I am fairly familiar with the art work of Leo & Diane Dillon from the covers they have done for various collections of the work of writer Harlan Ellison. Consequently, I knew even before I really looked at the cover of "Mansa Musa: The Lion of Mali" that the two-time Caldecott Medalists are particularly well-suited to illustrating the story of one of Mali's most celebrated kings in the 14th century. Author Khephra Burns tells the story of young Kankan Musa, who is taken one night by slave raiders. However, ironically, this is a story of self-discovery for the boy who has become a slave. When he was younger and asked his mother about his father, she told him "To know your father, you must first give birth to yourself." Now he is told by the man who betrayed his village to the slave raiders, "You are your own slave...You don't know who you are." Although a slave, Kankan begins to discover "Il-Rah," the Way, the Path, on which he will be tested. The story of "Mansa Musa" tells of the adventures Kankan had upon his journey through the grandeur of Africa's ancient cities.

The Author's Note in the back of the book addresses the question of how much of "Mansa Musa: The Lion of Mali" is fiction and how much is fact. The history of the Mali Empire is well documented and there are several scholarly sources that tell of Mansa Musa's golden caravan crossing the Sahara. When Burns has to fill in the gaps in his narrative, he does so with places and customs that are historically accurate (e.g., the salt city). Consequently, what we have here is a philosophical story of self-discovery, invested with the rich cultural history of a land most young readers have never heard about, and illustrated by gorgeously crafted paintings. "Mansa Musa" is a real treasure of a book, which will impress even older readers.

Destination-bound travelers to Northern Africa will want to take along this guide to Morocco, which covers its three major exotic cities and focuses on the cultural and historical sightseeing to be enjoyed in these areas. From tips on health and transit to histories of local areas, Marrakesh Fez Rabat is packed with both practical and cultural observations.

The rain goddess lives in the clouds, but though her home's gorgeous, she isn't happy but lonely. The gods provide her with no husband so she decides to look among the mortals, with unusual results. A fine South African myth.

Since I deal with masks from Africa I am constantly looking for more information on the subject. I have again and again come back to Ladislas Segy MASKS OF BLACK AFRICA. The illustrations are representative of the many different masks used by African tribes. The text and maps help you further to deepen your understanding of the masks that are representative of the area. When I do research on African Masks my first step is Ladislas Segy.

What Holiday: 'The simple and uncluttered style of Mark Eveleigh's second book belies the adventure and achievement of his trek across the badlands of Madagascar. The book is written in a tremendously well-observed, yet understated way - a welcome antithesis to the bragging and sensationalist hyperbole of much travel-writing. Maverick in Madagascar manages to be both adventurous and meticulous. Engaging yet educational. In a world where travel writers are incessantly conspiring to plan spontaneous adventures and discover unspoilt places, Mark manages to achieve both in an effortless, modest and low-impact way that will serve as an example to his contemporaries whilst uniquely entertaining and inspiring his readers.'

Global Adventure: 'Maverick in Madagascar' is a fascinating mix of adventure, history and humour that makes for excellent reading.'

Observer: Forget tranquil tales of discontented urbanites setting up home in Provence or Tuscany, Mark Eveleigh's latest offering is travel writing at its grittiest. Certainly not for the nervous traveller, Eveleigh's book explores this strange land of superstition and folklore. Not only tremendously absorbing, but packed with fascinating facts about this unexplored country - over three-quarters of its wildlife is unique to the island - Maverick in Madagascar is a very exciting read.'

The first of a two volume series that provides a detailed look at the history and current status of the Mbeere people. While living with the tribe in the Peace Corps it provided valuable information that otherwise would have remained unknown to me as much of it is based on oral stories and knowledge. The history of the people as shown through goverment documents, pictures, stories, and previous antropologist studies are all included in the first half of this comprehensive set. It is a fine reference for anyone who wishes to study the tribe and its history.

In this age of political correctness where the victors rewrite history,Mbokodo is a refreshing look at the other side of the ANC.Not the ANC of The Freedom Charter or of Luthuli or of the world icon Nelson Mandela but of the hideous concentration camps of Quatro ,of the torures that went on there of which surely Hitler and Stalin would have been proud and of the brutal Mbokodo-the ANC secret police whose deeds rivalled the worst of those at Vlakplaas. It is not a novel for the fainthearted for among the torture methods described are jumpin on the heads of suspects 'to see if they would burst'. thowing stones at the eyes of suspects standing against walls,dripping melted plastic on genitalia and open wounds,whipping to death with barbed wire,sjamboks and electric cable and burning the souls of the feet with red hot pieces of iron. Of course this book is not popular with the current powers that be but than neither was that wonderful book by the great Steve Biko-'I Write What I Like'

I have no doubt that though he is not a popular figure now,Mwezi Twala will oned day take his place among the great South Africans who stood for conscience such as Steve Biko,Alan Paton and Emily Hobhouse.Especially since we have not been given a clear picture of what happened at Quatro and other ANC camps by the media or the TRC as we have of abuses by the Apartheid government

This is a must for anybody who is interested in this subject. It is a brilliant insight into the life of the commandos of the boer war. Its humerous, candid and always honest and unbiased. It is the best boer war book I have read. Absolutely superb

Ms. Goheen adroitly locates her work in the grassfields of Cameroon within a rich theoretical framework. Fascinating reading for the anthropologist and layman alike.

If you're interested in questions of ethnicity, identity, colonialism, Islam, anthropology, indirect rule and a myriad other issues in Africa, this is a wonderful, and very short, book. Amselle's work represents the broader interest in breaking down cultural categories and essentialisms which seem to have a life of their own. Just when you think you've eluded them, there they are back in your vocabulary, like a bad habit. "Mestizo logic" is a condition which Amselle calls "originary syncretism," that is to say that hybridization has been going since the beginning of time, making the categories -- ethnic, religious, social, etc. -- really a question of politics and history. Identities and labels are not fixed, but are negotiated, in relation to changing political circumstances. For example, he speaks of identity "conversions" from one to another ethnicity depending on the circumstances. Furthermore, there is shuttling between religions, rearticulations of Islam, "returns" to "paganism," and so on. I particularly enjoyed Jean-Loup Amselle's reading of such "traditional" African religions as "pale paganism," that is to say, lightly-Islamicized religions which have for centuries developed in a dynamic, dialogical relationship with Islam. Other wonderful sections deal with cotton development and ethnicity. Amselle deconstructs colonial stereotypes of certain ethnic groups, arguing that differences in economic development, in this case cotton in southern Mali, have more to do with geography and history than ethnicity. Of course, ethnicity does exist, but it does not seem to have the relevance that its supposed to have. Amselle shows how southern Mali is characteristically multiethnic. A long history of population movements, trade, state expansion and contraction, and waves of Islamization have created a multi-layered society characterized by fluid identity categories. The region might be referred to as a Fulani-Malinke-Bamana-Senufo ethnic chain. Broadly, one can discern some organizational patterning in this ethnic mosaic: the eastern half of southern Mali (the administrative circle of Sikasso) is mainly Senufo, and generally more animist, while the western half (the circle of Bougouni) is more Bambara, "Fulani" and Muslim. This is a continuum of ethnicities - Malinke, Wassoulunke, Ganas, Gouin and Minyanka. Of course, not every part of Africa, or the world, is as multiethnic and ethnicity has different valencies depending on the context. There is much more in this book than just ethnicity though. Check it out. Its theoretical insights are applicable to regions far beyond Africa, especially the first few chapters dealing with "culturalism" versus "universalism" and the problems with "ethnological reason." And its not too PO-MO. Very readable and grounded in examples.