It took a while to understand where this book was going. At first, with the emphasis on “Promise Land”, I thought it was about “Fruitland” style commuIt took a while to understand where this book was going. At first, with the emphasis on “Promise Land”, I thought it was about “Fruitland” style communes. Then there were long biographies of Albert Cleage Jr. and Glanton Dowdell and some of letters from the author’s father.
While I was expecting “Utopia”, I was intrigued by the bios and the author’s presentation of literature and the philosophy of the Black Christian Nationalist movement, so I read on.
Somewhere after p. 150 it comes together. Dowdell painted the “Black Madona” that became the name and symbol of the Rev. Cleage’s church and movement. The author’s father lived a short distance from the “Shrine of the Black Madonna” the headquarters of Cleage’s movement.
In the 1960’s and 70’s while black leadership was protesting and litigating for integration, Rev. Cleage and his movement were about building black self sufficient communities.
Over 30 years this movement grew. By the year 2000 they had settlements in Detroit, Atlanta and Houston. There must be at least 10 communities because Houston is referred to as Shrine #10. In the 1990’s the movement paid $10 million for 4000 acres in South Carolina for its first agricultural community.
Where the money comes from is not clear. There is reference to a “mission group” that travels the US raising money. At one point it is said they were getting too old to stand on street corners. The young people in Detroit are said to have car washes and other typical fund raising means. None of this seems like enough for the investments in property. Maybe the people who live there work and turn over their pay.
There is some description of the Detroit Shrine, particularly its youth group and a program where young children spend week nights at the shrine and it is seen that they are well fed and attend school. Rev. Cleage holds services and gives sermons. Does this take place at the other shrines?
There are no metrics where you can get a feel for how many people live at these shrines or how residents recruited. Does the movement own whole buildings or just “wings” or “floors”. How do the members interact? Do they eat together? Do they have clergy?
The future of this movement is unclear. It has changed somewhat with the times, but young people do not want to cloister… they want to explore the world. Some of the shrines are being sold. They are not sure what to do with the agricultural community, “Beulah Land.”
While there are B&W photos, mostly of paintings, they are not labeled. Only 1 is by Dowdell, and it is not related the movement. The others are credited to Stacy McIntyre.
By placement, I wonder if the photo on p. 119 is McIntyre’s rendering of Dowdell's “Black Madonna”. On p. 295, the first page of the chapter called “Shrines” is a picture (by McIntyre) of a very large apartment building. Is this owned by the movement? Are they all this big?
It is not clear how the painting on the book's cover relates to the movement.
Aaron Robertson’s does a great job in presenting the main people and connecting this movement to academic writing in religion literature and sociology. His writing style is impressionistic somewhat like that of Ta Nehisi Coates which made it hard for me to read.
While I was looking for more concrete information, Robertson brings together a lot of material that could be lost without studies like this....more
Most of these 50 selected artists show a unique style and/or content. Some work is derivative from traditional African art, All the work is stunning.
Most of these 50 selected artists show a unique style and/or content. Some work is derivative from traditional African art, but most is something all together new.
Showcasing 50 artists limits space for each individual so you only get a sampling. There can be only space of one or two angles of an installation and not much room for close ups, for instance to show detail or texture.
Nevertheless, what you can see is unique and impressive and makes you want to see and know more.
Many of these artists work in different media. A number of them work in film. I don’t know if this media breadth is world wide trend for contemporary artists or something pertaining specifically to the today’s African art.
In the introductory text author an curator, Osei Bonsu, notes the growth in interest in contemporary African art. It is now included in museums, galleries, auctions and fairs. Bonsu cites exhibitions in the US (Smithsonian) , UK, Latin America and Tokyo and says that both Bonham and Sotheby now have sales teams dedicated to promoting contemporary African art.
Given the economic realities most African art events take place outside of Africa. A good number of the artists featured here were born in Africa but live and work in the US or Europe.
The book is well put together by Chronicle Books of San Francisco. They use high quality glossy paper with excellent color photos. There is just enough text to inform you about the artist and the work without distraction.
This book shows incredible creativity pouring out of Africa. It you are interested in African style, another book that will impress you is Africa: The Fashion Continent....more
This is a work of serious research that reads like a thriller. Unlike a fictional thriller, you know the outcome; you just don’t know the ins and outsThis is a work of serious research that reads like a thriller. Unlike a fictional thriller, you know the outcome; you just don’t know the ins and outs of getting there.
Author, Stuart A. Reid, captures the events in a way that you can understand the place, the people and the dangers. The short 5-10 page chapters build on each other such that you fully digest one topic before taking on the next. The topical chapters and the very good index make it easy to flip back and refresh your memory as the many people and places recur.
I now understand what happened to Lumumba and why. I now understand how a stereotypic, foolish and cruel dictator like Mobutu came to power. I also learned about the unusual situation of Dag Hammarskjold and his death.
The Belgians, fearful of a bloody uprising like those taking place elsewhere in Africa granted the Congo its independence. The Congolese were given four months to prepare for the handover. What could the the Belgians expect from a colony with no infrastructure (outside of the white enclaves) and a population deprived of education and training, (hence, no managers, planners, engineers, health workers, pilots).
While they were lucky to have the autodidact Lumumba, Reid shows the Belgians (who never really left) undermining him. This is the height of the cold war. It was easy to get the US and the UN to doubt Lumumba: they told them Lumumba was a communist… and they believed them. So, while he had support of most Congolese and African and Asian leaders, he did not have support of those with the resources to help him.
You see how a few people in key positions made decisions that affected the lives of millions for generations. One person in particular, Larry Devlin, of the CIA, made decisions large and small that culminated in the torture and death of Lumumba and thrust Mobutu on a population that did not want him.
Lumumba’s tenure as Prime Minister is eventful with being deposed, restored, arrested and escaped, and arrested again. There speeches and uprisings, UN, Parliament and unofficial meetings. There are provinces declaring their own independence. There are real communists, horrible violence and unspeakable acts of torture and cannibalism. There are cameos regarding the involvement of Eleanor Roosevelt, Che Guevara and Sidney Gottleib. So much happened that it is staggering when you realize this takes place in just over one year.
Reid’s last chapter “The Arrogance of Power” is an excellent coda to this sad story. • It starts with the findings of the 1975 Church Commission on intelligence activities. (Larry Devlin was prepared to lie until he learned that they had his cables.) • It summarizes Mobutu’s 30+ years of control. • There is a discussion of how relevant the Congo was and is to the western nations (not enough to justify the meddling) • Discusses why the Belgian, US, and UN leadership think Lumumba was a communist? • Recognizes the role racism played. • There is regret for what might have been.
If you are interested in Africa and/or the era of independence, you will not want to miss this. Readers of spy and espionage fiction would really like this....more
It is difficult to write a biography when the subject lived 2000 years ago. This is particularly difficult when the subject is female since the males It is difficult to write a biography when the subject lived 2000 years ago. This is particularly difficult when the subject is female since the males who chronicled their times typically ignored female participation. It would seem that the last surviving child of Cleopatra who became a queen of a substantial country would be an exception, but she is not.
There is a brief outline of Cleopatra Selene’s childhood in her mother's opulent palace, museum and library complex in Alexandria. There is quite a bit of text (for this short book) of her parents and their fate, after which Cleopatra Selene was brought to Rome as 9 year old captive and eventually appointed Queen of Mauretania.
Author Jane Draycott can only speculate on what her life was like. She looks for clues in the records of the time (that do not mention Cleopatra Selene) and applies the information in a plausible way. For instance, she describes the education Rome provided for other captive children which was likely provided for Cleopatra Selene. She notes the low status of Egyptians in Rome which Cleopatra Selene would have seen along with the co-opting of Egyptian culture and arts... for instance the expense and logistics of moving of obelisks from Egypt to Rome. She could note the few memorials to her storied father and surmise that Marc Antony was not held in high regard. Egyptian gods were forbidden, but some temples and observances remained. Safely raised by the ruling family, Draycott gives ideas on how Cleopatra Selene might have interpreted the mixed messages.
Augustus made a good match for Cleopatra Selene with Juba II who was a baby when the Romans killed his father and took his country. He sent the teen-aged couple to Mauretania, the country Juba's father ruled, where they were surely a power couple. There were no uprisings or visible signs of trouble in their country suggesting they had a fair and solid rule. They kept good relations with Rome and the imperial families in which they were raised.
Draycott looks to coins, art work and poetry for clues as to the nature of Cleopatra Selene’s royal life. Coins provide a treasure trove compared to other sources. Draycott comments on hair styles, physical features and design. Cleopatra Selene's high status in Mauretania is clear in that coinage over many years shows her on one side and her husband on the other: A public statement that she is a co-ruler. The clues of Mauretania's monuments to Marc Antony point to Cleopatra Selene having the power to set them up and being able to finesse recognition for her father, who fought the ruling powers, in Rome.
Cleopatra Selene died young, we do not know how. Upon her death Juba co-ruled the kingdom with their son Ptolemy who became one of many victims of Caligula.
In discussing the legacy of Cleopatra Selene, Draycott, as she does throughout the book, shows the difficulty of tracking women (small countries and men of lesser status) in the ancient world. It may be that Cleopatra, through her one surviving child, provided rulers for small kingdoms and territories in and around the Roman Empire and its client states. Draycott provides a long list of possibilities.
There are some interesting photos. The first two photos in the plates are of frescoes of women writing and painting showing that, showing that while shut out of written history, women were active in the arts. The mausoleum of Cleopatra Selene and Juba shows its unusual design. The p. 174 photo of a bust of Juba makes him seem modern. There are lots of reproductions showing coins.
Demonstrating how little information there is on this Queen, at the end of the book, the known sources are cited and quoted word for word.
Jane Draycott does a good job, with scant resources, of bringing Cleopatra Selene out from the shadow.
This will be of interest to readers of Roman history....more
This is a book of 8 essays that focus on different aspects of Africa. The first essay is a paean to Logos, the hometown of Dipo Faloyn, the author. ThThis is a book of 8 essays that focus on different aspects of Africa. The first essay is a paean to Logos, the hometown of Dipo Faloyn, the author. This is followed by the history that sets the stage for the later essays, most specifically the those describing 7 dictatorships, the plundering of historical artifacts and the final chapter on how young people are changing the continent.
Other chapters cover how negative perceptions of Africa are driven by non-African entities that raise money or provide entertainment and how the continent was drained of its history. A chapter on Jollof talks about the love of country, family and food.
A few of the things that were new to me:
• Lagos, with 21 million people, is the approximate size of “New York City, London, and Uruguay combined.”
• At the Berlin Conference of 1884, European nations plus the US met to decide the future of Africa with no representatives from Africa invited or consulted. It was agreed that if a country could set up a government that kept order/ the peace, the other countries would not make territorial challenges (i.e. territorial wars). The US (deep into its Indian removal at this time) did not sign on.
• The film “Kony 2012”, while an effective fund raising vehicle, took 9 years to make. This fact dilutes the image of the film makers bringing an urgent message to the world.
• Rwanda’s President, Paul Kagame, is widely celebrated for ending the ethnic war depicted in “Hotel Rwanda) and bringing prosperity to his country, but has won elections because many of his opponents (in his own words} “tend to die”.
• The producers of “Black Panther” listened to Africans who wanted an African voice for the Wakandans. The language chosen was Xhosa, and official South African language and a dialect coach enabled the cast to speak English with the appropriate accent.
• 80% and maybe more of Africa’s historical treasures are housed in museums outside of Africa. Most of these museums generally agree the items were stolen, pillaged and/or unjustly taken, but have many excuses for not returning them.
• 2019 was a “Year of Return” for any member of the African diaspora to return to Ghana for a visit and may obtain citizenship.
Faloyin provided depth for the facts above and while you might not agree with all he says (for instance I think he is hard on the charities who have fed millions of people and until the last chapter says little about the roles of women) he will surely raise your awareness and provoke and inform your thinking about Africa....more
A revolution in high fashion is brewing in Africa.
I’m a lay person, so I could be wrong, but the creativity as shown in this book is far beyond what A revolution in high fashion is brewing in Africa.
I’m a lay person, so I could be wrong, but the creativity as shown in this book is far beyond what I have seen coming from the established courtiers. If you can’t get to a runway in Dakar, Lagos, or Johannesburg you might have to see this book to believe it.
Fashionistas will to have to learn a whole new vocabulary: boubou garments for men and women; ndkotte dresses; sapur workshops; bazin, bogolan and aso-oke fabrics; flatweave kilims and more.
“Recycling” gives way to the more accurate terms “regenerated” and “upcycled” as embroideries, wax prints, and other decorative work are added to previously worn garments. Some garments or their pieces are made from “rewoven” fabrics, some threads may even come from discarded rice bags. Materials that have not traditionally been used in fashion, everything from goat skins to plastic can appear.
This new wave of fashion is distinctive in many ways. Most designs are complemented with gorgeous head coverings that are as eye catching as the garment. Many designs include hair treatments. Some designs evoke traditional African culture by using traditional cloth, graphics and/or masks. Men’s fashion is depicted in at least a third of the pictures and it is on par with the fashions for women… not just a re-working of the designs for women.
The book is lush with color photos on high quality paper. A chapter on photography speaks to the unique settings of fashion shoots.
There are two pages devoted to the head scarf.
I liked the pages where the fashion professionals (each with a photo) speak.
This book is an eye opener for the general reader. If you are interested in fashion, this is a must read....more
The authors remind the readers that Africa has "more accessible coast than anywhere on the planet". Africa's surfing did not begin with "Endless SummeThe authors remind the readers that Africa has "more accessible coast than anywhere on the planet". Africa's surfing did not begin with "Endless Summer". The continent has a 1000 year history with 1640 as a date of acknowledged surfing in Ghana 1834 as the first written account.
The book is arranged by location. It is full of color photos. Most are show the surfers and their sport, but others show land and seascapes, markets, skate boards, hand made bikes, art works and food.
Along with the photos are 1-3 page narratives. Most are written by surfers some of whom have competed internationally, but most are people who just love the sport. There are also poems, a folk tale, essays, recipes (and instructions on "how to eat from a shared plate of food.") and narratives by a surf board maker, a photographer, students and surfing teachers.
The book is filled with male surfers - their portraits and their narratives - only 6 women are profiled..
If you want a unique coffee table book - one that you might actually read - this is for you....more
Unless you know the story, like fiction, this is a nail biter. Yes, you surmise the POWs/slaves will be freed (or there would be no line in the MarineUnless you know the story, like fiction, this is a nail biter. Yes, you surmise the POWs/slaves will be freed (or there would be no line in the Marine Corps Hymn) but you don’t know how, when, how many or under what conditions. As you learn about the miserable situation of the captives, the incompetence of the negotiators and the sacrifice of the US Navy, even 200+ years later, you care.
Richard Zachs is thorough. He does not end it in the Mediterranean, he takes it home to its conclusion in the US. The heroes are welcomed against the backdrop of negotiations and cover ups in Washington. This piece of history stretches into the trial of Aaron Burr.
The episode shows an unflattering side of Thomas Jefferson who, historically, and dubiously, is credited with successful resolution of the Barbary issue. Like Eaton, you mourn for the missed opportunity. The “Epilogue” follows up on the later life (and roles in history) of the key players and makes you curious for more.
I see there is a movie, “Tripoli”, currently on YouTube. It was made in the 1950’s before the research unearthed by Richard Zachs.*
Zachs's recent reading of documents from the National Archives in Holland fleshes out the lives of the POWs/slaves and the weakness of the Yussef Karamanli’s government. Zachs also adds a modern perspective on the individuals. While he does not use the words “alcoholism” and “PTSD” you see them play out.
The “Notes” show the scope of research. The book has a good Index. The maps inside the covers are hard to read. There are a few B & W plates of which the portraits of William Eaton, Tobias Lear and Fanny Lear, and William Bainbridge are most helpful.
I highly recommend this to readers of history. Friends who like historical fiction will like it too… and may cross over to reading more history in its pure form.
*I've now seen the movie which is an airbrushed view of the march to Derne. The troops, beautifully clad in clean and pressed uniforms, enjoy camping and evening entertainment. There is romantic interest as a woman (with a 1950's image of glamor) tries to marry the crown prince Hamet. It has a glorious arrival in Derne. The movie trivializes William Eaton and the commitment and contribution of his troops....more
By age 16 Ishmael Beah must have had more scrapes with death than 99% of the people on the planet. The first is how he was not at home when rebel forcBy age 16 Ishmael Beah must have had more scrapes with death than 99% of the people on the planet. The first is how he was not at home when rebel forces destroyed his village and an unknown number of people in it and he fled in search of his family.
He describes running, foraging and encounters with friends from his village, tribal leaders and animals. He almost finds his family. There are scenes of daily life in an encampment of government forces.
As the rebels took control of more area, being a soldier became necessary to preserve the safety of the people who had taken him in. He was trained to think of revenge for his family by slicing banana trees. He forgets how many times he put this into practice. Then to get the food and drugs needed to stay alive and keep free of physical and emotional pain, soldiering became indistinguishable from looting.
His eventual assignment to the UN and what seems to be something like a treatment program is vague. Is security really such low that the patients (if this is what they are) can kill each other and guards too?
The book ends in a whirlwind. He sketches getting to NY to speak, with other children of war, at the UN. He returns to Sierra Leone only to meet more war and to flee to Ghana where he leaves the reader hanging. How he gets back to the US, gets adopted and educated and starts a career is not covered..
I read this as many in the extreme right are talking about a civil war. They think it will cleanse the nation of those they don’t agree with. As Beah says, he sought revenge, creating families also seeking revenge creating more revenge seekers. Radicalized Americans have no idea that once unleashed this genie doesn’t get back in the bottle easily. Beah shows how civil war leads only to misery and waste....more
Through this very intriguing autobiography you learn about the life of nomadic herders and the world of high fashion models. More striking than these Through this very intriguing autobiography you learn about the life of nomadic herders and the world of high fashion models. More striking than these desriptions is the first hand account of a female genital mutilation (FMG) and its life long consequences.
Dirie describes her early years of tending the family's animals and avoiding the dangerous ones. It was never ending backbreaking work. Punishments were severe. There could be days without food or water. Her mother bore 12 children, not all survived. She had a strong bond with her mother, fun with her siblings and loved nature and the outdoors.
At age 5, Dirie underwent FMG. She describes it, the scene, the woman who did it, her mother's compliance and support. She had great pain and was left to heal in the hut where the operation took place. There are side effects, urination takes 10 minutes; menstruation is painful and the look is horrendous. Later in life she has a subsequent surgery to correct some of this.
At age 13, to escape a marriage to a very old man, she ran (literally - out ran her father) away. Her father would get 5 camels for this marriage, she would get a life of drudge. It took days of walking, running, hitchhiking for her to connect with relatives in cities. One relative provided a job in London. She describes her wonderment of the flight, white people, and the pace of living. She describes her life as a servant, McDonald's worker and her pursuit of her career and the legal resident status it required.
It is quite a story. In it Dirie owns up to things she needed to do to survive. There is the dealing with a rapist, the set up marriages for legal status and how she coped with the very private matter of her FMG.
Her story concludes with her work on behalf of eliminating FMG. You think of the millions of girls and women trapped in the situation Dirie survived (death from FMG is not uncommon - Dirie may have lost a sister from it, but no one speaks of it).
When you see what she had to do to get away from the marriage and the unfair life she would lead, you realize how completely those without relatives in cities and the pluck and beauty of Dirie are trapped. Dirie's older sister also ran away to avoid an arranged marriage. Her simple life in a small city is most likely what (the few) escapees can aspire to.
Interesting to this story is Dirie's mother. She grew up in Mogadishu. Her brother in law (who gave Dirie her job and ticket to London) was an ambassador. She gave up whatever benefits this family could provide for a very hard life.
While this book is over 20 years it is timeless and deserves to be read....more
This is the most dangerous trip Levison Wood has written about so far. He covers 13 countries most of which are in a state of declared or undeclared wThis is the most dangerous trip Levison Wood has written about so far. He covers 13 countries most of which are in a state of declared or undeclared war. Unlike other trips, he is not just walking; necessity dictates a car, bus or boat.
The people, from guides to hosts, drivers, vendors, soldiers, check point officials, and shell shocked refugees tell the story. As citizen of a country with troops on the opposite side of his hosts, he literally sleeps with the enemy. It turns out these enemies are sometimes just kids and families in a no-win situation. He also sees that his childhood hero, Richard Burton, is not so honored in Arabia.
There are evacuations and reports of attacks that are only miles away. There are descriptions of bombed out cities and shell shocked refugees. In Iraq, Wood sees a courtyard used by Daesh for decapitations. His guide notes the perpetrators are not just Arabs, he sites “Jihadi John” the terrorist from Wood’s home country and others from Turkey, France, Russia and Sweden. In Syria he meets a man with a photo of his decapitated father hanging from a traffic light; his father, Khaled-Al-Assad, was killed protecting an historic site.
There are moments when you wonder how Wood will get out of a situation. Even without his threat of leaving Wood without water, you wonder if his guide is capable of getting him out of the desert. On a boat to Somalia, with no one who speaks English, he wonders if this crew itself is kidnapping him and those who greet him on shore do not alleviate his worries. In Somalia, it sounds like he is dying of food poisoning.
There is the unexpected: a Mossad agent says Israel assists ISIS because they hate Assad; a Hezbollah youth in uniform with an AK47 is on his way to London to study; alcohol can be often openly used – even in Saudi Arabia; every Friday Palestinian youth and Israel soldiers exchange stones and rubber/steel pellets – almost like a game; Assad, himself, assigns Wood a guide for Syria, a swearing and chain smoking woman who married a Norwegian and lost a son fighting for Assad.
Throughout the journey there are check points, visa logistics (not sure how all Wood’s strings are pulled), destruction and refugees. There is relief from this in Saudi Arabia, “The Marshes”, Dubai, Kuwait, Jordan, Damascus, and meeting family and friends in Bethlehem for Christmas.
Wood is a spare writer and culls his experience to give the reader the essence of his trips. While his Himalaya book is his shortest in pages, this has to be his shortest in word count. In relation to the terrain and drama I wanted more content. I liked the photos of his travel and the people he met (especially the flower-wearing tribesman with his cell phone and weapon) but too many were scenes such as Dubai, Petra or Tel Aiv which can be seen elsewhere. In the Somalia section Wood opines on his traveling days… so you wonder if this will be his last book.
While I’d like more content, it is still a 5 star book for being a well written documentation of a unique experience....more
Lady Anne Barnard was born of Scottish nobility just as the country was integrating into Great Britain. Through her life you see how the Empire’s oppoLady Anne Barnard was born of Scottish nobility just as the country was integrating into Great Britain. Through her life you see how the Empire’s opportunities and demands played out in people’s lives. Anne’s brothers were able to have careers in the church, the navy and India and Lady Anne’s mother networked in London to find suitors for her daughters. Lady Anne’s most famous creation is a song about the pressures of marrying to save a family from poverty.
While a minor noble without a budget for a wardrobe, Lady Anne still had a title which helped her make made her way in the top echelons of Georgian society. Her wit and confidence in conversation (a primary asset in drawing rooms) may have come from knowing (through her father) the thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment. She was musical and beautiful.
You read of Lady’s Anne’s bachelor days where she has many admirers and travels on her own. I lost count of the marriage proposals; some came from top politicians. She also had a wealthy admirer who set her up in style. There are not many happy marriages in her environment. The saddest, up close, is her sister Margaret’s.
Lady Anne’s hasty courtship and marriage shocked society. Anne has to ask her old politically powerful beaus to find him a position. His lack of a title sticks in their craw. (She has married beneath us!) The result is several years in South Africa where Anne recorded botany, brought back unusual animals, created paintings and wrote of the land and the experience; all an important documentation of the time. Anne clearly shows her metal after her husband's death as she nurtures his natural children.
Besides its portrait of Georgian society, there were, for me, a few other insights. I came to understand the background of the rumors surrounding the Duke of Wales’s, (George IV’s) (perhaps) first wife. She was a friend of Anne’s; the two single women traveled extensively together at a time when this was just not done. Also new to me was how British aristocrats enjoyed trips to France to, essentially, watch the revolution… almost like we watch documentary films. While not new, the description of the different administrations in the Cape showed the pettiness of colonial administrators.
The research and presentation are good. The reader comes to understand this eccentric person, but his book is not for everyone. You need to have interest in this period or this person to make it work for you....more
This book is somewhat unique among biographies in that the author (admittedly) does not have a fully formed view of his subject. It appears that MohamThis book is somewhat unique among biographies in that the author (admittedly) does not have a fully formed view of his subject. It appears that Mohamad Nur’s can-do spirit and enthusiasm were instrumental in rebuilding Somalia’s capital city.
The best part of the book is Nur’s childhood. You learn the harsh life of a nomad child. It was a relief to be taken from his starving family by an aunt. She got him a place in an orphanage where he got his nickname Tarzan. The Italian colonizers left a good infrastructure and many Italians chose to stay after Independence. Life in 1960’s Mogadishu is depicted as pretty good. There is some normalcy in Tarzan's childhood. He DID have an orphanage to "care" for him; there were movie theaters, basketball leaguesand beaches. Harding shows the small ways that the 1967 war and turn towards authoritarianism nested into the lives of ordinary people.
How Somalia went from strict military rule to chaos is not clear. Harding touches on factors: the clans, general unrest and the drought/famine. While the pirates, the kidnappings and Black Hawk Down make the western headlines they are hardly mentioned here, but continual bombings and assassinations are. Many Somalis who could, fled and became successful in The US, the UK and other countries.
Tarzan returned from the UK to help recover his country's normalcy in 2010. In his short administration you see the difficulties of building normalcy amidst violence. While individual initiatives had mixed success, the trend for the city and country was upward. I’d have liked more information on how this worked, for instance, how/why did the Turks come to install lighting on Mogadishu’s streets? How did the bank get its reserves?
However all this was done, many exiles like Tarzan returned with sophistication and cash from elsewhere. While they are an asset to the improving country there is resentment from those who stayed and suffered. The violence, much abated does not stop. Harding gives sketches of some of the returnees; some get burned out.
While parts on the Mayor and his administration are like a string of vignettes, the overall value of this book is that it fills a void of information on Somalia's recent history. Here are some takeaways: • Somalia may be the only African nation with a distinct ethnicity. While there are many clans, all of them speak the same language. • The strange shape of the country was set by the British after WWII, which for many Somalis meant that their herds, grazing on Somali land for generations, are now grazing now in Ethiopia. How this works with nomadic border crossing wasn't clear. but a major piece of the country was lost. • Nur/Tarzan is typical of the Somali ex-pats who have achieved in their adopted countries and returned to serve Somalia. While they have allegiance to Somalia, their children who grew up elsewhere do not....more
David, founder, owner and secretary of Bicycle Africa did a noteworthy job of leading 60 year old Elsa, the young smiling Annie, Vietnam vet Vincent aDavid, founder, owner and secretary of Bicycle Africa did a noteworthy job of leading 60 year old Elsa, the young smiling Annie, Vietnam vet Vincent and the author (whom I later learned is the drummer in the band Rush) to complete a month long bicycle trip through Cameroon unscathed. This rigorous 1988 trip went from Cameroon’s Atlantic Coast to its northern border with Chad.
While the trail was nearly impossible, the climate hot and water not always available, Cameroon seemed to be an OK place for such a trip if you contrast it with the military culture of Chad where these 5 travelers ended their trip fearing imprisonment or death.
There are unique travel experiences such as spending a night in the convent, touring the “palace” of a “Fon” (ruler) and visiting a wildlife refuge. There are descriptions of the land, the condition of the roads and trails and of occasional wildlife. Lodgings become a literary motif in the descriptions of how each is uniquely bad. Friendly people call to them “hey white man” as a greeting. Many puzzle over Vincent, since they are unaware that there are black Americans. Peart describes the many towns and settlements they pass through or spend the night and he can sometimes find someone to communicate with in French or English.
Interspersed in the travelogue, are the musings of a young man (I wonder how Peart feels now about the opinions of his younger self). He analyses his companions: their hearts (hard or soft) and their reasoning (linear, circular or parabolic). He is reading Aristotle and letters of Vincent Van Gogh and comments philosophy and art.
I was disappointed in the photographs. I’d have liked more of the landscape and people. Most of these seem to be art shots. Only a few amplify the text.
While it lacks the historical and cultural perspective of writers such as Paul Theroux or Timothy Butcher who have both covered travel in Africa, Peart did a good job of communicating his unusual trip.
This is Levinson Wood’s story on his walk from the source of the Nile to its end at the Mediterranean Sea. This distance of over 4,000 miles included This is Levinson Wood’s story on his walk from the source of the Nile to its end at the Mediterranean Sea. This distance of over 4,000 miles included miles of walking in declared and undeclared war zones, through deserts, swamps and cities. Each border crossing had its own unique peril. Temperatures were over 120 were common and water often scarce.
This is an engrossing read. There is a brief outline of places before Woods tells of his visit. For instance, you get a short re-cap on the quest for the Nile’s source before you get to Nyungwe Forest; you get a snapshot of Jubba and how after Sudan’s civil war, it flourished as a city before you read of its devastation. Sometimes he has the guides tell the story, from Moez Mahir you learn about the Nubians and the ancient city of Moroe and its pyramids; from Turbo, you understand post-revolutionary Egypt.
There are provocative portraits of guides and fixers. Wood seems to under-appreciate Ndoole Boston until they part. Allam and Turbo, with their perfect English remain curious. Moez seems to be a made for TV travel guide.
The text on the loss of a friend is beautiful and thoughtful. It reminds the reader of that all does not have to end well.
Like a reality TV show there has to be more infrastructure behind this trip than is revealed. You read the arrangements that Wood makes himself, for instance, finding lodging or buying camels, but the nuts and bolts of how he found guides, met friends and joiners with precision and carried and replenished money (for instance after it was “left behind” with a border guard) are left to the imagination.
I could have used more pages on each of the visits but then it might not have moved along so well. Each of the wallet sized photos is great, but after reading this you crave a coffee table sized book/album. I only used the Index once and it worked.
I understand this is a BBC series, which I hope we can get in the US.
Cook books are not my genre... it may be years since I've looked at one. I looked this one up based on a Goodreads friend's review.
While I have no wayCook books are not my genre... it may be years since I've looked at one. I looked this one up based on a Goodreads friend's review.
While I have no way to judge what look to be delicious recipes, I can recommend the book for its photos. They document Senegal's people and their life styles. The photos are not crisp and lush. Many are grainy like snap shots adding to the authentic nature of the book. What is compelling about them is their content. You see cooks both family and commercial preparing food (indoors and out), mortal and pestle use, rice right from harvest and roots just out of the ground. There are markets scenes, fishing boats and kids at play.
In browsing the text and recipes I learned that hibiscus flowers can be eaten, and was introduced to a lot of new foods: yeet, kohirabi, moringa, baobab fruit, ditakh, madd, fonio to name a few.
I also learned that Africa produces more grains than any other country. that the once-abundant west African coastal nations suffers from over-fishing, that Carolina Gold rice is an import first brought by slaves from Senegal and much more. I became familiar with a little Senegal history.
This book is worth a look for those who want some armchair travel and it will be very much appreciated by foodies....more
The author’s thesis, that Africa is experiencing (or will have) a rift – by which he means a break with its past into freedom, is presented in a narraThe author’s thesis, that Africa is experiencing (or will have) a rift – by which he means a break with its past into freedom, is presented in a narrative that is part travelogue, war correspondence, history and political and social commentary. Alex Perry, in covering so many countries in so many aspects, showed me why I prefer more in depth narratives.
Each chapter having its own balance of genre (i.e. history, commentary, travelogue) works well as an independent article. The chapters don’t hang together and don’t support the thesis. The upbeat ending is not convincing since all that that precedes it is so depressing. It may be that the ambition of “The Rift” together with my preference for more thorough treatments, causes me to go against the 4 and 5 star ratings trend for this book.
When I was familiar with the history or a current situation, the commentary was meaningful; when I had no context, it was hard to understand the fundamentals. For instance, knowing something of Ethopian history and its current situation, the material on it made sense up to and including the hopeful piece at the end. For some places such as Guinea and Mali, something, I don’t know what, was missing. Rwanda is shown to have emerged the tragedy of 20 years ago as stable and prospering. Perry spent a week with President Paul Kagame, but the talk was mostly about the Congo and possible corruption and assassination charges. There is no explanation of how the city got its shiny new office buildings and traffic lights that work.
Perry is at his best in his “travelogue” (for want of a better name) parts. He writes of walking through the debris of Malakal, South Sudan, a town so recently destroyed that a pile of newly cleaned clothes smelled of laundry soap. He describes 5 days without food in a Zimbabwean prison, after which he attends a Robert Mugabe campaign rally and speech. He meets everyday people and reports their take on events such as the locals in Nigeria on Boko Haram and in Nairobi on the siege of the Westgate Shopping Mall.
There is plenty of criticism of aid programs and the work of the UN. Perry blasts those who have worked to heal the human tragedy of Africa’s many disasters, particularly celebrities. While he shows the careerism and corruption in aid programs, should the public sit idly by? Should celebrities just sip champagne by their pools? I regret that he does not acknowledge the desire to help from which this springs. In the case of the UN, it seems that he wants (and others whom he quotes want) the UN to take a side. There is no recognition that to “win” the peace forces the UN to become an army which it is not.
The thesis (Africa breaking free) is contradicted throughout the book, such that the hopeful signs at the end are too little too late. An example is the chapter on Nigeria which is a total indictment of the country the content of which is summarized by an "evangelist ... who formed his own Christian-Muslim vigilante force", "It will get worse and worse. I see the end of the world." (p. 286). A statement at the end of the book that the government of Nigeria"... was accountable to its people once again" (p.352) seems to come from no where as does the marvelous infrastructure development in Lagos: “Traffic slackened. Garbage dumps were replaced by green parks. (access to, sic.) clean water rose from one third to two thirds… tens of thousands of government jobs… trained 250,000 people in trades… microloans..” (p.351) and more. How did this happen? Did the evangelist and the others similarly quoted in the Nigeria chapter not know?
The book could use some better maps. Each location is introduced showing its location in Africa. More detail would help, particularly when discussing north and south Sudan or Nigeria.
Now that I’ve blasted this book for its once over lightly feel and its contradictory content, like the author I will give some little and too late praise. The author is both brave and resourceful. He has traveled under difficult conditions and survived to tell what happened. He has recorded the thoughts of ordinary voices that are not often heard. Perhaps the editor was overworked. Better intros and maps and a re-thinking of what would be included (the author surely has tons of material that would connect the dots) could have made this a great book. While this book is loosely organized and at times contradictory (like Africa itself), it is unique and highly readable....more
Authors Girard and Kuklick digest the sad story of Patrice Lumumba who within two years of being the first democratically elected prime minister of thAuthors Girard and Kuklick digest the sad story of Patrice Lumumba who within two years of being the first democratically elected prime minister of the Congo was removed from office and murdered.
It appears that Belgium never expected to truly liberate the Congo or, maybe they didn’t know what liberty entailed. There were many financial interests in the southern province of Katanga, where with installation of Lumumba, a secession movement began. The story takes a lot of twists and turns. At a few points there is marginal hope for Lumumba and his democracy.
It is hard to tell why so much western hostility was poured onto Lumumba. On pages 140-1 Richard Helms is quoted as saying “I’m relatively certain that he represented something that the US government didn’t like, but I can’t remember anymore what it was.” This is exactly what I felt as I was reading the book. It seemed to be an idea that fit the needs of Belgium, the anti-communists in the US (although there is no evidence that Lumumba was a communist) and competing politicians and politicians on the take in the Congo. The UN’s objections to him are the hardest to glean.
While the locals did the deed, they responded to other masters. The CIA had developed a culture of doing dirty work and used a coded vocabulary for it: “a good high level”, “plausible deniability”, “eliminate”, and “subvention” meant bribery. Later US Senate hearings cut through the nuance and divulged (later confirmed in declassified CIA documents) that the order came from President Eisenhower.
The capture, torture and the disposal of Lumumba’s body were sordid affairs and paved the way for Joseph Mobutu.
While this is a dramatic story the prose is bland and reportorial. Hypocrisies are noted as are the strange episodes (i.e. brutal events and the delicacies of protocol) but in general, events are left to speak for themselves. If you want the facts, this book is for you. ...more
These expeditions make Lewis and Clark's look like a walk in the park. Where did these explorers get their grit, stamina, inspiration? ... especially These expeditions make Lewis and Clark's look like a walk in the park. Where did these explorers get their grit, stamina, inspiration? ... especially those who had an idea of the hardships ahead. Thirsty, malnourished and wounded, they walk distances in 110 degrees that have killed their camels only to spend days digging a well that may or may not yield water. If you hit water, you fight with your entire caravan (man and beast) to have a crack at the sludge.
Kryza is at his best when he describes, be it a person, a relationship, dynamic or a place. His descriptions of Warrington, the Laing-Emma romance, Clapperton and Denham add dimension to the tale as do the discussions of the strange diplomacy in this Tripoli outpost.
Intriguing pictures are placed very nicely with the text they relate to. Kryza loves his material, and he gets us to love it too.
Whether you try the desert route or the Niger, the environment and the unpredictable people take toll on life itself. Fortunately, Kryza restrains description here so that this is pallatable for a general audience. While we might flinch from the page, we can read on.
I did wish for an earlier map than p. 88, and one that encompassed all routes described. Also, I didn't check the table of contents, so I wasn't aware what the race was. I kind of thought it was something that would emerge with Clapperton and Denham. The race actually begins half way through the book. The descriptions of the earlier expeditions are merely prologue. Perhaps a different title is needed, since the book is much wider than the "race".
I like having an afterward. (I've put down many books with long forwards, probably because I wasn't steeped enough in the story to appreciate the author's comments.) I also like the narrative chapter notes....more
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