Africa Books

If you are interested in how to prevent HIV, in community development work, or in what happens when academic ideals meet local community realities, then this book will stimulate, inform, surprise, and even galvanise you. This important book offers a unique view of the inside workings of an actual community HIV prevention programme as it unfolded. It details the failures of the programme, in order to insist that we must make much more effort to address the hard questions of economic and gender inequalities and political will. By making visible the everyday power dynamics among community members, stakeholders and project workers, the book makes a major contribution to understanding the problematic process of community development.

This is an exceptional and courageously written book. It is a'must read' for anyone involved in efforts to get groups of people to change their behavior. Limitations of public education efforts identified in this book can be applied to numerous public health endeavors. Without the insights of this author, we will continue to make attempts to apply programs that will fail because we have failed to understand the context in which the undesirable behavior patterns occur. This is a tough, sobering and realistic piece of work.
I also found it a pleasure to read, profoundly interesting, although often tragically so.

There are few books about AIDS that are worth reading, let alone reviewing. The vast majority remain constrained by the rigid confines of their conceptualisation, almost none daring to suggest that their conceptualisation might be wrong. The author of this book is one of the very few who dare do this and as a result has produced a book which is not only outstanding intellectually but should also be mandatory reading for anyone who has an interest in programmes that attempt to have an impact on any one of the multitude of epidemics of HIV infection. In fact it should be mandatory reading for anyone who has an interest in programmes that attempt to change the way people are in relation to what are called the development problems of today.

The book describes the author's experiences with a project that started out by trying to reduce the risk of infection by HIV amongst three groups in a mining town in South Africa - female sex workers, male miners, and young people. There were two approaches to doing this: peer education and the "promotion of partnerships between a diverse array of community groupings of stakeholders to coordinate and support the variety of local HIV-prevention efforts in such a way that maximized their overall cumulative effectiveness". The interventions chosen were all invested with the glowing approbation of the international `AIDS project' community as prime examples of what should be done in such situations. In terms of having any impact on the epidemic or on the sexual culture of the area the project has so far been a failure. The author analyses the reasons for this failure in a number of analytical contexts.

The author is very well placed to analyse the history of the project. She herself as a social psychologist had been involved in the township in 1995 in trying to understand the reasons why there is such a high prevalence of HIV infection amongst the miners and sex workers despite their obvious knowledge of the existence of HIV and the ways in which it is transmitted. The studies themselves form part of the opening chapters, and provide very good insight into the conditions of these people's lives and the enormous social factors that influence their lives and decision-making. The following chapters describe the way the project grew as a result of a drive from some local people for work that would affect the growing numbers of people with AIDS and from a group of scientists and professionals (including the author) who had an interest in the area. One chapter provides the initial theoretical justification for the various actions that were taken, with heavy leaning on the writings of Paulo Freire on the conscientisation side, Pierre Bourdieu for social capital, and on the experiences of peer education with sex workers in Zimbabwe of David Wilson and others.

The book will be invaluable for the discussion of the importance of the social context for behaviour, and indeed will be read by many for that alone. It also details the very many ways in which the project's ideals fell by the wayside (the rates of sexually transmitted infection in miners actually rose during the period of the project, there were many difficulties with the peer education approach for young people in school, the stakeholders were far from unified in their vision or even interest) or were partially successful (there were several changes amongst the sex workers), and again these experiences will be as interesting as they are familiar to many who work with such projects.

However this book goes far beyond such a discussion. She points to the inadequacies of our current theoretical and modelling frameworks for such interventions; to the fact that the stakeholders who were involved did not see themselves as part of the epidemic or as people whose behaviour had to change; to the fact that the designers and researchers of the project had much discord and competition amongst themselves; to the great mistrust that developed between the researchers and much of the `community'. In fact, although the author tries to scotch the problem with the definition of `community' by stating that in this case the term `community' refers to the people in a geographic area, the tension behind this definition continues throughout the book as it is acknowledged that only a few of the many individuals and groups in the area were in fact being requested to change their ways - the paternalism and continued power of the `senior' stakeholders continuing throughout.

The value of the book is still more. The lessons drawn in the concluding chapter smack of a level of desperation in the author to find lessons, and this may perhaps be the only weakness of the book. In these lessons the author still struggles to keep the idea going that somehow in a better world the interventions could have had an impact if only people had carried them through according to the wishes of the project designers. The deep question the author raises in the mind of the reader is whether such approaches can ever work in relation to an epidemic (as opposed to being valuable for a few individuals or groups). This question is not actually present in the book (although there are numerous hints of the author's disquiet concerning the mismatch between the daily reality of people's lives and the wishes and interests of the project managers) but it hangs over ever sentence as did the sword over Damocles. As for Dionysius in relation to those who wield power, it is a question hanging over all those who praise mindlessly the black art of development.

Superb study of an HIV/AIDS prevention programme in a South African township. Focussing on mineworkers, sexworkers, young people and (political)stakeholders.
Using several concepts of the social sciences, like empowerment, critical consciousness and social capital, she describes and analyses behaviour of the aforementioned groups in relation to the HIV epidemic in South Africa.
Making use of findings from 'The Summertown Project' she comes to a clear and lively story of the choices people from a marginalized community make.

I used this book for my final thesis on a research I did at an AIDS project in South Africa. It helped me to prepare myself on the things I was going to experience and to put my research in a broader perspective.

Ms. Alden is a talented writer who transports the reader to the South Africa of her youth with vivid, fascinating and absorbing descriptions and details. She had me "hooked" from the first pages and I could not put the book down until I'd read it all.

What a beautifully written account of this place and time. Bea makes this all the more poignant by showing the disturbing truth and subtle self deceptions of apartheid policy from the innocent view of a young child. It is telling that her child's heart knew that 'something was wrong' while the grown-ups were pretending that all was well. This is a wonderfully written view into the world of accepted social separation and the heartache it inevitably causes. Well done!

This is so well written about a place and time I had never considered. It is so easy to ignore what is commonplace to each of us in our every day life and not even notice when there is discrimination or injustice. Now I would like to read 'the rest of the story' and find out what happens when there is more than just unrest in the country and how it affected the lives of Bea and her family.

LIONGOLD "vividly chronicles the troubled life of a white family in the suburbs of Johannesburg...during South Africa's pivotal years of apartheid." Bea Alden's true story is told from her childhood perspective, from about age 4 to her twenties. People often wonder, "How could those white Christian Africans have treated blacks as they did?" Bea answers this question by ushering us into the perspective of white privilege, where "that's just the way things are." But uncomfortable questions inevitably arise as she approaches adulthood.

In addition to being a compelling story, LIONGOLD is beautifully written. Alden has an artist's eye for detail and a gift for description. Letty, their "girl," is "all sharp elbows and spiky energy. ... Her bright brown eyes survey the world suspiciously, with a nuanced, guarded look of discontent." Though the tale centers on Alden's white family, she also weaves in a respectful look at what life was like for blacks.

This is a gem of a book with a valuable and rare perspective on this tragic period in modern history.

To the auther , davidelse/ david wenk.
Thankyou very much for your advice in your book trekking in east africa , which i used when i was travelling in kenya and Tanzania.I Would like to tell you my exeprience Horiday in Kenya with Mountsafaris Adventure, and hoping you will consider this small company.
I really had a great time with mountsafaris adventure. website www.mountsafaris.com
I can say that kenya is a nice and safe country to travel. I did camping safaris and trekking mount kenya for 6 days sirimon chogoria route ,oh beautiful vegetation. Guide and porters were great helper , food was nice , The trip was well organised. Mountsafaris are trusted , as i sent them 1500 us dollar deposite for my 3 weeks horiday , and everything work perfect .They booked the , hotel , organise everything for my trip , so when i come everything was ready .They picked me from the airport on time , direct to the hotel ,following the trip start.
Camping was fun , Mountsafaris staff were friendly , very safe with them both on the mountains and on safari . Their camps have all facility.

Mountsafaris prices are fair . Their prices are all incrusive , like , pick ups from the airport, park fees, transport by landcruser with open roof. tour driver ,food three meals a day ,cook .
. I can definitely recommend Mountsafaris adventure they're cheaper compared to others companys ,they have Good services , knowledgeable and reliable Tour Operators and offer a really good range of trekking mount kenya , camping and lodge safaris .

thankyou ,again continue writting more advice on your book as they are really helping the travellers , You need to also to be considering some of the company who are doing good services for the tourist.
Some of the companys like Mountsafaris are good but they are not mention on the your book. I come to know mountsafaris throuhg a friend who did trekking mount kenya with them .
Congraturation for the work you are doing .
Sonia .

To the auther , davidelse/ david wenk.
Thankyou very much for your advice in your book trekking in east africa , which i used when i was travelling in kenya and Tanzania.I Would like to tell you my exeprience Horiday in Kenya with Mountsafaris Adventure, and hoping you will consider this small company.
I really had a great time with mountsafaris adventure.
I can say that kenya is a nice and safe country to travel. I did camping safaris and trekking mount kenya for 6 days sirimon chogoria route ,oh beautiful vegetation. Guide and porters were great helper , food was nice , The trip was well organised. Mountsafaris are trusted , as i sent them 1500 us dollar deposite for my 3 weeks horiday , and everything work perfect .They booked the , hotel , organise everything for my trip , so when i come everything was ready .They picked me from the airport on time , direct to the hotel ,following the trip start.
Camping was fun , Mountsafaris staff were friendly , very safe with them both on the mountains and on safari . Their camps have all facility.

Mountsafaris prices are fair . Their prices are all incrusive , like , pick ups from the airport, park fees, transport by landcruser with open roof. tour driver ,food three meals a day ,cook .
. I can definitely recommend Mountsafaris adventure they're cheaper compared to others companys ,they have Good services , knowledgeable and reliable Tour Operators and offer a really good range of trekking mount kenya , camping and lodge safaris .

thankyou ,again continue writting more advice on your book as they are really helping the travellers , You need to also to be considering some of the company who are doing good services for the tourist.
Some of the companys like Mountsafaris are good but they are not mention on the your book. I come to know mountsafaris throuhg a friend who did trekking mount kenya with them .
Congraturation for the work you are doing .
Sonia .

I found this book a good introduction to anyone expecting to go trekking in East Africa. It goes over, in substantial detail, all the factors you may face (medicine, visas, hotels, transportation, tours, trails, etc.). However, there is very little on the trekking peaks, which I thought would be the most interesting portion of the book. For example, on Mt Kilimanjaro there are only maybe 5-6 pages, with only an overview description of the routes. If you are looking for overall trekking in East Africa, this is good book, but if you are looking for info on the trekking peaks, there are other, more specific guides, that may be more helpful.

I used this book to plan and complete a Kilimanjaro climb, a Tanzanian safari (Serengeti, Olduvai Gorge, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara) and a trip up the coast of Kenya. The book was more than helpful; it was essential to the success of the trip. Helpful information is complete, accurate and relevant: exactly what you will find in the Lonely Planet Trekking guide. The helpful information -- routes, housing, food, currency, gear, etc. -- are tools to keep you safe, healthy, prepared and even comfortable. The essential information is much more: it gives you a feel for where you are going and what's important about being there. Descriptions of languages, religions, customs, history, geography, geology, climate, etc., gave me a deeper awareness of the countries I was navigating through. This book is strong on both counts. Here's an example: The vocabulary lists were really helpful in opening conversations with staff, villagers and border officials. However, the book's essential advice was to just try your best at speaking Swahili, and the people you meet will respond very warmly to your having made the effort. The results were heartwarming, and they opened the doors to other discoveries I could not have made otherwise. The book itself is a valuable commodity. On Kilimanjaro I leafed through the chapters for maps and plant descriptions. The book so fascinated my guide that I gave him my copy as a parting present (though I couldn't part with it on the climb since it was the only map & route description we had!) Note that the Lonely Planet Trekking books do not promise to be field guides for the areas they describe: bring another volume(s) to help identify the flora and fauna you encounter.

Your travel guide on Madagascar is excellent. Streets above all the rest! I've just returned from a recce-ing trip with my French/Dutch tour manager who was equipped with every French guide imaginable, but the only one we used for the entirety was yours! Very honest, reliable and above all easy to use. Comprehensive too. Well done! I have recommended it to all my potential participants.

Hilary Bradt has once again captured the feeling of Madagascar as well as imparting useful information. Not only are there color pictures of lemurs but some less well known mammals. Along with detailed information she includes amusing stories. A must for anyone going to Madagascar or just interested in this wonderful country

This is an excellent guide for anyone interested in Madagascar. It is full of facts and stories that give you a real feel for the country. I especially enjoy the detailed sections on Conservation, Wildlife and her encouragement of responsible tourism. If you are planning a trip here I recommend this travel guide over any others available.

Don't even think about traveling to Madagascar without the Bradt guide! It never left my side during my month-long adventure through the country. Excellent information on the natural and cultural diversity of the island, plus accurate logistical information on where to eat, sleep, etc. Great sidebars from recent and experienced travelers. Don't forget to bring along the Bradt guide to Maddy wildlife too! Bradt is the only source I trust for travel in Madagascar.

This is a long book, but well worth the time dedicated to reading it, especially if one is interested in understanding the real causes behind the adoption of mass slavery by Christian Nations as a basis for the economic development of the Americas. Mr. Blackburn is writing about an emotionally charged issue but never falls into the trap of emotion and sentiment. Quite the contrary: in the best tradition of historic studies, he seeks to explain and understand; as the author tells us it would have been theoretically possible to build the plantation economies of the new world upon free labour - but how much more convenient for the European colonizers to use an available (African) pool of slave labour right across the ocean. This was reinforced by the fact that not enough whites were willing to emigrate to the Americas in order to work under the harsh conditions predominant in the plantations.

Ideology also came to the rescue of the European nations; from the 15th to the 18th centuries the churches - either Catholic or Protestant - chose to legitimize black (as opposed to Indian) slavery with complicated, Bible-based theological arguments. That helped monarchs and colonizers maintain a clear conscience while enslaving millions; and Mr. Blackburn underlines the key distinction between ancient world slavery, as practised for instance by the Romans, and its modern era "Christian" version. While the former was intimately connected to the capture of POWs and was rarely perpetuated throughout the generations (manumission being a widespread practice), the latter - being a system geared for economic exploitation - was generally hostile to manumission and condemned for centuries a race QUA race to the horrors of enslavement (something that never happened in the ancient world).

This book should be mandatory reading for European" intellectuals": it would help them put in perspective the achievements of the civilisation they so much admire.

The rise of the modern world is beset by a contradiction: even as the institutions of a new freedom were emerging in a core area the cancer of slavery began to recur its periphery. We should conclude that we have a laboratory study of the nature of economic man in relation to the genuine self-consciousness able to create a new culture, and determined to be finished with the curse of history. This book contains some graphic portraiture of this faultline in modernity, and opens with a gripping depiction of the slavers arriving in the ancient Congo.
Superb work.

"The Making of New World Slavery" by Robin Blackburn. This is an incredibly rich book and for the casual reader, very academic on first glance, but it contains a superbly well researched and written examination of the early roots of chattel slavery which anyone studying the Caribbean or the development of the colonial Atlantic Community should read.

This is not a book you are likely to sit down to and read cover to cover on a long winter's night, but I find myself reading sections and then putting it down, then going back to study some facet or another, and noone would be wasting money to have it in their library if they have any serious interest in understanding Slavery, the "development" of the Americas,or the world we share in the Americas today. As the other reviews have so well stated, this work is delightfully free of ideology or cant and integrates a wealth of information on the subject. We can only hope that future work on the History of the Americas will be done with such impartiality.

This book although by by a writer from the left is a well researched well-written survey of slavery. Without emotion it explains how slavery, something which had practically ceased to exist following the collapse of the Roman World was re-created to provide labour in colonies of the new world.

It describes the setting up of the trade occurred and how it operated in practice. The brutality, the mechanics of how slaves were obtained how they were sold, what they did as slaves.

The absence of passion makes the book an even more powerful indictment of the institution of slavery. It describes how in most of the colonies slaves were over time worked to death. In Brazil, the usual life expectancy was seven years.

The book is challenging as it raises questions about the origin of our societies and seriously challenges the notions that European Society was either civilized or Christian.

This is a breathtakingly beautiful view of the animals of the South African Lowveld. Ms. Lumry and Mr. Thom have captured the unique experience of an African Safari with a stunning collection of photos that make you feel like you could reach out and touch the animals. If you're thinking about an African Safari or want to relive the thrill of one you've taken, this is a "must have" book.

This is an excellent example of what it is like at the game reserve. My wife and I spent 10 days at Malamala, and this book brought back all of the memorable experiences we had in the bush. We spent some time with Jamie while we were there and he is a true artist with a camera, as well as an enjoyable dinner companion.

My family and I just returned from a photographic safari on the MalaMala game reserve. We purchased the book from the onsite gift store as it represented so many wonderful memories of our adventure in South Africa. Jamie Thom is a wonderful guide and truely has a wonderful gift for photographing these many amazing animals. We highly recommend this photographic work of art to all who love nature.

This is a breathtakingly beautiful view of the animals of the South African Lowveld. Ms. Lumry and Mr. Thom have captured the unique experience of an African Safari with a stunning collection of photos that make you feel like you could reach out and touch the animals. If you're thinking about an African Safari or want to relive the thrill of one you've taken, this is a "must have" book.

The author discovers more than just a continent. He provides tremendous insight into the trials and tribulations of long term travel in close confinements. He writes with sensitivity and empathy and must be commended on his extraordinary insight into human nature.

Malachite is a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining read. It is essentially a tale of two parallel journeys: the author's external journey through Africa on the forever faithful Bedford truck and the author's internal journey which examines his values, attitudes and, perhaps most importantly, fortitude. For a debut novel, Malachite is very well written and I look forward to reading his next book.

Paul Marketos offered me a unique, open and honest insight to what it is to be a white middle-class South African experiencing Africa after apartheid. Marketos not only reflects on his values and attitudes and those of his travelling companions, but he also provides a frank and sometimes humorous insight into group dynamics. Malachite is also a journey into Africa and is a wonderful account of the "Dark Continent". Right from the first paragraph I felt the author's excitement for this once in a lifetime adventure. I shared his amazement at the group's close encounter with wild gorillas, his frustration at the many senseless wars and consequent poverty of African countries, his humility when offered food and gifts from starving locals, his admiration (and at times loathing) for the dependable Bedford, and his intense belief in the future of Africa. Malachite is a wonderful book complete with adventure, humour and sadness, and history. And for anybody interested in mechanics, it also provides a detailed account of the workings of a 1962 Bedford.

The author shares his most intimate thoughts and fears he experiences over a seven month overland journey from Cape Town to Algeria with four (and sometimes six) others. The way the relationships develop and unfold between these young, daring travellers is acutely observed and described. The harsh conditions and the unforgiving roads north of Zimbabwe batter their otherwise loyal Bedford truck and their otherwise hardy friendships. The author's rather introspective account of his physical and mental suffering in the last half of the trip may just take the edge off for some. When they arrive in London, where he discovers the real cause of his suffering, it becomes evident that his own journey is truely a personal triumph. I was inspired.

I lived in Africa for many years - Rhodesia, also I've spent time in Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, and Angola - but to my eternal regret I never travelled to Kenya. This author's history of the British-built railway there and how it opened up towns and cities and agriculture and other forms of development there, is very good and very interesting.

Many years ago I read Patterson's memoir THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO of his days building parts of the railway and his attempts to stop man-eating lions who were steadily devouring his Indian labour force and many tribal locals too, even dragging off at least one white colonial. It is still available in the modern Capstick library edition and other re-issues.

The present author does cite Patterson quite a bit as well as provides many fascinating details which he unearthed to round out the story of the man-eaters quite a bit more. Additionally, he provides much modern information on the tourist industry and conditions on Zanzibar, at Mombassa and Nairobi, and points in between and beyond. Refreshingly, there is little of the all too common colonialism-bashing political correctness found in other works on Africa, and that alone gives this another star.

Altogether it is a great book to read and I highly recommend it. I am now going to find and read the author's earlier AFRICAN LIVES.

_Man Eaters Motel_ is a fun, quirky, entertaining book about Kenya, or perhaps more specifically, the railroad that created it. "To appreciate fully Kenya's enormous success," wrote author Denis Boyles, "it must be seen in the odd manner in which it was achieved." Kenya was essentially almost accidentally created. To bridge the "unhappy gap" between the East African coast, particularly the region once controlled by the then mighty and storied Zanzibar, and the lakes of Uganda, a railroad was created. The railroad was originally constructed to help safeguard the route to India and the headwaters of the Nile but had huge unintended consequences. "One thing lead to another" and people started to disembark from the train early, first to farm, then to hunt, and later for tourism, along the way making the final destination of the railway, a sleepy town on the shores of Lake Victoria, "somewhat incidental." Essentially, "Kenya was invented in the space of a lifetime along the tracks of a railway going nowhere." Without the railroad, there would have been little or no development of Kenya and Uganda, and indirectly, Tanganyika.

For those looking for a technical history of the railway from Mombassa to Kisumu they will be somewhat disappointed, as the author's admits in his introduction that he used the railway as essentially a plot device to provide a framework for stories from Kenya's past and the author's own observations. This is not to say that railroad is not covered, as Boyles discussed the railway stations, those who built the railway and operate it today, and what it is like to ride the train, noting what might be seen (and not seen) along the railway.

One of the things not seen, and something that may surprise tourists, is just about anything marking the famed attacks of the man-eaters of Tsavo. The author searched high and low in the area where the attacks occurred and interviewed a number of people resident in the area but found any memorial or indication of the attacks hard to come by (other than the hotel mentioned in the book's title). Happily, this did not stop the author from telling the tale of how two man-eaters held up the construction of the Uganda railway for nearly a year (in 1898), of the fight against the lions, and the personalities involved in the famed incident, notably of course Colonel John Henry Patterson (who was known for many things, the fight against the man-eaters being only one incident; other things he was noted for include fighting in the Boer War, commanding the Jewish Legion in World War I, and being a keen supporter of the foundation of Israel).

The Tsavo man-eaters were easily my favorite part of the book and read like a great adventure story (did you know that twice the workmen of the railway tried to murder Patterson?) but it is not by any means the only thing in this book. Boyles gives the reader a tour of Zanzibar, once a rich and influential island kingdom that ruled over much of the East African coast, at one time the richest place in Africa, sort of a "Hong Kong" for Africa, though boasting a wealth that was acquired in "hideous ways," from not only the ivory trade but most especially the slave trade. Now it is a sleepy, rundown place of ornate though neglected fascinating architecture, reeking and rusting ancient freighters in the harbor, and sleepy dreams of becoming a booming tourist resort (at least this was the case in 1991, I don't know what it is now).

Boyles interviewed a number of Kenyan whites, an odd class of people, descendents from the days when Britain ruled Kenya (if not resident themselves during British rule), a people unsure of their place and future in a black Kenya, an unease shared by many black Kenyans as well. Boyles never came to any firm conclusions as to their future, as some whites felt discriminated against and others felt quite the opposite. He did however have some pointed words about a few famous white Kenyans and others, such as Karen Blixen, the "precious, affected, patronizing, self-absorbed Dane" who was more worried about her aristocratic title than anything else in her life, portrayed on the silver screen by Meryl Streep in the "only version of her life that matters," and Henry Morton Stanley, a "murderous" explorer who was unfortunately "canonized" in the movies by Spencer Tracy.

The author spent some time on President Daniel arap Moi, the dictator who shaped much of post-colonial Kenya, discussing his corruption, a corruption that is suspected to include covering up the murder of political rivals.

The history of tourism - particularly of the safari - in Kenya is well-covered,, from the early days of the large, expensive practically paramilitary hunting expeditions, ones with many porters, trucks, good china, professional chefs, and often lasting months, to the modern economical package tours of today, in large part made affordable to the middle-class thanks to the advent of low-cost international jet travel. Interestingly, Boyles wrote that the abolition of hunting in Kenya in 1977 had the opposite effect intended, as many former hunters stated that without hunters to keep tabs on animal numbers and to go after poachers many thousands of elephants and hundreds of rhinos were slaughtered. Without a hunter police force, not even Kenya's military can keep poachers in check, though others dispute this, noting that many Kenyan law enforcement officials are neck-deep in corrupt ties with the poachers.

I am planning a trip to Africa, so I bought this book (used) and "Ghosts of Tsavo" by Phillip Caputo and "Man Eaters," which is Patterson's book (he is the British officer who shot the man eating lions). I liked this one best of the three. It is really exciting in some places and tells the story of the man eating lions in Tsavo better than Paterson does, and he was there! I enjoyed the travel aspect too, where Boyles takes the train ride from Mombassa to Lake Victoria and gives a stop-by-stop account of the journey. This book is also very funny in places. I'm glad I took the trouble to get this book. I recommend it completely.

I read Boyles's other African book (African Lives) and loved it. When we decided to visit Kenya this year on vacation, I started looking for this book, which I had found discussed in some newsgroups, but it was "out of stock" (whatever that means!). My local public library did a search for it, but couldn't locate the book before we left. When we got home, it was there and I read it. I can't tell you how much I wish I'd had this book before I went. Not only is the writing wonderful, but since the book follows the railroad (telling the story and describing the places along the way) from the coast to Lake Victoria, the details are exactly the kind of things a visitor really needs. Our vacation was expensive and tame, even though we enjoyed the people and the scenery. This book was better than the trip, since it was free (from the library) and very exciting (funny, too).

The best things in it are hard to pick out, but I recommend the story of Patterson and the man-eaters (better than the hokie movie, by far), the depiction of Zanzibar, the social scene in Nairobi and the description of Lake Victoria. If we had known about the little winery in Naivasha, we would have gone there. This book is full of things I wish I'd known, but didn't. Find this book if you can.

Is this kind of man even made anymore?!

I just finished reading this a second time (last was 1998), and it amazed me even more this time around.

If you ever think you've gotten into a tough situation, read about HMS & realize that, in fact, your situation is really quite trivial.

Excellent biography of Stanley, who had an incredible life. He was illegitimate, abandoned by his mother, put into a work-house, and had an all-round awful childhood until meeting the kindly fellow in America who adopted him. But the meat of the book is Stanley's three major trips in Africa: to find Livingstone, to explore and continue Livingstone's work, and to relieve Emin Pasha. Each involves amazing hardships and adventures and Farwell does a wonderful job of giving lots of detail and colour as he relates these exciting trips. Worth reading by anyone who has an interest in Burton but isn't sure what to turn to next.

This is one of Farwell's earliest works. I think I have read everything he has written and I am always amazed at the high quality and readability. This book is about Henry M. Stanley, and Africa through his eyes. Farwell refuses to allow modern prejudices to enter into the story. Stanley is unique - emotionless yet idealistic, shy yet driven. Read this book not only to find out about the man, but for the incredible adventures. For an excellent 1 volume history of African exploration, read Africa Explored by Christopher Hibbert.

Henry M. Stanley was the first human to cross equatorial Africa. And he did it roughly four times, fighting beast, insects, disease and the most violent, primitive peoples ever encountered by an explorer. This account of his entire life is fascinating: raised in a Scottish orphanage, adopted by a New Orleans merchant, fought in the Civil War on the side of the South, journalist and -- all training for the hardships of his true calling -- explorer. On his first trip he finds Stanley to deliver the famous quote -- two more trips each more astounding than the preceding are to follow. He retires as a hero of the British exploration community. This book is a gem, well written by an author who rightly reveres deeply his subject. This is a must read for anyone who enjoyed "Undaunted Courage." Stanley is 20 Lewis and Clark's rolled into one man. Maps are good for a paperback.

Looking at these great pictures in this book, make you think that you are in Maroc. They are so real, and really it feels like the soul of Maroc is in this book. I think it's really special for people who have lived in Maroc and have moved to another country.

This is a visually stunning work. If you enjoyed Cyclops, Watson's previous book, you will absolutely love this one. It is luscious, sumptuous, a veritable feast for your eyes.

This new book is as good as Watson's Cyclops. The intensity of the images is unsurpassed by any I've ever seen. The photos of the old woman's face and the gloved hands of a worker show the experience seen by the subjects. Albert Watson continues to outdo himself.

Truly great B&W photography. Best I have seen