancestors in Africa are not from the tribe that she thought they were. Plus she is part Native American too. Fun to see copies of the exact records and pix of Oprah's ancestors. Very inspirational.

Don't let the size of this book fool you, it is a tremendous book that has needed to be written for a long time. There are many guides and tools for researching roots, but this one, highly specialized to pre and post slavery sources is exceptional.

Why is it exceptional? 1) It documents a search. 2) It provides inspritation. In demonstrating a typical search (while Oprah is not typical, the search for her roots is) it shows the dynamics of the oral history, specific written records and the larger regional histories. It discusses the uses and limits of DNA.

The photos and documents are excellent. I like the way the full document is shown with the pertinant info blown up.

Everything Oprah does increases my respect for her. This search could have turned up reprobates and losers, but she didn't know that from the start. She approved potential embarrassment on an international level so that people could have this model... this encouragement.

I cried when I saw Oprah's South African school on TV. I almost did, like she did, when I saw the record of her ancestor's actual ownership.

A "must read" for everyone who loves Oprah and/or genealogy. Contains a relatively brief yet detailed bio of Oprah's life, plus insight into the history of Afro American culture in our society and the problems one experiences in family research.

I purchased this book a couple of days ago -- I am a huge Oprah fan. I read the book in one sitting as I wasn't able to put it down. Finding Oprah's Roots expanded both my heart and mind. It is a history lesson and an emotional/spiritual experience. This is a positive and uplifting book even though truly looking at the facts of slavery is painful. Bravo to Oprah and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. I have heard Oprah's quote from Toni Morrison (Toni Morrison giving credit to James Baldwin) before, but when I read it in the context of this work, I openly wept. I highly, highly recommend this book for everyone. It is truly inspirational and has made me want to work on my Family Tree so I can "sit with my ancesters."

This book is part genealogical guide, part celebrity biography, and part African-American history. Professor Gates has used the family history of Oprah Winfrey as an example of genealogical research and a case study of how education can lift a disadvantaged family out of hardship.

The written record of Oprah's ancestors only goes back to the 1870's census because the last names of slaves were rarely recorded. Here the author delves into the history of slavery in America and (to a lesser extent) in Africa. He also discusses the after-effects of slavery following the Civil War. The use of DNA to trace one's ancestors is also explained.

Although this book will appeal to persons trying to trace ancestors who were slaves, it is valuable to anyone getting started in genealogy. It's also an interesting story of a family who used education to leap beyond the expectations of those around them. You don't need to be a fan of Oprah to enjoy this book.

One day, someone told me this story. I was so moved by the story that I checked Amazon and they had this beautiful book. The story and pictures have become a very important symbol that I have bought numerous copies to hand out to the teenage boys that have difficult lives that I have worked with at school. In addition, I keep a few on hand to give out to anyone I feel needs to have this wonderful book. It is my hope that they can refer back to it when life gets very dark for them. This story is more than PMA, it is true. It was awesome to read where the story originated from and the watercolored pictures and tastefully done. In addition, the information about the author is very touching and the forward by Bishop Tutu is remarkable. Yes, you will want to buy this book. Yes, you do!

This was a wonderfully illustrated children's book sold at an African gallery in New York City on Broadway. An old tale from Ghana about how an Eagle realized it was the King of the Birds, Majestic, Regal, and meant to SOAR rather than grovel on the ground with chickens. Nothing is sadder than a soul who won't claim their best self and rise up to the challenge.

Birds of a Feather Flock Together and in the words of Les Brown "You can go out every day and find pidgeons but it takes time to find eagles, and eagles fly!"

Teach your children to claim their Eagle spirit today!

This African Tale is about a farmer who comes across a baby eagle and decides that he will raise it as a chicken, and so he takes it back to his farm and puts it with the other chickens. The eagle soon learns how to act like a chicken. Everything continues on fine until one day the farmers friends comes over and says this is no chicken this is an eagle and he belongs in the sky. It takes the man three times until the eagle flies away into the sunset. I like this story because it shows how much things change depending on their current environments, and sometimes that environment can hold us back from being the best we can. The author does a great job at portraying the act of finding ones true self and become independent. The illustrations in this book are also great.

I truly enjoyed this children's picture book, which appeals to all ages, because of the inspiration and message it conveys. In Africa a small eagle chick if found lost after a storm. It is taken back to a village where it is raised as a chicken. It talks, walks and eats like a chicken unto one day a visitor notices that amongst the chickens there is an eagle. He tries everything to get it to fly but it believes and acts like it is a chicken, until one day he takes it back to the mountains where it was found as a chick to meet the sun at sunrise. Upon the mountain, once taken from the environment it has been placed in and seeing the bright light of the horizon and the view it realizes it can fly and does so and never lives the life of a chicken again as it soars high in the sky.

I loved the message because it shows that we as a people have been treated like chickens by society, but we are truly royal eagles. Don't be content on being a chicken, but stretch forth your wings and fly! The illustrations are wonderful, and the message is worth attaining the book alone. This is a good book to add to the treasure chest of books within your home or your children's collection to inspire them to spread their wings and fly to reach new heights in the horizon's light! God is Love!

I bought this wonderful book for my nephews and loved it so much I'm buying another for my grandson. The story of an eagle that is brought up among chickens and thinks and acts like a chicken until it is encouraged to fly like an eagle has several messages. I'm a prison chaplain and it reminds me of the men and women who could be soaring on eagles wings if they can break out of the mold of their emotional environment. It has a spiritual message - we are children of God and can live a victorious life if only we will appropriate it. It also can illustrate the release of the soul at death. But it is definitely a delightful tale in it's own right.

A great book from a great man; this is a must-read for anyone truly concerned with some of today's "global" issues. Moreover, it also serves as a crash course in what truly constitutes Western media and government. Propaganda and willful ignorance are not allowed in this text.

Freedom next time is an excellent read. Thought provoking and puts new light on the crimes of the west on developing countries. John Pilger narrates a harrowing tale of betrayal and deceit with well-sourced interviews on both sides of a myriad of important injustices that currently plague our world. He starts with the little known plight of the Chaogisans: a people who were evicted from their Island at the same time as the Falklands war. This was because the British government `sold' it for a discount on a Nuclear Trident submarine and the 2500 people forgotten and ignored. The US consequently turned the Island paradise into one of their largest overseas bases from which they would later launch air attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Pilger then discusses the increasing stratification of society in India, reveals the true results of the end of apartheid in South Africa. He gains access to many influential parties involved in the current genocide of Palestine by Israel and exposes the barbarism of Governments, the complicity of the media in suppressing the true nature of how the Palestinians are being treated.

This is an excellent companion to Naoim Kleins, `Shock Doctrine' which goes into more detail into the involvement of the IMF, world bank, corporations and military industrial complex in many of the same issues that Pilger discusses from the human contact and investigative journalism he has undertaken.

Essential reading.

Many of the interviews from this book can be seen in a series of BBC documentaries available by searching google video.

This book gets to the very heart of the way injustice is perpetrated in the world. In the best traditions of investigative journalism, Pilger examines in depth a number of ongoing situations in the world involving exploitation and injustice. The first of these relates to the plight group of islanders evicted from their Chagos island home using blatant deceit and brute force and given so little compensation that they were consigned to a life of penury in Mauritius. Why? So the British could give their American allies an island paradise as a new military base. The fact that most of us have never even heard of the Chagos islanders demonstrates the complicity of the world media in selectively reporting the news we often naively assume to have at least a modicum of impartiality.

The true shock of the book comes with the following chapters, however, where we are systematically shown the perspectives of those who have suffered most in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the war in Afghanistan and since the end of the apartheid regime in South Africa. Did you think the average black South African has more opportunities to get ahead since the end of apartheid? or that the average Afghan woman is much better off since the ousting of the Taliban? I did - but completely erroneously as it turns out.

Pilger combines a concise summary of the facts with vivid snapshots of the situation on the ground in each location. He gives us excerpts from interviews with the victims that allow the reader to get a very personal perspective and juxtaposes these with excerpts from interviews with those responsible for the decisions that brought about the suffering. The combination is powerful and enlightening.

If I were to criticize the book it would be to say firstly that the chapter in India does not have the depth of the other chapters and adds little to the book. Secondly, Pilger very occasionally commits the same sin of telling only part of the truth that he accuses other journalists of. For example, he relates that the US has intervened 72 times in the affairs of other nations, including the overthrow of democratically elected social democracies such as in Guatemala, Brazil, Iran and Chile. I doubt that some of those governments would really have qualified as having been democratically elected by the standards that Pilger himself would apply to democracy. To be fair, this is a rare occurrence in the book and does not in any way detract from the substance of what Pilger has to say.

"This book is about empire". With this opening eye-grabber, John Pilger has once again risen above the mundane pattern of today's "mainstream" journalism. The book is an account of how the US is forging its global empire, aided and abetted by such allies as Great Britain and Israel. And that's not counting the client rulers of nations like Afghanistan and South Africa. The edifice is "global capitalism" supported by buttresses of military might and bearing giant billboards displaying the shibboleths "freedom" and "democratic ideals". With scathing revelations delivered with strictly expressive prose, Pilger relates his findings with almost surgical precision.

He structures the book around five nations. The first, even after all these years, is likely to be beyond many reader's ken. It is a little island group in the Indian Ocean - the Chagos Islands. Inhabited for generations by the descendents of former slaves, they were summarily and illegally deported from their home to make way for a massive US Air Force base. The base provides a launching site for long distance bombers to reach anywhere in Asia. Two thousand people - those that haven't died from "sadness" have pursured a legal challenge to be returned to their home. The High Court of Britain has accepted their plea, but under US pressure, says Pilger, the British have ignored the ruling.

From the Indian Ocean, Pilger travels to Palestine, one of "freedom's" most shocking contradictions. Displaced from their ancient homelands, thousands of Palestinians were herded into grubby refugee camps. Those that weren't slaughtered by the invaders at the beginning of the occupation, that is. Pilger describes Israeli racist policies and their implementation, killing children, usurping land and water supplies and blockading the population from medical care. Israelis, he notes, often refer to their de facto prisoners in dismissive terms, allowing the Israeli army to invade and crush homes and farms. Orchards, a major agricultural factor in the Palestinian community, seem to be particular targets. Pilger explains how the US has built up Israel's military to the point where it is the world's third most powerful. Its major task is to keep Palestinian freedom in check, as well as smashing the economic base of a people with no state and no means of protecting themselves. Is it any wonder, he asks, that acts of desperation have resulted.

Pilger makes a rather swift pass through India to describe how "global capitalism" has intensified the separation between rich and poor. A few urban centres maintain a facade of prosperity, securely enclosed within well-protected facilities. From these sites, Indians who have transformed themselves into IT "help desk" call centres, provide "support" for US workers unfamiliar with their office computers. Outside those high-tech enclaves, much of the remaining population suffers in grinding poverty. The "democratic" promise of Ghandi's struggle has been overthrown by leaders eager to follow what they deem the US model of "free enterprise". The process has economically divided the nation worse than it ever was under the Raj.

The last two segments of Pilger's account vividly demonstrate the dual primary thrusts of empire - economic and military. South Africa, suffering for half a century under the truncheon of apartheid, emerged with a grand promise of freedom under Nelson Mandela. Finally freed after a generation within the walls of Robben Island prison, he exemplified what a crusader for freedom could achieve. The achievement proved hollow as Pilger graphically describes the Truth and Reconciliation hearings he attended. Police and army thugs, whose ranks reached to the highest level went free, absolved from punishment. Worse, none of the victims of their brutality received a jot of compensation. Far worse, was the selling out of South Africa's resources to the new wave of foreign investors from the UK and US. Part of the investment deal left any regulations about miner's safety in limbo or worse. Another part was the granting of mineral rights on any parcel of land the firms chose. Displacement of the population by uncaring capitalists remains an ongoing process, Pilger declares.

Finally, the military arm of imperialism exhibits the most glaring hypocrisies in Afghanistan. Pilger recounts the sordid history of British rule, Soviet invasion and, finally, the US vengence against innocent people for the World Trade Centre attacks. It makes gut-wrenching reading. Villages, single homes and people in the open have been attacked by high-speed bombers and helicopters. Once airily described as eliminating "terrorists", now the handing over of power to war-lords, has demonstrated to Afghanis who the real "terrorists" are. Confronting US officials with the fact that three times the number of those killed on 9/11, Pilger was simply dismissed by those who didn't want to hear the statistics. Yet, the numbers and policies are damning, but the US public remains generally unaware of how many have died - indirectly killed by taxpayers, Pilger reminds us.

This is a book that can stir people to anger. Pilger may not wish his readers to be angry, but he wants them to be informed. If you can close this book without feeling shame, then you are lucky. Or perhaps you should return to the first page and read it again. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

This text was a difficult if not an extremely painful read. Man's inhumanity to man expressed in this book truly goes beyond the pale. We have entered an Orwellian stage in our history, where world dominance is justified as paving the way for democracy, maintaining our `freedom' through combating `terror', where the true victims are the innocent, the silent oppressed, euphemised as `collateral damage'.

John Pilger has been chronicling crimes against humanity for over 35 years, his first most ground breaking story being the Indonesian invasion of East Timor, which was given the green light by President Ford and Henry Kissinger, and supplied weapons by the British. Thousands of innocents were slaughtered, including two Australian television news crews as they were attempting to report this illegal action to the world and paid the ultimate price. The oppression in East Timor continues today. In Freedom Next Time, Pilger examines five examples of crimes against humanity and the effects of economic globalization, where the elites are getting richer and the poor slowly vanishing from the radar screens, categorized as "non-persons".

In chapter 1, Stealing a Nation, Pilger describes the unlawful deportation of an entire people, the island of Diego Garcia, part of the Chagos archipelago, which constitutes the Saloman Islands and Edgemont Island, situated exactly between Africa and Asia. A secret deal between the British and American governments, the British sold Diego Garcia to the Americans to make way for a military base. Over two thousand Chagossian's were deported to Mauritius, dropped off with barely the cloths on their backs, currently living in abject poverty without compensation from the British government despite being British citizens. What is startling is the massive cover-up by the government and the silence of most journalists over three decades, allowing (them) to get away with it.

In chapter 2, The Last Taboo, chronicles the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Pilger devotes a lot of space to this subject, giving a well-rounded assessment of the `conflict', revealing terrorism on both sides of the equation. One point that should be stressed is that Israel is the leading country in denying and transgressing against numerous UN resolutions. One resolution being the right of the Palestinians to return to their homelands. Between 1948 and 2000, Israel has defied the UN and the International community 135 times, never seen before in UN history.

The effect of economic globalism in India is examined showing the widening gap between rich and poor that continues at an alarming rate.

Pilger also analysis South Africa since the end of Apartheid; having been banned from entering the country for thirty years, returns to discover that economically not much has changed, and those that committed unspeakable atrocities, have essentially gotten away with it. Again, a few are benefiting economically while the majority remain in poverty, dieing like flies from starvation and disease.

The last chapter, Liberating Afghanistan, is an appalling situation of lies, death and destruction. To say the least, Afghanistan is a convoluted mess. According to Pilger, the Afghanis' felt safer under the Taliban regime than the numerous warlords that are currently creating havoc across the country. The unreported innocent deaths from American bombing (10,000) are a terrible travesty beyond words. However, the true purpose of the "forgotten war", which has been reported by many others, including Bob Woodward of the Washington Post and author Gore Vidal, is the `oil and gas junta' as the oil lobby in Washington is now called, building a pipeline through to the oil and gas rich Caspian sea. This was the true purpose and the prize has been won. This is an example of incestuous collusion between corporations and government. Who is part of this deal? - a consortium of Enron, Amoco, British Petroleum, Chevron, Exxon and Mobil. Dick Cheney, former Chairman of Halliburton, James Baker, former secretary of State under Bush senior and Condoleezza Rice, once vice-president of Chevron Oil. Does anyone smell a rat?

This a hard book to read as man's inhumanity to man, the appalling lies and silence from the mainstream media, and the amount of innocent deaths around the globe for the betterment of the few, is hard to take. Pilger has never held back with the truth, despite numerous death threats over his career, banned from countries and standing up to those that perpetrate these crimes against humanity.

As a reader of Pilger for some years now, this is his best book to date.

Highly recommended.

400 years of Afro-American folklore are represented in From My People, a fine volume gathering a diverse range of tales, from Brer Rabbit and African motifs to proverbs, recipes, and folk songs. It's the range of writings which sets From My People apart from competing collections on Afro-American oral traditions, making for a comprehensive and important title.

It is a sad fact of our times that the folklore of Black America is almost a vanishing art. As a folklorist, historian, and story teller, it saddens me that I often ask kids if their parents tell them any stories and they don't have a clue, and our older folks tales of Old John, Anancy, Brer Rabbit, the Signifying Monkey, Shine and the Titanic, Raw Head and Bloody Bones, etc. are unknown to most people of my age and younger.

Fortunately, people like Prof. Daryl C. Dance are doing what they can to rectify this situation by anthologies such as this. She does an excellent job not only in preserving this kind of material but also the classic folk sermons of Rev. C.L. Franklin and lesser known preachers as well as songs and children's games. Material such as this has been done before, especially by Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Dorson, and Roger Abrahams, but not very recently.

So overall, this book is a treasure. However,as much fun as Black folklore is to read, its better if watched or heard orally. Somebody needs to make a CD or DVD documentary of this sort of thing (hint hint to my fellow folklorists and scholars out there).

This huge anthology covers black folklore going back to slavery and up to the latest classic email story. Poems, spirituals, great speeches and famous sermons are included. There is a chapter on little written about black crafts and art and culural activities such as step shows and rent parties. It could be argued that the book is too big. Bibles and dictionaries weigh less than it does but From My People is a reference book. It gives a quick overview of 400 years of folklore. This should be in school libraries across the land.

Kimberley Lindsay Wilson, author of Work It! The Black Woman's Guide to Success at Work.

For most people, the term "folklore" probably conjures the image of songs and stories, but as Daryl Cumber Dance illustrates, it's much more than that. It's about quilts and the history they embody. It's about hair styles, dress, food, traditions of marching bands, sermons, speeches...even internet rumors and graffiti. As one chapter is headed, it's about "The Style of Soul."

Start at any topic that piques your interest, and I promise, you'll find it impossible to put this book down. There are surprises around every corner...for example, I was delighted to find a low fat recipe for greens!

This vast, rich book belongs in every library.
Curator, AfroAmericanHeritage dot com

How often have we sat at the feet of our elders and heard stories imparted to us regarding the days gone by? Handed down through the generations, these tales were not only meant for entertainment purposes, they impart wisdom and provide a living lesson. In 400 YEARS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN FOLKLORE, author Daryl Cumber Dance has created a compilation of folktales, folk music - including spirituals and freedom songs - as well as blues and ballads, folk arts and crafts, proverbs and many other pearls of wisdom that breed familiarity in the Black community. The African slave trade tore our early ancestors from their native lands, stripping them of their individual identities and beliefs, yet our strong forefathers were able to maintain some of their culture and the stories that were once told to them.

Ms. Dance does a wonderful job in capturing the vernacular used in some of the stories as well as providing some historical background to set a frame of reference for her readers. Each story and every entry into this collection caught my attention. I was compelled through the pages by my curiosity and to be reminded of days gone by. Each was very well put together, yet I found my favorite folk tale to be "De Ways of De Wimmens" which is a humorous short tale revolving around Adam and Eve's first days together and the establishment of gender roles. This story literally had me laughing out loud because even today, I can relate to the basic truth found in this tale.

400 YEARS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN FOLKLORE is not just a collection of folk tales. Don't get me wrong, Ms. Dance does rightful justice in providing glimpses into our dynamic society. She reaches back into the early days, guides us through the civil rights era by including powerful sermons by Reverend C.L. Franklin, Martin Luther King Jr., Jesse Jackson and many more. She even addresses some of today's disconcerting issues, such as urban gentrification and gang violence.

In summary, the selections included in this book run the gamut throughout the reaches of time. It provides glimpses into the strong traditions held by the Black community and imparts some wisdom as to how these traditions may have taken root. In writing 400 YEARS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN FOLKLORE, Ms. Dance stated, "My goal throughout my career and in this anthology has been to collect, transcribe, preserve and respect the integrity of the folk text." In my humble opinion, she did just that. Ms. Dance should be lauded for her efforts.


Reviewed by Nedine
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Easily one of the most impressive books I have read. Frontiers is a book that covers broad sweeps of history and culture in a balanced and informative way. Although it is lengthy (over 1,200 pages), it captures one's interest to such a degree that one is actually left with wanting more!

A noticeable theme for me was the role and importance of individuals in shaping history. For example, Harry Smith, Governor of the Cape Colony, who had a profoundly negative influence on the Xhosa people, yet was admirable in other ways (having served in the American Colonies, Europe, and India-- perhaps one of the first sons of globalization). Similarly, the powerful influence of the London Missionary Society, and by extension, religion in general in setting the course of human events.

A must read for students of African history!

Noel Mostert's 'Frontiers' explains the face of the new South Africa.

Having spent some time in the East Cape I came away with a keen sense of the history of the frontier wars so well described by the book.

Noel Mostert is the best voice of this exciting history.

This is a riveting, tautly written, "page-turner". And thank heavens, because it clocks in at a whopping 1300 pages. But do NOT let that deter you. If Africa is of interest to you then you NEED to, you MUST, read this book. The period under study dates from the earliest explorations of South Africa (late 1400s) to the late 1800s.

Mostert's approach is sensitive and balanced - as the subtitle conveys "The Epic of South Africa's Creation and the Tragedy of the Xhosa People". It is narrative in format and the experience (and indeed the pleasure) of reading this book is not dissimilar from that of reading Shelby Foote's monumental three volume "The Civil War: A Narrative". The flyleaf describes "Frontiers" as having a "Gibbonesque sweep" and this is extremely apt.

There are good maps, though too few of them. The style is fluid and compelling. The descriptions of the landscape are wonderfully evocative. This book provides everything that one needs to understand that tragedy that unfolded in modern day South Africa. One is left yearning for the paradise that was so clearly lost.

One of the best ways for me to recommend this book to you is by excerpting a passage:

"It was a battle that fell into complete obscurity.... It was, so to speak, an event without a name, a four-hour long retreat along a wagon road, an agonizing struggle, yard by yard, mile by mile. It was a severe humiliation....which may have helped dim its historic judgement. Yet not again until Rorke's Drift some eighteen years on would the British army again fight and die in such a brave, cruel and intimate scuffle on the African veld. There were to be no medals or recognition for the infantryman of the 91st on the road between Forts Hare and Cox on 29 December 1850. But as Robert Godlonton said, there had never been anything like it in frontier war. Maqoma paid the infantrymen high tribute. Describing the battle he was to say of the 91st that `they died fighting and cursing to the last.'

The fighting was hand to hand, a brutal melee marked by the sort of acts of prompt individual heroism, and of miraculous survival that such ferocious close combat inevitably produced, a situation where every man was immediately for himself, with no certain idea of what was happening except directly in front of him, and yet with the fate of a companion often suddenly intrusive upon his own struggles."

This conveys the immediacy and the force with which Mostert writes. If you loved Pakenham's "Scramble for Africa", or Alan Moorehead's books on the Nile, you will not be disappointed.

This one might take you a while to get through but it's well worth it. Not normally a history afficionado, I still found the 1000 or so pages easy to get through.

Provides a fascinating insight into the background for modern day South Africa, concentrating not on the Zulu but on the lesser known and more peaceful Xhosa. Interesting perspective on the Boers who don't come off near as badly as the good old Poms in this seemingly none-too-biased book.

Most books on S. Africa focus on three things: Aparthied, The Boer War or the Zulu, with Mandela being a close fourth. This book focuses on the real south Africa, the Xhosa people and the tragedy that befell them as Zulu, Boer and British invasions destroyed their way of life. An excellent study of a people and a nation and a study that shows that African tribal wars were just as destructive as the europeans.

A must read for anyone interested in Africans, Africa or colonialism and the survival of native cultures.

Seth J. Frantzman

I visited Ghana in April 2007, and although I was visiting relatives and so had some local contacts, this book was a great help, both from the point of view of planning my trip and learning about the country. The short commentaries from various contributors on subjects such as local wildlife, nightlife or travelling solo as a woman, were especially informative and often entertaining as well. The maps in particular, while simple, were indispensable, as good local maps can be quite difficult to find even in Ghana.

A useful additional tool are the regular updates to the guide on the Bradt website, which have many contributions from recent travellers, including places that are closed (either temporarily or permanently) and recommendations for additional places to stay/eat or visit. I've heard that the 4th edition is due out in fall of 2007, and I'm tempted to go ahead and get it, too, for my next visit!

My daughter is in college, and is currently at the University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. I bought her this before she left, and she has found it to be an invaluable resource!
Marti

Book very informative, with excellent info on where to go and how to get there. Plan to put it to good use in the fall!

Observations, current and pertainent info, from knowledgeable travelers who've been there. This is the stuff you want to know to plan a successful journey.

If you are traveling to Ghana, West Africa, this is the essential guide to have with you. It has an easy to read layout and includes everything you would ever need to know. I highly recommend this if you are going to that area. I am glad I own a copy!

This is probably the only generally available book on both of the wars involving Ethiopia during the 30s and 40s. Haile Selassie was the Emporer or Ethiopia from 1930 until the 60s, and this book recounts first the conquest of the country by Italy in 1936, then the colonialization of the country during its occupation, and finally the liberation of the nation in 1941 by the British. Besides the Emporer himself, the book involves many interesting characters, from Archibald Wavell, Winston Churchill, Orde Wingate, and William Slim, around to Rodolfo Graziani, the Duke of Aosta, and Benito Mussolini. The setting is Ethiopia itself, a vast, mostly trackless country, full of warring tribes, warlords vying for power, and foreigners trying to stay out of danger.

Mockler's interest, for the most part, is recounting the basics of the conflict. He pays special attention to the effect of the changing face of Ethiopian politics on the various personalities in the nation, and of course those outside it but involved in the narrative. Mockler starts the account by telling the story of the Battle of Adowa in the 1890s, where the Italians tried to conquer the country in order to turn it into a colony. Ethiopia was one of two countries who were still not colonies at that time, and Italy coveted it as a colony. The Ethiopians were stronger than other tribes that resisted colonialization, and of course the Italians weren't as well organized as the British or as ruthless as the Belgians. The defeat at Adowa left the Italians jealous and angry, thinking that the Ethiopians had rejected colony status, and of course all Europeans at the time imagined that subject people wanted, or at least should want, to be subjects of a European nation.

One difficulty that I had with the book is pretty much outside the parameters of what the writer can control. The country of Ethiopia and the people have very strange, foreign-sounding names. Of course they don't sound foreign to them, but to an American, they're hard to take in. One city discussed repeatedly in the text is called Debra Markos (sounds like a waitress at a diner in New Jersey to me) and one of the warlords is named Endalketchew. I always wanted to say Gesundheit when I saw his name.

Outside of that, I enjoyed the book a great deal. The author deals with the issues presented by the events intelligently, and the result is a very good book.

This is an excellent chronicle of the Italo-Ethiopian conflict and then of the battles in Africa during WWII between Italy and Britain. It is narrated very well and I rarely felt lost or confused. This is a great book and would be a welcome edition to any library.

Haile Selassie's War is a historical account that should satisfy the professional and amateur historian alike. On the whole the author handles a set of material that is highly complex and potentially confusing (such as the intrigues of the Ethiopian nobles) and does a great job in keeping up with them without losing the reader along the way.

Due to the vast subject matter, we get to know everyone and everything a little, but largely superficially. Even in regard to the Emperor himself, we follow his rise to power and intrigues with his often-rebellious nobles and rivals, but we get to know little of this man apart from his political actions. What were the influences of his boyhood and early manhood? What was the impact of his diminutive size in terms of his prestige among other, more warlike nobles. Perhaps these things can no longer be determined. But others might have been answerable, such as who was the Empress and what was her influence? What of his sons, his daughters? We get little back-story and meet most of them whilst he is already an exile in England.

On the whole, though, I can have nothing but admiration for Mockler's treatment of the subject. I found the book immensely readable, despite the odd grammatical "gremlin". Although I am a historian by profession I often find large historical monographs of this ilk very hit and miss; I usually find myself skimming through pages and chapters to pick up the story at a more interesting place. With this one, however, I didn't skip a single paragraph and found it all completely fascinating. I also enjoyed the small doses of dry humour injected by Mockler in places, especially where he allows the personalities of some of the characters involved to shine through a little, like the Italian pilot "Gina's brother", "Lawrence of Ethiopia" Ord Wingate, and of course the indefatigable Wilf Thesiger.

And finally, while there are no blushes spared from either Italian (for its harsh regime), British (for their distinct lack of enthusiasm for the Emperor's cause) or Ethiopian (for their serial treachery and indeed the Emperor's own brand of harsh justice) perspectives, insufficient attention, I believe, is focused on the war crimes of the fascists, in particular the use of mustard gas and large-scale execution of civilians (these are examined only cursorily).

The maps, family trees, chronologies and biographical index were all very useful tools - but what about a few photographs? Certainly a picture or two can assist the reader with fixing images in their minds of the personalities and the landscapes being discussed in the text. It would have enhanced my reading of this book quite a bit. My only other irk with this book was the large number of quotations in French and Italian that the author had not bothered to translate for us. I can get by on my high-school French but it is perhaps a little unreasonable of the author to expect readers to be fluent in several languages, when a simple translation in the footnotes would suffice.

Nonetheless I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the history of Ethiopia, East Africa, World War II, Fascist Italy or Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari) himself.

Ras Tafari, last Emperor of Ethiopia, otherwise known as Haile Selassie, lived the last of his days during the 1970s as a weird diplomatic footnote, but in his prime, he was equal to his title "Lion of Judah." Upon ascending to the Ethiopian throne in the mid 1930s - an ancient and fascinating institution, due to the unique Christian heritage of Ethiopia - he was forced to defend his homeland against the Italian invader. Though his troops fought bravely, Selassie was forced temporarily to seek exile in Bath (England), where he languished for about four years. Then, in 1940, the British Army was able to deliver vengeance to the Italians, as they extinguished the entire Italian presence in East Africa, rolling up Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia and returning Selassie to Addis Abbaba. Mockler's account of Haile Selassie's two wars is meticulous and well-written, and includes interesting stories about a number of highly significant players such as Orde Wingate (the T.E. Lawrence of WW2), the Duke of Aosta (and Italian prince who got tangled up in the Abyssinian adventure) and Mussolini.

This is probably one of the best war histories ever written. Mockler's superb book outlines the causes, actions and consequences of the Italo-Ethiopian conflict from Italy's first (foiled) attempt at conquest in 1896 at Adowa to Haile Selassie's final overthrow in the early 1970s by a military junta.
Mockler was exceedingly fortunate to have interviewed some of the people who appear in his book. Many were old men and several were later reported murdered by the Marxist Dengue that set up shop after throwing Selassie out.
Most of the story focuses on the 1936 war between the two countries when Fascist Italy conquered feudal Ethiopia, the last independent nation in Africa at the time. So often portrayed as barefoot and spear-carrying warriors, Mockler shows us that parts of the Ethiopian Army were fairly well-armed and trained. But it was still underdeveloped and relied heavily on massed attacks that guaranteed being massacred by the mechanized, well-equipped Italians. The book continues through the Italian occupation, the Ethiopian resistance, the declaration of war between Italy and Britain in World War Two, the Emperor's return and Ethiopia's eventual independence. It is rife with intrigue, plots and treachery, as Ethiopian nobles plotted with and against each other to see who would eventually wear the crown. It is an exquisitely crafted piece of work and it is a great great shame that it is no longer in print.

I would request some alternatives through which we or those who would like to know more about the true faith that mankind surpose to follow,should have access to the books contents specially the spiritual ones through the internet rather than commercializing them.however,I am not aginst sales but atlease those who can buy or order the book can do so but we have to consider them who are home like Africa in which shipping is not efficient and also money is the problem.We beleive the word of Jah is already spread in the entire world but yet mankind need constant reminder and through the books,and other spiritual words. we could feed the nations spiritually and the message of ONE LOVE inculcated into the hearts of all mankind.
Back to the book, I have really not yet read the contents of the book to comment on it.
Thank

Haile Selassie the First is KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS and this truth is revealed in "Hath...The Lion Prevailed..?" Whoever does not already know that Haile Selassie is the Lion of Judah who did open the seven seals of REVELATION ...READ this BOOK and the BIBLE, You will Truly find it out. Ras Tafari is his name. If only the Black world knew that Jesus was a Nazarite Dreadlocks Rasta, crucified. Jesus said "I and my Father are one" and Jesus would not lie. If you want to be one with the Trinity and seek a better understanding of the BIBLE read " HATH ... THE LION PREVAILED? ". JAH LIVE Black KING OF ISRAEL ONE LOVE

"Hath The Lion Prevailed" is an interesting book to read about the heart of one "SOUL." It puts one in touch with an understanding of one self, and through "Rastalogy." It is a primier that give one a true understanding of Rasta. Using the bible you can see where the author proves why Haile Selassie is Jesus returned in his Kingly and conquering form. I think that "Hath The Lion Prevailed" is an execellent book and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about Rastafarian truth.

This unique book of 38 pages will assist any one, at any level, to understand the Rastafari religion. It begins , as we did, with Adam and Eve. Using biblical quotations throughout, author John Moodie, or Prince Michael as he is spiritually Known, provides an understanding of the linage of Haile Selassie 1 from the very begining. Chapter One presents the trial and tribulation of Ham, Shem, and Japhet, their curses and their blessings followed by Moses and the Burning Bush, the betrayal of Samson by Delilah and the shearing of Samson's seven locks. You probably already know about David and Goliath, but did you know about Davids youngest son Solomon anh how he seduced Sheba? Chapter Two sheds new light on Jesus Christ and what he had to endure due to his belief in God. The death that he suffered in being crucified on the cross makes one wonder why some religions continue to use the cross as a sign that is representative of ones faith. The cross was used to crucify people and yet now it is a sign of worship. The cross is a sign of death and destruction, a burning one designates the nefarious Ku Klux Klan. It is by all means, a graven image that Moodie exemplifies in his writing. " The gun today is a symbol of death, just as the cross was 2000 years ago. the cross as risen to become a symbol of holiness; will the gun in the next century become a symbol of holiness?" In Chapter Three we are educated on Haile Selassie 1."Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn an oath to David that of the fruit of thy loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on David's Throne"(Acts 2:30). H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie 1 fulfills this prophesy by returning to sit on David's throne. Read on in Chapter Three to learn what Selassie 1 went through during his reign as King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of Judah. "Rastafari has survived the afterbirth grime that the system has placed on H.I.M;" explains Moodie, "and today is classified by a Catholic Commission as a valid religion" ( Report of Catholic Commission on Racial Justice in Britain and Jamaica). With several photos of Haile Selassie 1, some interesting art work to embellish the words, some excellent inspirational poetry interspersed and significant insightful information, John Moodie has written a fine piece of literature that is inspired from the heart and soul. When Mr. Moodie visited the Reggae Report offices recently his spiritual vibe was omnipresent. Not only is Hath...The Lion Prevailed...? an excellent primer for the newcomer, it is enjoyable reading for all who wishes to learn more about the origins of Rastafari.

Haile Selassie the First is KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS and this truth is revealed in "Hath...The Lion Prevailed..?" Whoever does not already know that Haile Selassie is the Lion of Judah who did open the seven seals of REVELATION ...READ this BOOK and the BIBLE, You will Truly find it out. Ras Tafari is his name. If only the Black world knew that Jesus was a Nazarite Dreadlocks Rasta, crucified. Jesus said "I and my Father are one" and Jesus would not lie. If you want to be one with the Trinity and seek a better understanding of the BIBLE read " HATH ... THE LION PREVAILED? ". JAH LIVE

There are considerably information about Yoruba's History and Religion.
If you are a priest or worshipper of Orixa , you need to buy this book.

This book is one of the foundation materials that informs the depth of the Omoluabi Matrix. Inbetween the pages of this volume we can trace the concept of Omoluabi civilzation which is the single factor responsible for the continued survival and advancement of our race. Ignoring the obvious Oyo bias of the author this resource material alongside others, details the incontrovertible evidence of an ancient African civilization on which the principles of democracy could rest. It details the cultural concepts that helped to overcome the colonial beast and gives a name to terrorism in ancient times. The only draw back is that the book did not investigate the insidious root of the word "Yoruba" - an abusive 18th century coinage of ancient terrorists. The original Olukumi tag would have furthered the cause of our national reawakening.

I remember reading this book when I was in secondary school over 25 years ago and I can still recall how amazed I was to discover that we Yorubas had organized govermental inititutions. I found out why we as a people are so defragmented, the origin of the Yoruba people and different tribes, the power and might of various tribal empires. I don't think there is another book that has this amount of detail regarding the Yoruba people. Now I need a copy for my library and is now difficult to get hold of.

The author of this classic work is not to be confused with Samuel Johnson (1709-84), the English essayist, poet, and lexicographer usually known as "Dr Johnson". This Samuel Johnson (1846-1901) was an Anglican vicar of African descent. He was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, but spent his adult life in Nigeria. His peace-efforts in the 1870s contributed to the eventual end of the Yoruba wars in 1886.

In 1880 Samuel Johnson became a deacon and was ordained a vicar in 1888. Claiming Yoruba ancestry, he was concerned that his people were losing their own history and completed the original manuscript of his history of the Yoruba people from his notes in 1897. Whether by accident or design, this completed manuscript was sadly lost. However, after his death, his brother, Dr Obadiah Johnson, produced this work from his notes. It was at last published in 1921. Unfortunately, Obadiah died in 1920 so neither he nor Samuel saw the finished product.

It remains a key resource for the understanding of Yoruba history.

Any student of political history will be forced to acknowlege the explicit and almost accurate records collected by Samuel Johnson in this book. The book has a vivid picture of a generation of Yoruba Nationhood within Nigerian Nationality, prior to the British invation and colonalization of Nigeria, Yoruba had been a Nation with an institutionalized government and there is no better place to understand and assess this form of government except in this book, the book is a bag of history, politics and culture of a nation called The Yorubas, it is one of the best book to describe the politics of government in which history defines the terms and culture of power dictates the order.

Achebe's work was informative, thought provocing, and at times amusing. His work is another example of how important it is for all people to tell their own story/history, especially people who were once disposessed. This little book inspired me to write a few ideas to prevent my experiences from being misinterpreted.

Long live the proud son of Africa and our respected statesman.
Achebe the honest and truthful dispenser of both sides of the story. Colonial griots (to borrow Achebe's words) such as Elspeth Huxley and other apologists have for too long been left alone to justify the dispossession of precious lands and cultures. Until the proud son of Africa made them eat their own words and exposed them for what they are. Dishonest griots deftly laying the groundwork for self-enrichment at the expense of peace loving and decent Human Beings.
Chinua Achebe as exemplified by his few but precious books writes not to make money but only when he must say something useful. Unlike modern day "authors" who are more about money than substance. I have no doubt Achebe can write profound and moving accounts of African and world issues at the rate of one book a day but he chose only to spend his time teaching.
It is obvious why the Nobel Prize went to Wole Soyinka instead of Chinua Achebe. Achebe refuses to write for a "foreign" audience and does not take his marching orders from anybody. He is his own man. Africans and honest people all over the world have in their own ways given Achebe the best prize in the world.
Continuous interest in his worthwhile classics such as Things Fall Apart,The Man of the People,No longer at Ease,Anthills of the Savannah, Morning Yet on Creation Day,Hopes and Impediments and many others.

Home and Exile may be a small book but has enough three pence (from Achebes "somebody knock me down and have three pence!") to liberate nations and individuals from the grip and stench of colonial and racist apologia masquerading as literature.

Long live Achebe, proud son of Africa and citizen of the world.
To know Achebe (by reading his books) is to know how to be an unassuming and proud Human Being who quitely and calmly states his truth for the benefit of us all.

Excellent! Achebe has done it again. This is a must read!

Since the book is already well-summarized above, I'll just give my own reaction.

I've read a number of Achebe's novels and one essay (the excellent critique of Heart of Darkness) and really enjoyed the "backstage" feeling of hearing the author's first person voice - an insightful and kindly voice. For me, the effect of Achebe's strong positions is heightened by the dignified presentation, and of course by the poignant and funny stories from his own life that he uses to illustrate those positions. As compared to one of my other favorite authors, James Baldwin, Achebe's writing includes less calls to action, and more explanation. For instance, even in his sharp critique of Vidiadhar Naipaul's novels, Achebe's first priority is to shine light on the processes that led to Naipul's failures of vision. I think people who have read Achebe's fiction or essays and liked it, or generally care about literature from an indigenous or "Third World" perspective will really enjoy this short text. Definitely worth the cost, and may be available from the library.

The physical brevity of Achebe's "autobiography" truly belies the intrisic wisdom he so effortlessly spews upon his listeners. Mr. Achebe sets out to deconstruct the manifold, post-colonial ills (endemic to the dispossessed of African diasopora) with the assistance of historical literature, creation fables, and his own personal memories. Indeed, a thought provoking manifesto for any fan of the great Achebe; one which will aid the reader to pursue further literature with a new sense of enlightenment.