Barnard's classic, now back in print, is not only a decorating book, but also an encyclopedia of ethnic textiles, their history, and their care. Every page is filled with gorgeous color photographs of the use of textiles in settings from the American southwest (Navaho blankets) to London (Middle Eastern Kilims) to Paris (African Kuba cloth). Items from hats (Afghani) to huipils (Guatamala) are shown framed, used as furniture coverings, made into pillows, or just hung imaginativly on a wall. I am delighted to find it back in print in a soft cover version. Each time I've loaned out my precious hardbound copy (and then only to special people), I have made SURE I got it back. A must-have for anyone who loves textiles, and at a ridiculously low price given the size of the volume and its plentiful illustrations.

Short biographical sketch of the life of Dr. Livingstone. His very eventful trip up the Zambezi and Shire rivers and discovery of Lake Malawi.

His evangilizing the Africans to Christianity and establishing churches that still are active.

The account of slave trade as late as the 1920's as slaves were shipped across the lake to the east coast of Africa.

The account of the first naval battle of World War II which was fought on Lake Malawi.

Livingston's Tribe is a superbly written, armchair travel guide of a journey from Zanzibar to the Cape recounts the experiences of an anti-apartheid liberal who flees the old South Africa and welcomes independence for Zimbabwe. His experiences and encounters with tribes and individuals makes for an involving and revealing travel diary which any with an affection for Africa will relish.

I was introduced to this text through a xerox of the chapter entitled "Ibrahimo," the true story of a convert to Christianity who, due to a priest's misunderstanding, is rendered forever unable to undergo initiation and join his ancestors as a man.

The book is composed of similar stories from several villages with which Turnbull had contact, interspersed with his illuminating commentary. What is shown in great clarity, through powerful stories of people who experienced it, are the psychic hardships faced by colonial and postcolonial Africans who are essentially without culture, as well as how strong culture shock was for white missionaries in the late colonial period. Turnbull also does much to give the reader an appreciation of old traditions including initiations and secret societies.

A reader who is not already an expert on the subject will come away from this text with a far better understanding of both postcolonial Africa and the human condition. It is beautifully written--engrossing, even--as well.

I happen to know something about the Canaries, the birthplace of my parents and my stamping grounds until I left to attend universities elsewhere. I have read many books about the islands (in lieu of returning there, alas) and I must say that this little volume is a jewel. It is meticulously accurate, historically satisfying, full of intriguing trivia about the islands, and all in the size of a pocket book. It is by no means a "picture book," but a travel book with a few nice pictures thrown in. It is very well researched: are the birds named after the islands, and the islands named after the abundant dogs (canes) the Romans found when they visited? Or did they acquire their name from the Canarii tribe, a Berber group from N. Africa? Who knows, but the book addresses the birds and the dogs and Nelson's right arm. High above London's Trafalgar square is the one-armed statue of Nelson. Any Canary islander will inform you the missing arm was lost on the island of Tenerife, where the Admiral came ashore when he was not welcome.

The book gives you all the necessary addresses, telephone numbers, prices, "do's and dont's," and the etceteras needed for a comfortable and enlightened trip to the islands. D. Simonis uses a clear and concise language without complications, and he leavens it with wit and occasional sarcasm. I hope this type of travel book becomes a model for others. A "must" item if you are to visit the islands.

Central Africa is almost undoubtedly the least touristic, among the inhabited region of our Planet - and unfortunately so, for it offers wonders that few other parts of the world can offer. You can paddle a canoe down a junge river for weeks on end, hunt with the Pygmies, climb an active volcano, come face-to-face with a mountain gorilla, trek through the snow-capped Mountains of the Moon, join a search for white rhinos, dance all night to Congo music, have a bath on the unique beaches of São Tomé & Principe... Due to the very limited touristic facilities of the region, it would appear that Lonely Planet has never re-printed this 1994 edition of the guidebook, nor published a new one. This is why, despite the fact that the book is clearly well out of date, it surely remains the best guide to the region. Its advice on hotels and restaurants may no longer be perfect, but its wide sections on culture and society, its maps, its general advice, remain irreplaceable tools for the traveler.

In many cases, the coverage offered by Lonely Planet guidebooks may be hampered by the magnitude of the region they try and cover. This is why for example, in "Lonely Planet West Africa" (a bulky book which also covers Senegal and the Gambia), coverage of each single country is brief and not always perfect, and the reader is often lost among facts and information she or he does not need. Instead, in this much smaller and far more condensed guidebook, the author and editors have managed to put as much information and data as possible into it, about Senegal and the tiny Gambia. Coverage of both countries is excellent, providing up-to-date, accurate information and sensible advice, on anything from places to stay and eat, things to do and see, things to buy, and basically anything the traveller may wish to know. The coverage on culture, society, arts, music, and other information, is also excellent and wide, written in great prose and style. This is probably one of the best Lonely Planet guidebooks I have come across, and I would strongly recommend it to anyone travelling to those two countries. It will be an extremely useful tool, and will also provide great reading about the places being visited.

Not many guidebooks venture into both Madagascar AND the Comoros, and I was glad to find one that did - and was even happier to find a "Lonely Planet" guide. Always complete, easy to read, and helpful, this guide is no exception to their standards. Although I haven't travelled to Madagascar yet, this book seems to give quite an honest assesment of travel conditions (not always the best/unpredictible) which I really appreciated. For the 4th largest island, Madagascar doesn't have enough information about it out there - I was glad to find this book, and am secure that it is a reliable source.

The book was our bible during our summer '99 holiday to Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Without it we wouldn't have made it in the timeframe we had for sure. Be sure to buy the most recent version, 'cause these regions are developing faster than you can imagine. Due to the guide we discovered loads more country beauties than we would have. You'll absolutely get your money's worth.

A credible and fascinating account of Great Britain moving into the 20th century. Miller excels in portraying a critical cusp in British military history. Are the technological paradigm shifts, and calming prosperity of Great Britain in the late 19th Century, so much different than the new world milieu facing the US moving into the 21st? The immediacy of the past is why I love history. Although young at the time of publication, clarity of writing indicates touches of genius; one can easily see a "David" emaniting from this intelligent writer.