Africa Books

This book should be a must for history classrooms. J.A. Rogers certainly did his homework. I saw a gentleman at work with this book and asked to check it out. I was hooked on it and almost asked to borrow it so I decided to get a personal copy. It's a book that will make an excellent gift to the curious mind of both a child or adult. It's a book I don't see myself giving away.

This book by J.A. Rogers is just an insightful and great treasure chest of knowledge that every student needs to read to understand the great sacrifice and contributions that Africans have bestowed on this country.

I first heard about Mr. Rogers a couple of years ago. A young lady named Nikki, from San Antonio, who is a member of my Diaspora2000@yahoogroups.com list, where we discuss white supremacy and all of it destructive ramification on blackpeople andonwhites as well, mentioned some data that he had researched.I immmediately went out and brought every book written by him that I could find. I finished "Superman" and am now reading the "Sex and RAce series". I'm also reading the "Worlds Great Black Men of Color. Even though I have lived all over the world and always moved comfortably in interracial groups, I am amazed at the knowledge presented here that it totally new to me. If we would teach ALL CHILDREN this information from the beginning of their schooling forward, we probably wouldn't have so much hatred of blacks by white people. Whites probably wouldn't hate themselves so much either; because their brain computers would be programmed with correct information about the human races instead of the garbage it currently contains.The disasters we have suffered recently probably wouldn't have happened either if white people knew their true history and place on this planet. When people act with a head full of stereotypes and othet misinformation about other people, these tragedies are sure to result.

J.A. Rogers' book, "Africa's Gift to America" is another classic which should be added to the library of every serious student of African American history. He lays out in clear and fascinating detail the role of the African American from the founding of the nation in the 17th century through the Revolutionary War period to the Civil War and early Post-Civil War era. His use of first hand documents such as newspapers, magazines, political cartoons, journals, and his extensive citation to then-comtemporary historical works is materfully woven to create a rich historical tapestry. His mentioning of obscure historical facts such as the Corwin Amendment, the rejected original form of the 13th Amendment that would have preserved rather than abolished slavery, as well as the role of slave Jo Anderson in creatingg the McCormick reaper, are but a small sampling of the treasures within this invaluable volume.

Not only is this one of the most fabulous and indispensable compendiums of music I have ever bought, I see the previous customer reviews are also wonderful to read. Some things just bring out the best in people. I take this music with me wherever I go.

Africa is a vast continent, the second largest in fact, and home to an infinite variety of languages, cultures and ethnic groups; each with their own style of music. With the growing popularity of Afro-Pop the newcomer is likely to be overwhelmed with the sheer variety of music available even from mainstream stores and websites in the west. Where to begin? What artists and styles sound best? Unfortunately, few CDs can give a good overview of African music, but if your willing to drop the money for this one, your off to a very good start.

On three CDs, we are given an astonishing array of tracks by 39 artists from over 29 different countries. This does a great job of shwoing the incredible diversity of African music. We get Arabic-tinged taarab from Zuhura Swaleh of Kenya, Zulu isicathamiyalmbube from Ladysmith Black Mambazo of South Africa, Nigerian Fuji music by Chief Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Moorish dancing music from Mauritania's Dimi Mint Abba, Mbalax from Baaba Maal of Senegal, Malagasy music from Tarika Sammy of Madagascar, Algerian Rai from Bellemou & Gana el Maghnaoui, Ethio-pop from Seleshe Demassae and so much more. The focus is on pop, but you get a good helping of traditional and folk styles like the Mande music of Mali, polyrhythmic drumming from Ghana, Sufi music from the Gnawa musicians of Morocco and traditional dances from Uganda's national performing troupe.

Many of the continent's legendary artists on included on this CD, though obviously not all of them (as doing so would likely be impossible). Oumou Sangare, Salif Keita and the late Ali Farka Toure of Mali; Oliver Mtukudzi, Stella Chiweshe and Thomas Mapfumo of Zimbabwe; Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the Soul Brothers from South Africa; Papa Wemba from the Congo; Abdel Gadir Salim of the Sudan; Yossou N'dour and Baaba Maal of Sengal and many more. Alongside them are many equally great performers, perhaps less known in the US but many times equally famous in their home countries. Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister of Nigeria is regarded as one of the greatest Fuji performers, while Remmy Ongala is probably Tanzania's most famous pop singer.

Don't feel bad if some of your favorite artists got left off of this vast and staggering compilation. It's only a broad survey of Africa's musical styles. If your a newbie to Afro-pop, or even a life-long fan, this CD is an essential buy. Its one of the few compilations that covers EVERYTHING, from the Arabic tinged music of the Sahara to the the neo-traditional songs of South Africa, from traditional drumming in West Africa to modern pop styles from the Congo and Swahili coast. If you've got the money and are willing to spend it, this is a great buy. If your on a budget, theres a smaller sampler available that's equally exciting, though nowhere near the size of this monster. I strongly recommend checking this CD it. Odds are it will expand your musical horizons.

I have maybe 25 CDs of music from the continent, and this is still far and away my favorite. The one-disc "sampler" is like a "Best of..." -- very good, but as many listeners will know from first hand experience, some of the finer, and more subtle pieces are in the original complete recordings. True here in spades. If you only own one set of discs to represent Africa and all its nations and sounds, this is it.

If you're interested in listening to some African music and don't know where to start, you can't do better than this. It's got modern and traditional stuff on it -- mostly modern -- from all over the continent. My tapes of this set live in my cassette road case, and I listen to them when I go on long trips. The variety and quality are both excellent.

The booklet's a nice touch, too.

It is well known that Picasso was heavily influenced by African Art.
And before him, the French cubism school with its leader Georges Braque borrowed its forms and shapes from drawings on African caves walls.
However a major distinction in the artistic expression of French cubism and ethnic African primitive art remained self-explanatory and a dividing screen between an ornamental European art and a pure rudimentary African art so true to its nature.
African art does not embellish a theme. It evolves around it and expresses it in honest naïveté.
A polished European art is an ornamental expression.
African art is traditions and raw feelings expressed in utmost honesty.
You will understand its importance in the galleries of breathtaking illustrations in the book.
The teacher will widen his knowledge, and the student will expand his appreciation of African arts by reading this book.

The book is a mosaic of colors, the birth of unspoiled art expression, and a legacy of uncorrupted primitive beauty that transcended the dark caves of Africa.

A very British take on the African culture. Detailed Oriented and exceptional information followed by great illustrations and a realm of photographs to break up the text. A careful read is recommended to fully understand the text due to the fact that it is a higher level read.

This book includes an impressive description of all the african arts with some examples quite dificult to find in other books.

For me is a must for all lovers of african art.

This is one of the best and highly extensive books on African Art. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. The content describing the motifs, dewellings, statues, sculptures and costumes of the African People are quite impressive.

Frank Willett has done his homework but more importantly he has filled every page full of roaring images that speak to the traditions and the images of the African people. This book serves to give us a rapid, excellerated peek into the past. It was very revealing in the geometric structure of the objects, the color, rhythums, shapes, forms and symbolisim. Whether you are a history teacher, student, business person or artist you'll find this book very handy and informing.

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE

Full of pictures, this coffee table book is exactly what I wanted. It shows elephants in all areas of life, in poses I had never seen before. It truly is beautiful!

This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in African elephants. It combines outstanding photographs with interesting and entertaining text.

This is a most impressive book on the African Elephant, with page after page of fabulous photos of these mighty beasts. It would make a great coffee table book just for the pictures but it is much more than that.

The main focus is on preservation of the species in the face of shrinking habitats and the poaching for ivory that continues today. The efforts of 16 African wildlife preserves and parks are fully described here.

Each region is profiled with information on its elephants and several photos of the elephants specific to that area. The mature huge tuskers of Kruger National Park are truly awesome.

There is also plenty of information on elephant history, physiology and social interaction. This is a beautiful and significant book on the life and challenges facing the African Elephant.

This book moved me beyond what feelings I have ever known. I learned a great deal of facts from this book and hope to share them with others. I urge other readers to cherish this book...as I do.

Pete Turner has often been called a photographer's photographer--but that doesn't mean his work lacks wide appeal. His latest book, Pete Turner African Journey, a 206-page collection of images from seven trips he made to Africa, amply demonstrates his ability to please everyone's eye. Here, with his friendly introduction serving as a guide, he takes you on a tour of his pictures and tells you some of the many stories behind them.

Few photographers have displayed as graphic an approach to the art as Turner or such a strong color sense. His shots of the people, the land and the animals glow with the intensity of stained glass. Graphis, the publisher, is to be congratulated for bringing Turner's brilliance to us--and Turner for giving us this chance to bask with him the warmth of the African sun.

Anyone familiar with Pete Turner's work over the past years, knows that he is a master magician of color. His new book, Pete Turner African Journey, a collection of color photographs taken over his many years of return travel throughout Africa is magnificent to behold for both its color and content. Pete has a creative passion for color. His connection to color reminds me of a statement by the artist Paul Klee, "Colour possesses me...color and I are one." So it is with Pete who creates his colorful art using a camera and a searching eye. The way he photographs the people, places and culture of Africa is best said in one of the quotes I have by Gordon Parks. " Recording images of serenity and beauty was a matter of devout observance." I can think of no better way to describe the beauty, sensitivity and reverence of Pete Turner's photographs. His photographs are artfully displayed in a beautifully designed book by the prominent designer and friend, Massimo Vignelli. An introduction by another prominent friend, Gordon Parks, pays tribute to Turner for "...an unforgettable gift that urges me to breathe my own roots." African Journey, is a hero's journey, and an invitation to witness the rich and radiant colors and culture of Africa, the second largest continent on our mother earth.

Showcasing 148 full-color photographs, and with an informative introduction by photography, fillmmaker, composer and author Gordon Parks, Pete Turner African Journey captures the exotic glamor of a seven-month journey from Capetown, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt while Pete Turner was on assignment for National Geographic. This is a stunningly visual journal of people, landscapes, wildlife, and visual beauty where the images captured by Turner's camera could easily stand as individual works of high art and hang on any gallery wall. Pete Turner African Journey is a superbly produced and highly recommended addition to any personal, academic, professional, or community library photography collection.

This book is a wonderful trip that takes us though the landscapes of Africa, visiting the people and the incredible wildlife, seen through the lens of one of the world's greatest photographers. Turner is a master of color and light, and he fell in love early in his career with the richness of the African continent. To spend time with this book is to be his travelling-companion, visiting ancient temples, witnessing animals in their world, crossing the Sahara and spending time in villages, getting to know the proud people who live there. One beautiful image is of a dog sleeping in an Ndebele village, its white paw matching the painted architecture. In images like this, Turner shows us again and again scenes that only his eye and lens could capture.

An inspiring book in every way! Get this book if you are interested in real Africa and African cooking. The recipes are great and the photo's give you real insight into the safari travel and the bush lifestyle.

As a South African and having spent time in the USA, I tried to think of ingredients etc that one would need if you were living outside of Africa, most seem easy to obtain. It's a beautiful book both in recipes and photos.Being a professional photographer it's a fun book to look at for the photos as well as different style of cooking. Most recipe books are static and don't motivate me into purchasing it, but this one caught me. It has a great African feel. Worth buying.

I really have enjoyed this book. It gives you an insight into African cooking and the beautiful scenery. I had the pleasure of meeting Josie Stow at Tswalu and sampled some of the recipes in the book. They are incredible. Most of the items are easy to prepare and the photos will make you want to go there!

The book is simply stunning, I was most impressed with the food and images. I reccomend the termite mound pizza, although with all the termites it isn't really a veggie dish, you can always pick them off....(he he ha ha)

Really enjoyed it. inpsired me to go to Africa

These prayers will feed and nurture your soul and at an unusual (and sometimes uncomfortable) depth. Purchase this book for yourself or for someone else whom you love. It is the gift of spirit and spirit-care. Be prepared to be moved, and moved deeply.

i got this book a few years back&it touched me.the prayers&Poems really touched me alot.Desmond TuTu is a Great Human Being.This Man has touched many lives.i have enjoyed this book since day one.

This book is just beautiful. It is a wonderful collection of prayers and poetry. The very first one entitled An African Canticle is worth the price alone.

In "The African Prayer Book," Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town has assembled a series of prayers on such topics as adoration, contrition, thanksgiving, supplication and daily life; ranging from authors who wrote their prayers in antiquity, and those living in modern times. Although the primary focus is Christian, prayers from other faith traditions are included.

This book is exquisite, to see and touch as well as to read, and the prayers are beautiful. Archbishop Tutu prefaces each chapter with a meditation on the topic: those alone are well worth owning the book. A wonderful collection.

This is a remarkable work that fits African music into its cultural context and is consistently provocative and enlightening. It's a world music classic, along with such studies as "The Latin Tinge," "The Brazilian Sound" and "Catch a Fire."

What begins as a primer in African polyrhythm becomes a spiritual quest to understand culture and humanity. Don't skip the endnotes in this impassioned examination of musical tonality and rhythm. Forging a tentative balance between scholarship and interpretation, Chernoff's book addresses the subconscious dynamics of culture, and unwittingly explains "race" more convincingly than the agitprop self-promoters whose explicit goal is to deconstruct the historical consciences of Africans and Europeans.

This book's sweetness, modesty, humor and graceful scholarship honors one of the world's greatest achievements. It's about drumming, and life.

this is THE classic on african music. you will find it listed in the bibliographies of almost any serious study that came later. it is in-depth and comprehensive. if you want to get just one: this is it.

Very nice book. Borrowed it from the library and was able to read and understand the book. I plan on renewing the book so I can read over some parts again.

I found this book a very quick read, but incredibly insightful especially with regards to the reasons behind the traditions described. It delves into the consciousness in a personal yet impartial way, which I appreciated.

I wanted to learn something about the traditional beliefs of the Akan people so I ordered this book. It was very readable and very informative. What interested me the most was that the author used structures developed by Fowler and Erikson. Since these two are foundational in the study of western faith and personality development, I felt right at home, even though the destination of the book was halfway around the globe. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a "first book" about this subject.

This book is written by an African who was educated in the US -- rec'd his PhD from Emory U. This is real look at real life in Ghana among the Ashanti and their view of life and death. This book is the result of Dr. Donkor's research for his PhD. This text is suitable for classroom and research purposes or for those who would like to find about their African roots.

Let me just say one thing: I'm completely in love with this book. It's amazing and full of breathtaking pictures that will take you right away to the very heart of Africa.

The funny thing is that I got it for a very good price as well. The best purchase of my life!

Don't miss it if you're interested in Kenya and its surroundings.

This was bought as a gift, my dear friend who is also my mom had this on her wish list and I bought it for her birthday.
I didn't really know what to expect of the book, since it was not I who wished for it.
When it came, I was completely delighted with it. Not only is it a beautiful, big, coffee-table size volume, but the photographs inside are wonderful! Something else--the text of the book is written in a font that appears to have been written by hand, straight out of the explorers journal. A nice touch when accompanied by these wonderful photos.
A beautiful book, indeed and the price is very fair, in my opinion.

It makes a great gift, too! :-)

This is something of a `summing it all up' book for this photographer of Africa. With four books and an entire lifetime behind her, she is looking back over the path of her days and trying to clarify for herself what her relationship with the land of her birth has become. "I am a child of Africa," she begins by saying, and yet as we wander through the pages of her life it is clear that it is never so simple as that.

The journey that Ricciardi takes us on is made up of long passages of text and an equal abundance of beautiful photographs. This was my first introduction to this talented photographer, and some of her work took my breath away. The photographs each have descriptions and comments written along side them, and I ended up reading these before working through the sections of text.

Ricciardi's life has been vibrant and is fascinating to read about, though her tone is somewhat melancholy. She is looking back on the Africa that was, the Africa of her youth that has disappeared. She is also looking at it through her `white man's eyes', and realizing that although she may be rooted in the land she has always been a foreigner.

The photographs moved me and Ricciardi's words challenged me. As a white woman who loved Africa she has in interesting view point, caught between what her people have done to Africa and what Africa has done for her. Sorrow and pain and regret are unavoidable when it comes to the Africa of today, but they are bound up with incredible beauty. This book doesn't so much show us the heart of Africa, but the heart of a woman who has been effected forever by the two faces of this land.

Although Ricciardi writes eloquently about Africa and shares herself and her deepest thoughts with the reader in a personal, searching way, it is her photographs that tell her story best. She has captured both the last days of the Africa she knew and the beginning of its new life, in this collection of some of her best and favorite work. A beautiful book.

This book contains images of modest nudity, including nursing mothers and children, that would probably earn this book an "R" rating if it were a motion picture.

Having known of Ms. Mirella Ricciardi's work as a photographer in Africa, I expected this book to be the typical photography book. What I found instead was far more interesting and rewarding. The book combines brief essays about her life in Africa with captioned photographs of her family and friends, and of the scenes she visited, studied, and photographed. Extending from a privileged childhood in what was then colonial British East Africa to recently in Kenya and neighboring nations, you see the collapse of a fantasy-like way of life, the rise of a troubled new one, vanishing wilderness, and the reflections of an intensely self-critical woman. If you are like me, you will be moved by what you see and read.

First, you will be impressed by Ms. Ricciardi's frankness. "I was a bad mother, a discontented wife and a frustrated photographer." She blames herself for the death of her older daughter, Marina, at thirty-six. "To this day, I am convinced this tragic event was my punishment." Personally, I think she is too hard on herself. Her story shows a warm heart and an eye for beauty that have enriched all those who have seen her work. I hope she finds self-forgiveness in the future.

Her mother was quite remarkable, as well. Coming from an influential and wealthy French family, she studied sculpture with Auguste Rodin and lived life as an artist in Paris before meeting the author's father, who was an exile from Italy. Relying on her mother's wealth, the couple soon set up a dream-like existence on a vast estate in Africa based in a "vast pink Italian villa" they built there near Lake Naivasha.

Ms. Ricciardi grew up with great wealth, hunting and enjoying the wilderness, and appreciating the native Africans. Later, she learned how to be a photographer while working with her future husband, and produced her well-known photographic work, Vanishing Africa. You will find many examples of that book as well as the details of how it was shot. Married to this adventuresome man, you get a sense of their time together as well as their discontent. As part of this, Ms. Ricciardi recounts her years with a young black lover, and how they handled the social challenges this presented in the class conscious society. Her two daughters were raised in an unself-conscious way with African children, often cavorting together nude as many young children do. You will enjoy seeing these scenes of carefree youth. Ms. Ricciardi's love of nature is matched by her love of the African people, and you will especially enjoy her images of the Maasai.

Moving forward in time, you see photographs of white Kenyans who fought the Mau-Mau, farmed and studied wildlife, the destruction that war brought to Africans, and the retreating wilderness. I especially enjoyed her profiles of people who have found a continued life in Africa whose family roots go back to colonial days. Ms. Caroline Roumegeure was especially interesting to me, with her background as the daughter of a Maasai warrior and a French woman in a family with 6 wives and 26 other children. She seemed to blend the best of both cultures together. Ms. Ricciardi eventually became estranged from Africa and has left it.

The photography captures breath-taking beauty that will stun you with its mystical appeal. You will feel like you are looking at something that is beyond your own understanding, but which will beckon you forward. Ms. Ricciardi's openness to the people, land, and animals will become your own, and you will be the better for it.

After you finish contemplating this deep and self-critical view of another way of life, I suggest that you think about where you are divided from other people and nature in your community. How can you reach out to bridge the gaps in a loving way?

Share your love with all around!