Africa Books

I read these memoirs with strict concentration on all features of the environment that provided the interesting material to this book.

From childhood of elderly relatives that was somewhat unhappy and bordering on deprivation, the family living off charity, in areas where the primary social groups' life revealed a pattern of neglect, moral [...] , and disregard for law.

I watched a collection of things making people of the same feather sharing a common attribute. Perhaps I should say that a small part of these features I lived myself (1952-56). The message Andre Aciman is giving me is also addressed to every member of a clan feeling alien in the environment in which one was found, and resisted to share.

You are taken back in time to the beginning of the twentieth century until the mid fifties. I never felt strange to uncle Vili, Aunt Clara, or Tante Lotte, like these people exist in the annals of many families' chronological account of events in any successive years.

How much true it is when one had become a success story and thus an object of intense jealousy on the part of his less fortunate confreres. One would definitely feel better off to keep ones apart from ones fellows.
Walking on tight ropes during WWII to keep balance between complete annihilation and survival is not impossible, or unethical, though the uncomplimentary remarks Uncle Vili used to make about the warring parties - about them both - in private, now remained no secret. We all tend to do the same thing when cornered; won't we? This is legitimate quest for survival amid a world run in madness, Uncle Vili appeared uncomplicated enough.

Those were the people we came to know in Egypt in the mid-fifties, their private life, their intimate charm, their gentleness, their direct and affectionate manner, their kindness and modesty which remained unchanged even at the very height of their predicaments.

We knew people like Uncle Vili, their sense of humor, coupled with caustic wit with their servants - Egyptians and/or Sudanese - that their good nature forsook them and their tongue became capable of mordant, wounding remarks. In the company of their intimate friends, they would throw off the habitual reserve they displayed on public occasions and behave like the big boy scouts which they remained in one corner of their personality - Pashas attitudes.

Andre Aciman: I salute you.

Out of Egypt, is a very special memoir about growing up in Alexandria before the author and his family were forced to move from Egypt in 1965 . It's a fascinating memoir of a time and place that no longer exists, and a wonderfully written account .

I had the good fortune of meeting co-author Andy Dawson on a plane a couple of years ago. He is a fascinating man, and got me interested in this very important story of early air logistics in the opening days of World War Two. The book does not disappoint. It is short and concise, but well written, well illustrated, and complete.

The story concerns the Pan Am contract flying over Africa in 1941, and although it is a relatively unknown story, it is utterly fascinating to anyone with an inclination to historical reading. Although I know a lot about World War Two history, I must confess to having been almost totally ignorant of the valiant work of these contract employees and their contribution to the war effort. This book made me appreciate their huge undertaking in extremely austere conditions, and I recommend it highly.

Tom Culbert and Andrew Dawson have done an outstanding job bringing to life this fascinating but little known story of the civilian and military men and their flying machines who paved the way for Allied success in North Africa.

The photographs and writing are both superb. This book would make a terrific gift for anyone interested in World II, the role of the civilian and military air services, or true stories of brave men who exhibited "grace under pressure" on a daily basis.

A great read and a must for anyone's reading list who believes history is more fascinating than fiction.

There's something magical about this book..

This is one of my famlies favorite books. We were lucky enough to find it with a tape of music and my kids can't get enough of this book and it is almost 2 years later! The story is inspiring and really got my kids interested in rainforests and what they can too to help the enviorment! This book should be in all schools, libraries and made a great gift to my children. It breaks my heart that is is out of print when the money went to help such a great cause! IT IS Truely Magickal!

I was recommeded this book by an evangelist before I went on a 2 week trip to Malawi, Africa. Boy was it a good and fast read. There are so many things that he mentions in his book that you would never know or comprehend unless you you were actually there. But more than that, his heart for Africa is so powerfully illustrated that you begin to develop a heart for Africa also.

A Passion for Africa is a missionary's memoir of his final travels into the interior of Zambia, as well as visits to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, and Angola. Presenting a vivid picture of bustling nations with their fair share of problems, including floods, famines, fuel shortages and roaming so-called war veterans, A Passion for Africa tells of one man's striving with his soul, his unheeded call for more missionaries to come and assist his work, and the day when he must tell all the African people he has come to know and love goodbye. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this compelling firsthand testimony.

How can I review something that I haven't even read or browsed?

How can I review something that I haven't even read or browsed?

If you ever want to know anything about the rainforest, this is the series to buy. The author thoroughly discusses people, environment, and hope for rainforests. Beautiful colored pictures throughout the book supports the easy written text. I highly recommend this series to any student who needs to do a report on the rainforest. This series is a must have in any children's library collection.

If you ever want to know anything about the rainforest, this is the series to buy. The author thoroughly discusses people, environment, and hope for rainforests. Beautiful colored pictures throughout the book supports the easy written text. I highly recommend this series to any student who needs to do a report on the rainforest. This series is a must have in any children's library collection.

Basics: 1995, 1st edition; hardcover; 304 pages, 142 plates containing 1,000+ color photos; additional 262 color paintings show identification points; 700+ species; range map for each bird; US$50-200

Cautionary Note: There are two books with the same title by the same author. The similarities end there. This confusion has caused some online booksellers to list the tiny 144-page book (normally US$15) at the US$100 price of this larger book. So, be careful of what you are purchasing. This review covers the large 11 x 9-inch hardcover book (ISBN 1868257851) by Struik Publishers and not the small paperback.

This is a very attractive book with its high quality photographs. Nearly all photos are up close, sharp, and printed in good color. These photos are the highlight of the book. Of the 900+ species found in southern Africa, over 700 are illustrated here. Each plate contains 5-9 photos. Only a small percentage of the birds are represented by more than one photo. Those that have two photos are typically species with notable sexual dimorphism.

On most of the text pages, there are 1-2 small color paintings in the margin. These are used to point out detail relevant to age, sex, season, or similar species. The illustrations are good quality.

The one-paragraph text on the adjacent page offers the typical physical description of the bird along with a very brief outline of its habitat and vocalizations. The 3 x 3cm range maps found next to the text are adequate for showing where the bird may be found. Only one color is used in the range map; thus, no seasonal information can be inferred.

My only negative comment is the minor difficulty in matching the photo on the right page to the species name and map on the left page. To match them, you must look at the little numbered box diagram that corresponds with the photo layout. The number in each little box is then used to compare against a numbered list of names. This method is not unique and can be found in several other photo format books; however, it is still cumbersome.

Other Related Books:
1) Complete Book of Southern African Birds by Ginn, McIlleron, and Milstein
2) Larger Illustrated Guide to Birds of Southern Africa by Arlott
3) Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa by Sinclair
4) Sasol Birds of Southern Africa by Sinclair
5) Roberts Birds of Southern Africa by Hocky, Dean, and Ryan
6) Newman's Birds of Southern Africa by Newman
7) Illustrated Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa by Sinclair

The photographs in this book are excellent. All the birds are in good light with plumage variations evident. Where needed, colored drawings supplement the photos. A map of the distribution is on the facing page, and the text describes habitat, behavior, and plumage characteristics of the species. Size is given in centimeters.

I bought this for a friend who loves and collects flamigos but always gets "tacky flamigo" stuff. She loved the book, it's full of beautiful photography! Got it for half the price too!! It was $60 at the book store!

I happened across this jewel of a book in Tampa, Florida, and consider the retail price of ... money well spent. Amazon.com's ... makes it even more of a "must-have."

The quality of the photographs and indeed the book itself (typography, weight of paper, etc.) are exceptional. The ornithological information is extensive yet completely accessible to non-scientists--scientific jargon is kept to a minimum.

Several pages of photographs are devoted to dead and dying flamingos--this was quite disturbing but in no way detracts from the haunting beauty of the book, and, when coupled with the author's words on the endangerment of the native habitat of the flamingo--especially in Africa--are sobering and very sad. Let us all hope that steps will be taken to preserve these unique and special creatures for future generations.

The use of British English was a little jarring to this American (for example, I had to rack my brain to figure out what "hoovering" is and finally understood it to mean "vacuuming") but overall I would say this book was truly a delight to read and a joy to behold. I would recommend Pink Flamingos to anyone who enjoys spectacular photography and especially to those interested in knowing more about flamingos.

Dr. Pierce details in an interesting and thought provoking way the struggles of the African-American population to gain an equal voice within the community of Indianapolis.

From the prospective of a 60's generation who grew up in Gary, Polite Protest was enlightening and disturbing. I was uncomfortable reading about how long African-Americans had to struggle for equality in education, housing and employment.

Without these significant changes in our society, it would be impossible for me to share a cup of coffee with the author, attend one of his classes, or live in the same neighborhood.

Thank you Dr. Pierce for writing and enlightening, explaining and exploring. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to understand and learn.

Much has been written about the Great Migration, and the evolution of African American protest in Chicago, Milwaukee and Detroit. But the African American community developed differently in Indianapolis than in places farther north. Indianapolis already had a sizable black community during its formative years, making African Americans an integral part of the city-building process even though they occupied different strata within the city. When compared to other African American communities in neighboring states, they routinely outpaced them in quality of life measures such as educational advancement and home ownership.

The author argues that this investment in the city's political economy caused the black community to protect the status quo, eschewing violent protest and mass demonstrations when white civic leaders started to increase segregation measures shortly after WWI. (For example, Indianapolis had integrated secondary schools until 1927, when the school board created an all-black high school.) They instead chose forms of"polite protest," such as negotiation and coalition building.

The author examines five examples of this "polite protest," ranging from high school basketball to housing and work opportunities. He concludes that while the African American community did manage to hold some ground, they were unable to increase their fortunes once the wall of segregation was securely established. As he states, "...I am not dismissive of the protest strategies...but I remain critical of their choices..."

Clearly and concisely written , this book is an important contribution to urban studies.

The Poor Christ of Bomba was an assigned reading in my college seminar class dealing with French colonialism in Africa last semester. I enjoyed it immensely-it was enjoyable yet educational. The narrator speaks with a refreshing and poignant naive honesty. Whether you are interested in colonialism in Africa or a good read, please pick this novel up!

In this Book Mongo Beti castigates a system that must have first initiated him to the written word. The satire here is very subtle but hardly loses its potency. At first glance, The Reverend Father Superior comes across as the true believer that he is: a real man of God. He is well respected by the local people and even loved. But as is typical of the European expatriate community, he does not bother to find out what the people think. He comes as a benevolent spirit who is equiped with the message of Christ to save the "pagans", but somehow, only the women (most from polygamous households) and the children are interested in his salvation. The men, the real holders of power in the community are not ready to submit to his new doctrine. He believes this is because it requires them to give up their multiple wives and practice monogamy as his doctrine requires. He holds this assumption for twenty years until the time comes when his mission falls apart. This begins when the young women engaged to be married to some villagers, and who he has been charged to make into Christian wives, have instead become his indentured servants helping to build his mission. His other local employees, sensing that what is good for the goose is good for the gander, also take advantage of this opportunity to obtain sexual favors from this women. The good man of God, after twenty years of false belief finally gets the truth from his African cook. The local men believe, so the cook says, that the reverend father is hiding the truth from them. They do not want to hear about God, eternal life, and matters of the spirit. They knew these things long before the whiteman came. All they want to know is the whiteman's secret: his airplanes, and other issues of his technology which the reverend father does not want to divulge. This realization somehow hastens the good man's departure from Africa. He is a dissapointed man. This paradox of good intensions and failed hopes has characterized African/European encounters since. The European priest has come with readymade ideas of what he thinks Africans need. It turns out Africans do not want what he is offering. The Africans do no want to be led to the whiteman's religion. They want his airplanes, and his technology. They want his secret but not his doctrine. Mongo Beti portrays the reverend father as a good father who is pained by his wayward children. He exposes the failures of the missionary system without ridiculing it, no doubt keeping in mind from whom he himself got his first taste of the written word.