Africa

Africa: A Biography of the Continent
$18.95
I decided to teach a course on the history of Africa from about 1885 to today and this happened to be the first book I read. What an outstanding book! It was engagingly written and presented some ideas about the impact of geography, diseases and animals on the opportunities or lack thereof for the people on the African continent to increase populations, have a thriving agricultural community and/or retain control over their lands against the Europeans. The insights gained from this text have completely shaped and impacted my thinking and my teaching. The global view that this book provided allowed me to present a full perspective on the interplay between the development of the African peoples and the ability of the Europeans to overpower so many African peoples. When the students asked why didn't the African peoples fight back differently or more effectively, then there were clear answers that related to geographical and environmental opportunities that were or were not present for the African peoples that dispelled any notions of cultural inferiority/superiority and made sense!

Africa
$50.00
I really enjoy this book best of all on Africa.It includes everything and the pictures are terrific. If you want to read a book on Africa, I recommend this one.

Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles
$29.95
I lived 10 years in Nairobi, Kenya and travelled widely in Africa to 22 different African countries, in East Africa, South Africa, West Africa and North Africa, in the period 1953-1963.
I found it very difficult then to form an opinion about Africans, although I liked them very much, especially their hunour and laughter. I have met many of the Kenyan leaders, Kenyatta, Odinga Odinga, Tom Mboya and many more. I have long since accepted that they are as inteligent as we westerners are, and have many brilliant people. However I hate corruption in any form and never liked what I saw happening fairly soon after the colonial administrations left. The book by Richard Downden has helped me form an opinion. He has made me think about
what would have been african lifestyle and system if the colonial powers had not pressed them into our form of institutions and democracy, but rather have left them develop their own systems. He pointed our that the corrupt dictators were not necessarily the best of the africans, and often were outsiders.
I very much enjoyed reading the book and recommend it to anyone really intereted in Africa. The title "Africa", is very ambitious but justified as far as thie book is concerned.

Africa Is Not A Country
$9.95
I bought this book for my niece and nephew but found it interesting to read myself. Africa is made up of so many different countries, cultures, people and ways of life. It's high time the rest of the world stops grouping it into one, the only way to do that is to learn more about it. Every child should read this book. (And plenty of adults!) The illustrations are quite lovely also.