This, no nonsense book is a must have. If you are serious about working with people. about caring about the people you work with (and who work for you) you must read this book. No, you must own this book. It is the best guide to successful people management that I have ever seen. It is to the point and it works. The practical advice given and the way the book explores options assist you in understanding human dynamics. If you are unsure about whether or not you are a people person, read it anyway. It may reveal that necessary ingredient that will make you a successful team leader. I highly recommend it as a tool to develop skills and to be the best people motivator that you can possibly be!

"Into Africa, Intercultural Insights" by Richmond and Gestrin was recommended to me by an American teaching in sub-Saharan Africa. I read it in preparation for my own sojourn to Africa University in Zimbabwe. The authors paint a splendid view of pan-African culture and also point out, as much as possible in 250 fast-reading pages, some of the cultural differences within specific areas. The greater value, however, is not the well-written, snap-shot glimpse of African culture, but the differences to be seen by those of us who are products of North American social norms.

"Into Africa" is more than just a way to prevent social gaffs. It provides understanding of otherwise-frustrating experiences, an appreciation of African social roots, and, above all else, an understanding of ones own social/cultural background.

Reading "Into Africa" is as essential to the Africa-bound traveler as getting all those nasty vaccination jabs ... and a lot more pleasant.

Though fictionalized, a large portion of this novel is based on events that really happened and characters in the story are of people that actually exist(ed).

I am a South African who is featured as one of the characters in this story. Presently I am living in the USA. I offer to turn in my review, comments and opinions of the novel once I have read the American English version.

I have read the South African English version. I lived in the valley in which the story occurred. Michael Williams, author of the novel, Into the Valley, dedicated the South African version of this book to me.

I am disappointed that the American English version is out of print. Help me to acquire, even a used copy.

Thank you. John Mkhize

Introdcution to African oral literature by Ogunjimi and Na'Allah is a rich source of African oral narrative. Clear examples and analyses, fieldwork activities and useful exercises are among its many strengths. The authors bring oral literature study to the level of college students and involve readers in very elightening and enjoyable discussions.

It is most praised and most wonderfull book that ever man has written about somalia.if you want the truth of somali socio-religious culture read this book.It can satisfy you.But the book is incomlete because of Ali jimale forget to mention in his Book the owners of somalia.THE MIDGAANS,or BOON thier origins,culture, status,and their Genealogies. are they somalian or not ? ! this is only his limitation. No body can prove the reality,but this book is closest.I agree with author most of his ideas. I called " this book."CLAN IN SOMALIA IS SOMETHING JOINED TOGETHER"

The president of Somali United Minorities

Please make a writing correction. You wrote that the page number of the book is 196. If I am not mistaken, the total page number is 296. I have the book with me. There is a difference of one hundred pages. May be this will affect the sale.

Yours,

This children's book offers an inviting glimpse into West African traditions. From "A is for Africa" to "I is for Indigo", the author Ifeoma Onyefulu uses important aspects of West African life to represent each letter of the alphabet. The book is appropriate for kids of all ages. My daughter is one year old, so I simplify the book by reading just the first sentence of each page, such as "V is for village". The text continues to describe that "V is for the village, where many people live together, sharing the same traditions and beliefs. The old people in the village teach the young ones the old customs, as they were once taught themselves." The photographs in this book are not only beautiful, but very representative of West Africa. Every child interested in Africa should have this book! I am looking forward to reading Ifeoma Onyefulu's other children's books.

In "Is it Far to Zanzibar?" the poems of Nikki Grimes combine with the beautiful illustrations of Betsy Lewin to paint a portrait of the African nation of Tanzania. Many of the poems incorporate Swahili words, and a useful Swahili-English vocabulary at the end of the book adds to its educational value. Also useful is a full-page map of Tanzania which shows the location of Zanzibar Island, Mount Meru, and other important landmarks.

The poems and illustrations introduce readers to the people, customs, food, animals, and geographic features of Tanzania. Grimes favors appealing, song-like rhymes in her poems. For example, "A Taste of Zanzibar" begins, "Go to Zanzibar to see / a nutmeg bush, a cashew tree." Lewin's watercolor illustrations are colorful and have an energetic grace to them.

Both the poet and the illustrator seem to take great delight in their subjects. As the book progresses, we encounter a crowded bus ride, an elderly mango peddler's cheerful song, the majesty of Mount Meru, the hot peppers that spice Tanzanian food, and other African delights. This is a wonderful book for children who are interested in poetry, in the Swahili language (or foreign languages in general), or in African life and culture.

Mr. Credo, a Zulu shaman from South Africa offers a succinct and profound introduction, followed by numerous chapters both on domestic (cat, dog, goat, cow, sheep, rooster), and wild animals (28 of them altogether)...Mr. Mutwa goes on to tell us that cats and dogs are thought of more as keepers of their human 'owners' than the other way around. We pay tribute to them by feeding them...they in turn protect us, [and not just from obvious physical incursions]. Many of the chapters begin with Credo's praise song to the particular species. These are followed by ruminations on various traditions and names (with translations) associated with the different animals, as expressed in some of the various languages of southern Africa. Much of the time, several traditional stories (often short, somteimes very lengthy) will be offered in which the given animal plays a large or primary role. Some of these are cosmic stories and/or creation myths in which the animal may serve as the hero/heroine others are more at fables. All are well told. The chapters range in length from a few sentences (the seal) to 14 pages (the monkey - including a long, very graphic 'cosmic' legend involving God, his 4-headed dog, and a huge demonic creature whose activity threatens to destroy the inhabitants of earth, humans included - the monkdy ends up the main hero). The book is profusely illustrated with beautiful and intricate pen-and-ink drawings of most of the species, sometimes integrated into scenes of the indigenous environment... While it's too bad this is currently out of print (its publisher is in Cape Town, South Africa), and used copies are [a bit expensive], hopefully it will be reprinted soon. Otherwise, by all means try your local library, and/or the online WorldCat interface.

A must read and an un-put-down-able work by Dr. Ahmed S. Bangura. It is an invaluable insight from a well informed perspective. Islam lends form to, represents and epitomizes not only the traditional and but the mordern day moral, social, religious and geopolitical fabric of West Africa.