Africa Books

This is an outstanding book with many original and personal accounts of what brought South Africa to a negotiated abandonment of minority rule. Objective and beautifully written.

An excellent read if you know at least a little about South African History. It's a "who's who" of the inside story of Africa's "Negotiated Revolution" and could count as a "cliff hanger" if we all didn't already know the outcome of the story. But for anyone who would like to know how the worlds most remarkable political transition was pulled off without a bloody coup, who all of the players were, and why one the worlds most brutal and racist governments kept the world's most enigmatic man alive; then this is the read for you.

Allister Sparks tells a story in a brief, a reporter kind of a way, where he leaves out the details and gives you the key facts plus an explanation of them. By the time you finish the book you'll get a picture of the past and present of South Africa. You'll probably be clued in as much as people who leave there.

Tomorrow is Another Country is the sequel to the Mind of South Africa. It described the transition from apartheid state to the Rainbow Nation. Allister Sparks is a South African journalist (and is currently teaching at Duke University) who sought to get "the real story" before the actors started to forget. He found collaboration from all sides so everyone would know the sacrifices made by both sides to form the new South Africa.

An excellent balance between being comprehensive and being readable, Tomorrow is Another Country is not a difficult read but not nearly as inspiring as Nelson Mandela's book, Long Walk to Freedom. It does however capture more of the Afrikaaner experience, something Long Walk to Freedom often fails on doing.

This detailed book that contains 6000 heavily interpreted personal names is likely the biggest book collection of African personal names. Just as with his other books on names, written quite recently, Musere goes into dedicated detail in showing aspects like the origin of the name and the meanings (which can be one or many). A lot of the names are shown to be associated with aspects like proverbs, significant occurences and traditions. African names are shown to be unique in that analyzing them provides a wealth of information concerning cultural practice, migration, and assimilation. This is a study and naming guide that gives detailed examples of God/ Goddess, war, natural phenomena, and season related personal names. Many are examples of names that depict the behavioral characteristics, physiological or physical condition of the newborn. Indeed many African names illustrate the state of mind of the namer, states of bereavement or jubilation, and so forth. This book is heavily referenced and indexed unlike most other books on African names.

"...the topic [of personal African names] is sufficiently rarely treated as to merit close attention. ...[The book's] introduction is a splendidly informative essay. In it [Musere] explores the origins of African names. Just as we have many names revealing the activities of our ancestors, such as Archer, Fisher, Smith, Taylor and many others, the same applies to African names. [Musere] gives examples such as canoe builders, executioners, rain-makers and cattle-keepers. The reverence for human relationships is perpetuated in many names, while a variety of birds, animals, fish, trees and other natural phenomena are the bases for others. Africa has long been one of my favourite continents and I have numbered many Africans among friends. ...Musisi means "earthquake" and...Bukenya means someone who acts ungraciously or reluctantly. ...Musere's book is packed with information and it is easy to consult. It is equipped with a useful index, so you can be directed to all those names derived, say from eating and harvesting, lakes and
roads, trees, witchcraft and a host of other topics and activities." K.C. Harrison, Founder President, Commonwealth Library Association in "Languages and Literature" Reference Reviews 14/5 [2000] 29-36.

"'A thorough exposure of African name meanings encourages and stimulates people of both African and non-African descent into feeling comfortable about taking on such names.' ...such as Sindushwa (I cannot be surpassed); Mbarushimana (God is on my side); Nkurunziza (Good news). ...Okot (Born during the rainy season). ...This is a fascinating book. ...it certainly brings home the fact, of which I was previously unaware, that the uses and the choices of names have quite different connotations and expectations in different societies." (Sheila Allcock, University of Oxford, in "African Research & Documentation" No. 85, 2001).

"Some examples are 'Libbila (m): setting sun; [name] given to one born at sunset'; 'Kimenyi (m): the one who knows a lot'; 'Shumpa (f): a name given to a child who is troublesome'; 'Baliza (f/m): they cause to weep [or mourn, or cry].' The 6000 [name] examples [in the book] are fascinating to read, and will most certainly open up a new area in the field of nomenclature. In addition, an interesting index will lead the user to specific works found in the definitions, such as lakes, plants, gardens, and food. This is an impressive volume and should fill a void in the area of etymology. It is highly recommended." (Carol Willsey Bell in "C&RL News," May 2000, pp.428-429).

Until the publication of this book, it has been extremely difficult to find any primer that collects and defines the meanings of African names in English. Africa is a continent with thousands of cultures, traditions and languages. Names are part and parcel of the enriched African tradition. Unlike other parts of the world, virtually every African indigenous name has a distinct meaning or connotation. African personal names run into the thousands, if not millions. Therefore, it would be next to impossible to compile a comprehensive thesaurus of all these names, let alone their synonyms. The book compiles about 6000 names from key central, eastern and southern African countries, such as Burundi, Congo-Kinshasa, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Although the compilation of African names is not entirely a new phenomenon, what distinguishes this book from previous ones is its simplicity in name descriptions and definitions. This volume looks at the in-depth meaning of indigenous as well as adopted African names. African personal names have multitudinous functions such as the association of one's occupation, habits and personality. Many African names emanate from one's ancestry through clan, ethnic/tribal or religious affiliation. Names can also be named as the result of ancient wars and conquests. Since most of these names emanate from the "Bantuphone" region of east, central and southern Africa, it is not uncommon for many of these names to have a similar meaning albeit different pronounciations. A word such as Muntu connotes a person, but actually is derived from the ancestry of people in this region. It is therefore least surprising that the word, "ntu" is common amongst most ethnic groups in the region. For example, a word such as "Gahungu" which denotes a small or young boy, has a similar connotation amongsts the Hutu, Tutsi, as well as the Twa ethnic groups of Rwanda and Burundi. The author also includes new African words that have been adopted from Western political as well as cultural contexts. For example, the word, "Democracy" in most African contexts is pronounced as, "Demokrasi." Like other African names given to people during a certain historical phenomenon, this word has been given to some newborns born during the current democratic struggle on the continent. The alphabetical listings of these names as well as its well-prepared index will be very helpful to those that are not familiar with African appellations. This book is highly recommended for scholars and students of African anthropology, linguistics, literature, history, politics as well as those in the African/Black diaspora that are very interested in learning more about African culture.

From cover to cover, the powerful images in this book took my breath away. This book depicts the evolution of the human spirit from primal to potential. As each new section presents itself you are immediately thrust into a different environment. Each distinct, each equally captivating. The images show the beauty of Southern Africa and the fire that lives inside of its people. The photographs are impeccable. From the lighting to the subjects, each picture tells the story of those in it. Whether the faces are smiling or stoic, the strength displayed by the people is almost palpable. The elders are the wisdom that from their experience throughout and the children are the hope for the next generation. The book has a general uplifting feeling that speaks to the wonder of all that makes up South Africa. This book is a must-have for anyone wanting to go on an emotionally fulfilling journey. The best part of purchasing this book is knowing that the proceeds go to the people depicted in it. This is a strong reccomendation! Jump at the opportunity to make this a part of your library.

Gordon Clark's riveting collection of photographs bring the mystery, beauty, and infinite power of the South African psyche up to your amazed eyes with the stellar skill of a master. From the first page of this must-have for any lover of photographic art, the South African landscape and it's inhabitants, the people, seem to welcome you with deeply interpretive eyes and impeccable composition. Clark's use of color here is revelatory in that it envelops the viewer like a velvet sunset. In other words, the images early on are inviting and strangely familiar in their human qaulity. Whereas many photographs of Africa are general in their topic, making one feel that it is untouchable and removed, Clark's book beckons one to become as vulnerable and generous as his vibrant Southern Africa. The warmth he uses to portray the rugged danger inherent in the people of this region and the land itself causes one to realize that perhaps their are qaulitites about the subjects that are not far removed from the viewers': Strength being the prominent feature, the strength of the human will to persevere. Ultimately, Clark's genius is that he allows Southern Africa to become a metaphorical mirror, peering into one's one emotional landscape and thus truly connecting to the subjects of his passionate collection.
Transitions is a book that lives up to it's title. Clark and his subjects take you along a journey, beginning at the peremiter, into the center of his subject's joy and struggle. I was shocked to see the unbelievably intimate, almost Rockwellian scenes come to life like a moving painting towards the conclusion of the book. The delicate beauty of Brassai's photographs came to mind. By then, I was so saturated with feeling, my emotions had to be released and they were, as I walked through the homes of these beautiful people. It is truly an experience and will be a great artistic progenitor on the viewers voyage to become connected to this important part of our world, and in the mission to heal South Africa. It is a priveledge to view Gordon Clark's Transitions.

I purchased this brand new book because of Oprah Winfrey's Foreward. What an incredible surprise inside! This is the definitive book on the region's beauty, rich heritage and infinite potential. The words and pictures create an indelible impact. The images are so beautiful -- from the hopeful children in their natural environment to the soulful eyes of the elder natives in their village huts. This fresh, visual look inside the whole of South Africa has to be unpralleled. Oprah's Foreward began a journey that will stay with this reader forever and ever.

This is a remarkable collection of exquisite photographs which capture the dignity and humanity of people in Southern Africa. There is a rare, soul-stirring quality to these images that make this an important book for anyone with an appreciation for great photographic art or an interest in Africa. Gordon Clark's artistry clearly reflects a deep love for his nation of origin, as proceeds from Transitions go to fighting HIV/AIDS in South Africa and caring for children orphaned by the disease.

Incredible story of trekking from Namibia's Atlantic Coast to the Indian Ocean (ending up at Zanzibar). Although the author's attacked by neither man nor beast (just insects aplenty), he has his share of troubles, starting with recalitrant wild donkeys, and finishing up with a week of malaria treatment (apologies if that proves a spoiler). Terrific writing skills and a great sense of humor make this book one of my top books for the year. Highly recommended.

I have to admit firstly that I'm English, and secondly that I loved Africa as an inhabitant for over 20+ years. Consequently, the description for this book on Amazon seemed like the ultimate indulgence. It was. However, unlike many indulgences throughout my life - and throughout Mr Sandham's journey - this was immensely memorable... for all the right reasons. Mr Sandham expertly describes, with infinite humility, his traversa from the Skeleton Coast to the Indian Ocean 5000 km away. I allowed myself the pleasure of only a chapter a day as I wanted to really savor the pleasure of devouring this memoir for as long as I possibly could. Sandham never truly reveals, in fact I'm not entirely sure he knows, the reasons why he really undertook this trek - but I am immensely glad he did. His pinpoint almost staccato descriptions of people he meets leaves a lasting impression and visual image of those people. I don't think I will ever look at a man named Dan quite the same way again! During his 50km a day walks through Africa he discourses on such idiocies as where do flies go at night? I found myself laughing out loud, smiling, grimacing, shaking my head and even empathising at..... and with... Mr Sandham and the people, insects, flora and fauna he comes in contact with during this amazing journey. He expertly weaves history and the stories of the great explorers into this memoir providing a multi-layered view of human idiocy, kindness, ignorance, arrogance and humour in such a way that I learned much about the continent that I love. This book is ideal for people who enjoy the sardonic, understated part of English humour; those who love a story of myopic refusal to veer from the goal; voyeurs of human nature and those who overall appreciate the indomintable spirit of an individual who is driven by the need to do something that noone has quite done before - and lived to tell the tale. I was genuinely sorry that Mr Sandham hadn't decided to cross another continent so that I could vicariously continue his journey.

It's hard to read many travel books without a sense of 'Why? Why are you putting yourself through all this?' and Traversa is no exception. Those who sit at home may not understand what drives some people to these lengths, but that doesn't stop us lapping it up and asking for more.

In this enthralling book, Sandham brings his solo walk from the aptly-named Skeleton Coast to the Indian Ocean to life. He comes across, variously, as courageous, determined, bloody-minded, and completely insane. By the end of the book, it's easy to feel, as he does, that he has earned his right to be in Africa, even among people so poor that a man who has scrimped, saved and given up chocolate biscuits to be there, is immeasurably rich.

Throughout, Sandham places his experiences in a historical context, evoking the horror of being preserved from shipwreck only to die of thirst, the shame and waste of the slave trade, and butchery in wars over territory that match anything Europe has achieved in that line. As his traversa progresses, he moves from a theoretical understanding of Africa to a genuine affection for the place and its people.

The book is filled with dry self-deprecation and humour--there's a disastrous donkey, and we can only imagine Sandham's problems with his mule, as he declines to go into details--and some of the characters he meets are portrayed as so much larger than life that there's a temptation to believe they're imaginary. Perhaps the best example of the man's courage is when, having invested time, effort and money in a donkey (diseased), a donkey-cart (beautifully painted), and a mule (disobedient), he's able to walk away from all three. Many people would have persisted even in the face of so much discouragement, but Sandham knows when to cut his losses. He probably wouldn't have made it across Africa without that knowledge.

Apart from the not-so-tame domestic animals, there's lions. Real, live, traveller-eating lions. Fortunately, the threat they pose is more perceived than actual; some people have been eaten, but Sandham gets through. There's also explosive diarrhea, a very unpleasant, if probably inevitable, attack of malaria, and, of course, blisters. Yet day after day, he gets up, and gets going. Even after side trips to investigate mules or donkeys, he insists on being driven back to the point where he stopped walking, so he can start again. He knows when he's idled somewhere too long, and somehow gets himself going. There's no cheating on this journey, even though the temptations must have been enormous.

This book entertained and saddened me by turns, and I heartily recommend it--reading what Sandham has to say is the only way even partially to answer the question, 'Why?'.

[review written by Debbie Moorhouse of GUD Magazine]

There are many things to admire about Mr. Sandham's book: the fact that he underwent great hardship at times in order to write it; the way in which he has unveiled some little-known parts of Africa to a wider audience; or his eloquent turn of phrase and sometimes biting self-deprecating humour. But what stands out for me is in the way which he stuck to his task and wasn't seduced by the touristic, bombastic way to travel through a country. I don't mean that he didn't occasionally stay in a hostel,(after hundreds of kilometres across lion country you might too), or that he didn't occasionally eat Western-style foods in souless supermarkets. What I mean is that he stuck to the task at hand and didn't go to see something or attempt to do something just because a guidebook said he should. It is extremely hard sometimes to resist the pull of the mass-market. I myself have been to countries where I thought I had been to every 'must-see' site in an area and then found that to my disappointment there was one I had missed. But those were not the real experiences and stories which will stay with me. Real meaning can be found in the tapestry of human interactions and the beat of a way of life different to your own. In an era of travel being accessible to so many more people, how refreshing to hear an account of someone who decided to tread a more personal path.

Mr. Sandham did things 'his way' and I am sure his mentors Messrs. Livingstone, Stanley et al, would be proud.

Your book will definetly help students and patrons alike find information on a period of American art that has not been fully covered.

Carl W. Peters: Ameican Scene Painter from Rochester to Rockport is magnificent and as a seasoned bibliophile it's a superb production in every respect. My highest praise for its scholarship, reproduction, and encyclopedic content about Peters.

In Carl W. Peters: American Scene Painter from Rochester to Rockport, Richard H. Love, with scholarly expertise, tells the story of a pioneer American regionalist whose career developed amid the conflict between modernisn and realism. Not just about Carl Peters, Love's book is rich with stories of American art. His coverage of the art scene in Woodstock and Cape Ann, America's first art colony, is a fascinating contribution to art history. What a place Gloucester must have been in the early twentieth century! John Sloan's description gave unique insight, "there was an artist's shadow beside every cow in Gloucester, and the cows themselves were dying from eating paint-rags."

Carl W. Peters, American Scene Painter from Rochester to Rockport.is the first comprehensive look at the American Scene and mural painter. Art historian, artist, gallery owner, and former media personality Richard Love, a consummate scholar and cultural commentator, contrasts the European-inspired traditions and modern movement with "home-grown" American realism. Throughout the book, Love's extraordinary grasp of American artistic and cultural events enriches the story of Peters' life and art in a marvelous way. We conclude that Peters was a distinctive American artist. This remarkable book, beautiful in design, dense in delineation of all aspects of American culture, and rich in expression will long be the scholarly standard for the life and works of Carl W. Peters, who rose from humble origins on a farm in the Genesee country to become an outstanding painter of the American Scene.

Im new to the world of historical fiction and this book got me reading all sorts of historical fiction. Just after the first page you cant put it down. Its great at the begining, middle, and end. I HIGHLY RECCOMEND this book. Best of all after the end it explanes some of the things at the end about some things that happen in the book that you might not understand or know about in the book. I've read other great books but this is in its own league.

This odyssy-like adventure takes the reader from the embalming tables of ancient Egypt in Greco-Roman Alexandria, in a treacherous voyage across the mediterranean, to many of the major sites and into the path of many of the major players of the era. Damon, the young medical student from Alexandria, and his best friend seek to take a message to Damon's Roman soldier father and in the process they meet Cleopatra, Cicero,and Caesar Augustus. They attend a gladiator fight at the Colloseum, they witness a peasant uprising, and they view Caesar's war in the border area of far off Spain. Moving from one action packed calamity to another, the excitement never slows. This well-researched historical novel is fun to read as well.

Damon, a young medical student in Alexandria, and his friend Artemas set out on a journey to find Damon's father. Damon's mother has just died and the two boys wish to tell Litigus of his wife's death in person. Their journey is full of peril and excitement -- from shipwreck to shark attack, from meeting Cleopatra and being sent on a mission by her to meeting Caesar. The adventure never ends for these two boys. The setting is Ancient Egypt during the time of Cleopatra, but don't let that discourage you. This book is highly entertaining. Each chapter leaves you at a suspenseful moment and you can't wait to continue. Perfect for a read aloud. There is a glossary and an author's note in the back. The glossary will be especially useful. Highly recommended.

This story kept me hooked from first sentence to last! I don't want to give away juicy details, but the author reveals the culture of the time in vivid and exciting scenes. It all becomes so real and you find yourself caught up in Damon's adventure. Wow! Boys and girls alike will eat this one up.

Written by Book of the Year award finalist Steven Gills, The Weight of Nothing is a novel about money, regret, revenge, and forgiveness. Two friends, each carrying a burden that has haunted him for years, resolve to travel to Algiers and confront their demons. When terrible tragedy strikes, it poses a difficult question - how resolve years of squandered ambition, lost chances of love, and continue living past unspeakable violence? A poignant and memorable chronicle of the long, difficult journey of the human spirit.

The Weight of Nothing is a huge novel. While you could read it in a leisurely fashion, enjoying the characters and the plot at a superficial level, there is a wealth of appreciation for art, music and philosophy. After a few pages I picked up a pen and started highlighting passages I liked and wanted to mull over later.

The two central characters are connected by an act of violence when the office building that Niles father works in is blown up by Bailey's brother in a terrorist bombing. Niles not only loses his tycoon father, but also the love of his life who was on her way to confront his father. A strange sympathy develops between Niles and Bailey. Bailey tries to save Niles from the somnambulant masochism that Niles tells Bailey he's developed, and Niles tries to keep Bailey from losing Elizabeth, a pianist who has lost her arm.

I love Elizabeth--she is the first real challenge to Bailey's self-protective philosophies. "You're all gusto and wild performance," she tells him after hearing him play piano. Her bluntness is offset by how deeply she cares for Bailey, evidenced not only by many of the things she says but also by her willingness to put up with Bailey's emotional stagnation. Bailey's determination to "want for nothing" eventually sends Elizabeth away though. While in general Gillis complicates issues very satisfyingly, it is clear that the philosophies and attitudes Bailey has cultivated to protect himself are the very things that will hurt him the most in the end, if he cannot overcome them.

Bailey and Niles are both deeply wounded characters, who cannot stop wounding themselves. They creatively, endlessly, try to work through their problems. Both have lost their girlfriends, and both have overbearing fathers (who Gillis manages to paint huge in only a few brushstrokes). In the end, they travel to Algiers for what proves to be a life-altering--and for one of them, life-ending--journey.

I found myself not only enjoying TWON for its plot and characters, but also for the philosophical questions which were explored throughout the book. The author developed certain themes and questions over the course of the novel which I poured over after reading it. Besides those themes in bold on the inside cover (Memory Regret Revenge Forgiveness) there were several passages about time that I loved--some related to memory, "There's no order to memory after all, is there? I mean, once something happens, it's there in your head with all the rest," and others about the weight of time and its effects. In the end an unusual therapy is used on Bailey to undo this weight, and after this Bailey reestablishes contact with Elizabeth. As with all of the rest of the book, this attempt to reach out to Elizabeth is strange, compelling and beautiful.

Steven Gillis' novel, The Weight of Nothing, explores complex and deeply personal and painful issues, and he does that through wounded characters struggling to find answers to those issues. However, the answers they are searching for may not exist.

Bailey Finne is a talented musician who doesn't fully develop or use his talent. What he does is become a professional student of Art History and makes excuses to the PhD. Committee about why his dissertation hasn't been completed. His problems revolve around the death of his mother, and his father's inability to move on after her death, as well as a troubled love life.

Niles Kelly was born to a wealthy man via a surrogate mother that he had no contact with following his birth. Niles rejects his wealth but is haunted by the violent deaths of his father and his lover.

Bailey and Niles travel together to Algiers to confront the ghosts of their past, hoping that the journey will help them excise those ghosts.

The Weight of Nothing is well-written and a deeply moving piece. Gillis' prose is compelling as he weaves the characters through the labyrinth of life.

"There's a point in every piece of music when the melody completes itself and what's left is a final refrain. Occasionally an aria will vary its rhythm just enough to reinterpret the music through a less predictable finish, and other times an arrangement ends so suddenly the audience isn't quite sure the music's over until the last echoing notes have faded and the room falls eerily still. Either way, the song is done."


Steven Gillis quietly set the literary cognoscenti on alert with the publication of his first novel WALTER FALLS last year. As always the question arises when a `first novel' suggests a talent of depth: Is there more? With the writing of THE WEIGHT OF NOTHING Gillis proves that his prelude, no matter how accomplished that was, served as only as intimation of the talent of this new American writer of substance. Gillis is that rare breed of writer who understands how to grasp the reader's attention, secure a train of thought in content and technique, assuring that once the written journey has begun, the only choice is to hold on with mind and emotion to the anticipated conclusion.

THE WEIGHT OF NOTHING intertwines the lives of several young people in quest of the answer to the universal question of `Who Am I?' in a way that avoids the predictable and in essence incorporates their ephemeral acts with paired explorations in philosophy, art, music, religion, and global socioeconomic problems. In short, this is a story of two men whose early lives were set in motion by traumatic confrontations with loss and the aimlessness that accompanies that unleashed spectre.

Bailey Finne is a gifted natural musician, Secretly learning piano from his musical mother until she is lost to him in childhood in a freak death that pushed his alcoholic father further away from his two sons (Bailey's older brother Tyler responds to this death by fleeing into a life crime, the military, and eventually terrorism). Descrying his father's flaccid, empty life, Bailey embraces music, being able to play all manner of music by ear but settling for entertaining folks in a bar rather than pursuing a career in classical music. He eventually becomes an art history major in college and blithely approaches his dissertation on an obtuse recluse of an artist (L.C. Timbal) with the same glib attitude that has become his life signature. He has girlfriends who try to encourage his gifts, but none more significantly than Elizabeth, a music major/pianist/composer who lost her right arm in a vicious dog attack. Bailey's obsession with her after she leaves him because of this immature, slothful attitude towards things she considers important propels Bailey on his journey to discover what is meaningful in life. "It's the conflict between what ends and our need to continue that causes trauma."

Niles Kelley is the only son of a megalomaniac capitalist who unsuccessfully attempts to mold Niles into a template of his design, seeing no value at all in Niles' preoccupation with literature and philosophy - especially his `hero' the nihilist Camus - nor his relationship with Jeana, a free spirit who encourages Niles' dreams and sees the evil in the capitalistic empiricism of Niles' father. In a auspicious moment of time Niles loses Jeana as she enters the building where Niles' father controls industry: the building is exploded with terrorist bombs placed there by one Tyler Finne and his roommate, the Muslim Oz, a lad who loathes American capitalism and has grown disenchanted with his own father's superficial use of religion to camouflage his own power brand of capitalism. The result of this tragic loss of his beloved Jeana and the collapse of his father's influence drives Niles into a state of self-mutilation, an illness for which he seeks the advice of a Muslim philosopher/healer who encourages Niles to go to Algiers to better understand the writings of Camus and find healing for his malady and his need for forgiveness for Jeana's useless death and his father's `part' in that calamity. In Algiers he hoped to find "the surrounding silence Camus wrote of as weaving together the hopes and despairs of human life."

Bailey and Niles, fellow students at a university, grow close at the funeral for Jeana and eventually accompany each other to Algiers, Niles to seek forgiveness and healing through Camus, and Bailey to finally focus his diasporic creative mind on finding the elusive painter Timbal - the subject of his long avoided dissertation. Bailey tends to Niles' somnambulistic wanderings and self-mutilations while Niles encourages Bailey's efforts to bring closure to his fragmented life. As Bailey discovers Timbal and confronts his own vacuous artistic and spiritual life, Niles wanders the desert and encounters Aziz, a man who assists him in finding the perpetrator of Jeana's death and Niles' life ends in a way that brings him into the ring of closure of his author hero Camus wrote in A Happy Death. Devastated, Bailey returns home, begins therapy with Emmitt who slowly helps Bailey become grounded into finding peace through a long series of self-imposed deprivations meant to clear the slate of his life and allow him a starting point afresh - "to achieve a point of nothingness and return to a natural state of being." "The idea that examining our past will lead us to a clearer understanding of ourselves, and in turn a more constructive life, is egocentric....Self-knowledge is unreliable at best and at times a danger. The emphasis should be not on remembering but forgetting and returning to a point where no wounds exist."


Steven Gillis draws such exquisite characters that each becomes wholly believable, even at their obtuse edges. The story is told in a series of explanations introduced very slyly by a page or two of what we eventually realize are on-going therapy sessions with Emmitt for Bailey and Massinissa Alilouche for Niles. But the real wonder of Gillis' writing stems from his obviously profound depth of knowledge about art (here is a fine synopsis of the works of Bacon, Gorky, Diebenkorn, the abstract Expressionists, etc), of music ( Bailey's turning point in his break with Elizabeth is his ability to play an Etude by the obscure composer Nikolai Roslavets (1881-1944), a Russian composer who did exist and married the styles of Debussy with Scriabin and Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich with his own Messiaen-like sense of atonality), of the very current schism between American imperialism and the view of the Muslims we are now breathing, of the great literature of the 20th Century, of terrorism, and of world politics. He writes poetically about the smells and vistas of Algiers in a way that would suggest that he has lived there extensively. At the same time he is able to make wry tongue-in-cheek diversions by naming the buildings that housed the fathers of Bailey and Niles "Ryse and Fawl" and "Reedum and Wepe"! It is this sophisticated mixture of parody, metaphor, depth of factual material from disparate fields of knowledge, and impressive sense of structural detail that makes his fascinatingly unique and timely story and characters burst off the page. Steven Gillis enters the ranks of the important writers and thinkers of the 21st Century. With THE WEIGHT OF NOTHING he assures us his future is solid.

West African Rhythms for Drumset is hands down one of the BEST books ever. The writers and editors did their homework because they have given the drum world a true gem. There is so much valuable information in this book its hard to desrcibe in a simple review. Any drummer or hand percussionist can and will benefit from this masterpiece. 5 stars and a total A++++++++++. Larry Salzman www.larrysalzman.net

Had this book nearly a year, recommended to anyone seeking to add to their drumset vocabulary. Material is well presented and structured, how these Ghanaian traditions and styles adapted on to the drum kit, it has given me plenty of ideas about concept of timeline, creating diff.textures, use of brush/stick/hands on drums, 12/8 melodic phrases etc. Study of these rhythms will greatly add to your grooving abilty and improve co-ordination, internalize them and then improvise and have fun with them, buy it.

I would like to post the following quote from Modern Drummer Magazine (September 98) in the interview with drummer Billy Martin of Medenski Martin & Wood.

MD Do you have a particular mode of practice?

BM I highly recommend Royal Hartigan's book West African Rhythms for Drumset. I feel that if drummers would check out some of the patterns in this book they'd really get a lot out of it. What's great about it is you're playing some traditional rhythms that are adapted for drumset, which I think is important because they've been tried and tested over hundreds of years. It's good for coordination, and these rhythms are musical, they're not just technical exercises. And Hartigan talks a little bit about the history. I think it's one of the best books our on drumset stuff.

MD So this book is a real source for you?

BM Well, It's one book that I would pull out if I needed some inspriation as far as really trying to get into into playing something different.

Tha! nks! Please feel free to contact me if you want to find out more about it.

This book and accompanying CD are essential to any real drummer. These rhythms are the real deal and if you can learn to play them, you will have a great foundation to play with anyone (Afro, Latin, Jazz, etc.). Even if you are NOT a trap drummer but play traditional african music, this book gives you the traditional fokloric ensemble set up with examples on the CD. I like that these traditional ensemble examples on the CD have each instrument/part come in announced succesion against the bell. I used to live in Ghana playing drums and I really learned a lot from this book. It has something for everyone, no matter what your skill level! OK enough gushing! Buy it you won't regret it!

I lived in beautiful Zimbabwe for 4 years in the 80s-90s, I didn't want to leave I loved it so much and to this day still think about Zim (and consider it my home more than where I live now - for 10 years!) I've seen first had what Mugabe is capable of doing and it is sooo sad what he has done to a beautiful place like Zim!

Mr. Hill has performed a great service to the world at large. Most leaders and other figureheads believe that once Mugabe goes it will all be roses. Hill explains how difficult it is to recover from a bad regime, especially one that has been entrenched in power for so very long. You must read this book.

President Mugabe has entrenched himself in power, but his time may be coming to an end. South African resident Geoff Hill envisions a future without him in WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MUGABE? CAN ZIMBABWE RISE FROM THE ASHES? From how an incoming leader will handle a nation rife with unemployment and poor social standards to how outgoing tyrants will be punished, WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MUGABE is a pick for any who would understand the politics and changes of Zimbabwe.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

As Zimbabwe plunges deeper and deeper into chaos the question we all ask is 'will the madness ever end?' It is impossible to see light at the end of the tunnel given the depths to which Zimbabwe has sunk. The book gives a brief history of the country and paints a picture of the dismal current state of affairs. However, Geoff Hill optimistically outlines a rough framework of the process involved in returning Zimbabwe to self-sufficient democracy after the fall of Mugabe. He covers all of the most important areas; personal freedom and law and order, independence of the judiciary, provision of food and the land question, education, health and the task of luring back the millions of Zimbabweans in exile to support the reconstruction process. He interviews numerous prominent Zimbabweans (most in exile) including Geoff Nyarota, Basildon Peta, Gerry Jackson as well as other Zimbabweans from all walks of life, including plicemen, school leavers, MDC supporters and exiles in England and South Africa. Their opinions and ideas for the future are diverse and insightful. It would be easy to dismiss the book as being overly optimistic filled with nostalgia for the Zimbabwe of the 1980's and early 90's. Geoff Hill, however, includes numerous examples of other African countries including Rwanda, Kenya, Mali, South Africa and Nigeria that have managed to heal to a degree and return to states of relative peace and democracy after horrific pasts. As Zimbabwean in exile I felt as if the book was written for people like me, but it is well written and widely researched and I believe anyone with an interest in Zimbabwean affairs would find the ideas fascinating and informative.

We bought three book by nick greaves while travel in south Africa. We buy books for our three grandchildren( age 4,6,8) while travelling in South Africa last year. We have given them so many books through the years from around the world. They love these books so much. First the parents read to them,every night now the oldest reads to the younger ones. I wish the author writes more books for children.

My 9-year old son came home from school today very excited about this book, which his teacher had started reading to the class. He took out his wallet, counted his money, and asked, "Can we go on line and buy this book right now? I have enough of my own money to buy it." This is enough proof for me that kids love it.

The sub-title "And other tales from Africa" seems to suggest that this book was written for children, but it is fun to read for adults as well. Nick Greaves tells stories, tales, fables and legends from the African tribes about different animals and after each section gives facts about them. By doing this especially for tourists the book gives a general idea of the wildlife one might come across while traveling in Africa and furthermore the book supplies the not native speaker with useful vocabulary. The illustrations of Rod Clement are just as good as photos, sometimes even better, because good close-ups of mainly the small and nocturnal animals are quite rare. "When Hippo Was Hairy" was followed up by "When Lion Could Fly", which is highly recommendable, too.

We recently moved to South Africa and, prior to our first visit to a game park we bought this book to read on our adventure- it is wonderful, full of short entertaining stories that were gathered from the various tribes of Africa to explain why certain animals have spots, long trunks, sleep standing up etc....

Our children loved it and we bought the other 2 in the series.