and recommended for those with an interest in the East African ...
343931
An enjoyable piece of Africana, and recommended for those with an interest in the East African Coast.
491095
I am an American who is currently living in Lesotho and I have found "A Short History of Lesotho" to be both informative and helpful as I strive to understand more about this country and the people.  Although the first chapter of the book is rather dry, it gives the reader a good background of the cultural history and ethnic practices of the Basotho and is therefore a required part of the book.  Without understanding why the cultural practices were important, one will fail to understand the reasoning behind certain actions of the first king and founder of Lesotho, King Moshoeshoe.  The book begins to pick up in interest as we learn more about King Moshoeshoe and his efforts to create a country that honors past traditions and history while moving into the future.  It explains the history of the Basotho (people of Lesotho) with the British, the missionaries who brought about change in Lesotho, and the constant land wars with the Boers and other trekkers and tribes from South Africa.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about this unique, diverse, and beautiful country.  If you ever make it to Maseru (the capital city of Lesotho), this book is available at the Basotho Hat Gift Shop and The Shield (Gift Shop).
847833
A scholarly, if admittedly selective survey of Africa's history from the mists of prehistory to the present day, this book manages to present a pro-African and often pro-Islam perspective to African history that is nonetheless unsettling. Keeping an optimism about the ability of post-colonial elites to solve the major crises that fit Africa, and somewhat whitewashing the Muslims (who come off much better than the Europeans in this tale), a certain anti-Western bias makes this book less excellent than it would otherwise be. It is nonetheless very well written and easy-to-read, its manifest bias obvious but not without value for those who wish to understand African history better from the various African perspectives. The book also contains a thoughtful analysis of the problems of town & country in African societies and the difficulty of solving structural problems of underdevelopment.
4663311
Very well done, I recommend it to those interested in the subject
3459805
This is a good-humored and entertaining record of Bryson's visit to Kenya.  It's a short book about a short trip, and so it would make a good read for someone just beginning to get interested in Africa.
2230944
This is probably the only generally available book on both of the wars involving Ethiopia during the 30s and 40s. Haile Selassie was the Emporer or Ethiopia from 1930 until the 60s, and this book recounts first the conquest of the country by Italy in 1936, then the colonialization of the country during its occupation, and finally the liberation of the nation in 1941 by the British. Besides the Emporer himself, the book involves many interesting characters, from Archibald Wavell, Winston Churchill, Orde Wingate, and William Slim, around to Rodolfo Graziani, the Duke of Aosta, and Benito Mussolini. The setting is Ethiopia itself, a vast, mostly trackless country, full of warring tribes, warlords vying for power, and foreigners trying to stay out of danger.

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

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

Outside of that, I enjoyed the book a great deal. The author deals with the issues presented by the events intelligently, and the result is a very  good book.
3415206
Very interesting and very relevant to the situation of the referenced Country till date.
Recommended to all that understand African setting.
655230
Imagine Africa is an exciting collection of writing---essays, poems, short fiction, collected oral stories---all reflecting the greater African tradition. There are calls to arms, elegies for loss, looks to the future, works of politics and stories of more personal life. Everything is marked by the African continent, even those stories that reflect the diaspora to the countries of the Caribbean.

Most of these authors are new to me and I appreciate the brief biographies provided which often list other titles to pursue. Most of these works were not written in English and full information re the translators is also provided. The material is shown in its original language, then in English. This might be Africaan, French, Arabic, Dutch or a combination. International readers can therefore possibly read in their own language.

I have been attempting to read more African fiction but this book has opened my eyes to a wider world of African writing that I must pursue if I hope to understand that huge area of the world.

Highly recommended as a primer on African writing.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review.
945213
Abie comes from London to her home country in Africa to see Kholifa Estates, the coffee plantations in Rofathane, which used to belong to her grandfather. She remembers the place from her childhood and now she finds out that she inherited it. The past catches up with her while she walks among the neglected, overgrown bushes.

Abie's grandfather, Gibril Omaru Kholifa, had eleven wives, and it is through the voices of her four aunts, daughters of four wives, that she hears the family stories. The old aunts share with her their experience, honestly telling the fascinating and often painful secrets of their lives.

Asana, Mariama, Hawa and Serah are very different, but all of them are women from the African country, living in the difficult times, when twentieth-century Africa struggles with newly acquired independence from colonial powers and the traditional life must be confronted with progress. The political and social backgrounds directly influence the lives of the four women, and each of them finds her own path. Asana, the daughter of Namina, the first wife, is much older than Serah, the daughter of the tenth wife. This difference is reflected in their life experience: Asana cannot read or write, but she fights and achieves her independence, becoming the owner of a store. Serah is educated in Great Britain, dresses in the European style, participates in the political life, but suffers from unhappy relationship with the conservatively-minded husband. Both of them, however, as well as Hawa and Mariama, try to protest against the traditional treatment of women as disposable objects, which is deeply rooted in the society and difficult to erase.  They all have strong will and are determined to survive as individuals.

The family history is an interesting, if not a very inventive pretext to depict the African country. Aminatta Forna is originally from Sierra Leone, so it is fair to assume that the nameless country in the novel is Sierra Leone too (perhaps it is obvious for those who know the recent history of Africa).  Traditional stories are told by women, the guardians of history, who preserve both good and bad memories, passing them to the next generations as a wonderfully rich and detailed family saga.

The book is written in a very evocative way - the reader can see the colors, taste the food and feel the textures described in the women's stories. The language and style varies with each narrator. The prose has the fresh, palpable quality. Together with Abie, the reader is immersed in the life of the small African country, a community, and an extended family within it. The picture of chaos and desperation emerges, but together with it the universal optimism and energy of strong women who know how to live through the most difficult times.
2930116
It has been a few years since I read this book, so much of what I write has been pulled from my memory.
I heard an NPR review of "The Life of my Choice" and was moved to purchase the book. I was not  disappointed. Thesiger takes you by the hand as he explores "The Dark  Continent", from his childhood introduction to Halle Selassie to his  life living among the nomadic people in the deserts of Northern  Africa.
Adventures abound in this book. Written from the point of view of  an old (and probably now dead!) British colonialist, it is a bit jaded at  times. However, Thesiger truly appreciated the land and the people of  Africa and found himself to prefer them to his refined contemporaries in  England.
637631
Very interesting book. I recommend it to those who are interested in a woman's story, growing up in Somalia and all the associated horrors ie FGM. Highly recommend
1246535
The book focus on the encounter of West Africa with the diverse religious traditions that has shaped the sub-regional history. It traced the advent of Christianity into West Africa, beginning with the Portuguese and their  desire to find the Kingdom of John Prester. This attempt led to the  interactive history between the people of the area and various Western  forms of Christianity, and eventually of colonialism. The author also  expressed that prior to Christianity  acculturation of elements of the  traditional  th African religious experience had occurred precipitated by  contact with Islam. This book provides a wonderful insight into the early  period of Christianity in West Africa, and articulates its pre-Christian  heritage significantly. I enjoy the book and recommend it to those who want  to have any meaningful resources to the happenings in Africa since the 15th  Century. This book provides another view of the tripple heritage position  as is forcefully articulated by Ali Mazrui and others.
4761032
The author approaches the subject as if the reader is new to wildlife photography as a profession. In spite of that, the serious amateur can glean quite a bit of useful information from this book. Yes, the equipment recommended is expensive, but so is getting to Africa and to recommend less than optimal equipment and lead the reader to believe they will get optimal results would be doing a disservice. The book is focused on primarily mammals of the East African plains, not just predators as another reviewer has said. The information on knowing animal behavior as it relates to getting good photographs is quite valuable, as are the repeated tips about photographer safety.
For much of the technical information, you need to read the captions under the beautiful photographs. My only real complaint about this book is that the EXIF data is printed in light grey font, making it difficult to read. Looking at the photos, the effect he gets, and the info about how he shot the photo is quite informative and I would like it to be easier to see.
Even though the book has several chapters on specific geographic areas, much of the information in those chapters is applicable to similar areas.
I recommend this book to anyone wanting to capture quality images of East African wildlife, at least for the inspiration if for no other reason. But if you are willing to read, including the captions, you will get much more than just inspiration.
4035250
The Journey To Faith and the Ethiopian connection to Christianity from Moses to Jesus was very interesting and enjoyable to read. As the book was developed it was pleasant to learn of the Ethiopian trade routes with new products such as cinnamon that were new to the world at this time in history.  The book did well telling the story of the ancient Ethiopian dynasty and culture as it seriously impacted the development of Christianity. A very interesting book that I, also, found to be informative. It is an especially good read for anyone wanting to know more of the  Ethiopian connection to Christianity.
4490832
Welcome to Africa, a land of ancient mystery, joy, heartache, and fierce loyalties.

Marc Royce is sent into the drought-plagued region of Kenya, as an employee with a mercenary group, Lodestone. Being an 'accountant', no one expects him to last a day, but to everyone's surprise, he not only averts a crisis in the first few hours, but excels in managing a refugee camp. And the story takes off.

We discover Marc is not all that he seems, and his unusual focus from the beginning on a nurse at the camp, Kitra, reinforces this. Kitra's brother, Serge, has been kidnapped, with no clues as to why or what has become of him. His disappearance is the first of many mysteries, each linked and unfolding in a very well thought out plot. Marc is the consummate hero - a warrior with compassion and a faith in Jesus, willing to put all others above himself. As the tribal leader aptly calls him, he is the definition of a hero. A huge plus is that I would recommend this book for male and female readers alike. There is fighting, suspense, military ops, bad guys, international intrigue, and just a smidgen of romance. The author's strongest point for me was his capturing of the essence of the people of Kenya. He takes us from refugee camps to villages and down into the slums of Nairobi, giving such vivid descriptions of the people that you feel you have journeyed there yourself. I love a book that entertains while teaching, as this one succeeds in doing.

There were a few drawbacks: I liked the characters, but was not so emotionally attached to them that I was thinking about them when I wasn't reading. There were also some unrealistic aspects (slight spoiler alerts). For example, Marc is relatively sure his room is bugged, but still proceeds to disclose everything that is going on over a sat phone. There were also some dry spots, where the descriptions got tedious and I actually was able to stop reading (never a good thing), but the action and suspense made up for those areas. The way his relationship with Kitra developed was improbable, based on the few conversations they had and the relatively short time spent together.

All in all, a solid read. The book is very heavily Christian (yay!), with God guiding and factoring into all decisions. There were even times when I got chills from the description of God's power at work with these people, especially at the end. This Christian military suspense is a very welcome break from the bulk of Christian literature. I also did not realize this book was part of a series until I got to the end (the book resolves nicely, but there are loose ends that speak of a sequel). It can completely stand alone (a big plus), minus a small bit of confusion at the beginning. I liked the book enough that I will definitely mark this author as one to read again, and will probably go back and read the first book of this series. I give the book 3 1/2 stars. For a 4 star rating, the book has to be a highly entertaining page-turner, and this book fell short of this standard, but only barely.

*I was provided a copy of this book by Bethany House publishers, but am under no obligation for a positive or negative review.
1047623
I picked up this novel as sort of a brain break from some previously heavy reading.  This novel did not disappoint.  The novel centers around US involvement in Africa (specifically the Congo) and its desire to maintain a healthy relationship in order to retrieve the minerals that make Africa interesting to outsiders.

Personally I struggled through the first hundred pages of the book, for me it really didn't quite grab my attention, and there were several story lines progressing at the same pace.  However, as I continued through the book it grabbed my attention and I finished off the book a few days later.

This is a good novel to read if you are interested in foreign affairs, Africa, or simply because you want a look into what it is like to be a foreign ambassador. The book has enough action to keep you interested (it picks up significantly in the latter half of the book), and enough surprises along the way to make it worthwhile.

I personally enjoyed the book, I don't want to give away too many storylines in this review (I hate spoilers), but for me personally it was an easy to read novel.  I think you will enjoy it.
1673347
An interesting book on the sociology of white folks in Africa, written in 1962 or so. That immediate "post-colonial" time is one that people never talk about, and is therefore interesting. The authors (two white dudes connected with Rhodesia) pointed out many of the better aspects of having whitey around in Africa, such as technology, a functioning economy, and a non militaristic system of government. It also gives some of the history of these countries; I found the stories of the Afrikan Trekkers to be fascinating, and greatly analagous in time and situation to that of American pioneers.  South Africa and Rhodesia are the only ones people think of as presently containing people of european descent, but many others, such as the Congo, Angola, Guinea, Mocambique, Ruanda, and various others that no longer exist (Tanganyika, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland) had a substantial population of whites. Many african nations, of course, had virtually no European contact.

 Many of the things they predicted came to pass, such as Angolan revolt, tribal warfare, militarization of previously parliamentary republics, bloody nationalism (associated with a growing black middle class) and so on. Interesting to read some talking heads who got it right in their day. It would be even more interesting to draw some parallels between the things these guys predicted and people who are making predictions now: one could make some money based on their predictions if you picked a winner. These dudes seemed to be singularly hard-nosed, open-minded (in that they certainly saw the african side of things as well as the white settlers viewpoint; no demonization at all) and very well educated. I think the reason people don't talk much about this era is that the consequences of "liberal" attitudes in africa were fairly horrific. Compare colonial africa to non colonial africa; the colonial nations remain better off.

 While it would be easy for the present-day chest-beaters to ascribe african misery to the horrors of "imperialism" if you don't know any of the history, it is impossible to do so if you know about it. Imperialism was the best thing which ever happened to Africa. It's a shame, for africans sake, that imperialism did not put a dent in Africa sooner: the continent as a whole would have been better off.

Amusingly, I wrote all of the above before the 9/11/01. Most of the Middle Eastern nations, despite the incoherent blubberings of people like Edward Said and the professional whining classes, were never subject to European imperialism -and certainly weren't subject to european colonialism.  While the French and British administered parts of the Middle East after destroying the Ottoman Empire in WW-1, those areas were never colonized or administered in an Imperialist manner by europeans. The idea of empire and colonies was effectively dead by then; killed by people like Woodrow Wilson. Middle eastern countries might have been better off had this happened. Certainly the middle east would have been better off had it been returned to Turkey after the reforms of Attaturk.

This book is a valuable cultural artifact of a turning point in african and human history. Read it not to be convinced of some Kipling-esque bosh, but to understand the world as it is.