Great African Reads discussion
Welcome
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Welcome to new members!!... and introduction... if you want
Hello All:I am new to the group. I have missed a lot, but I am glad that I have joined. Another friend in my list, actually Krista, the Krazy Kataloguer Hartman, suggested that I join the group. I am very glad that she did.I am interested in talking about the Law. I am an attorney, author, and Professor. I teach at one of the nation's best law schools, and also work in providing higher education to the undergraduate community. I thoroughly enjoy being an attorney. I work in the area of family law, criminal defense, and business litigation. I also teach law students as well as undergraduate students, and I have advanced degrees in history. I teach American History, the history of the Civil Rights Movement, and American Government. I love books. I enjoy the tactile elements of books. I love feeling the texture fo the book in my hand. I look forward to participating in this group. I have articles which may be found at http://www.trcb.com/author/ccclaw.htm I would enjoy an intellectual conversation about the law, the justice system, the inequities that citizens perceive, the use of Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judicial use of State Codified Child Support Guidelines. I also am very interested in discussions surrounding Africa. I have travelled quite a bit in Africa, specifically West Africa. I have spent significant time in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Cote d'Voire, Mali. I enjoy Africa. I have also visited Kenya, and South Africa. I love the African Continent, and through the years, I have developed a love affair with certain African authors, prime among them is Chinua Achebe, but everyone loves Achebe. I look forward to speaking with more people. I am off to do more reading. Cheers.
Craig wrote: "Hello All:I am new to the group. I have missed a lot, but I am glad that I have joined. Another friend in my list, actually Krista, the Krazy Kataloguer Hartman, suggested that I join the gro..."
Welcome to the group! I hope you'll join our discussions--we are a cordial group and always ready for some good discussing! Please have a look around because we have a lot of different things going on here besides our Book Tour. For instance, I think you'll find that the jury is still out on whether everyone really does like Achebe! (how'd you like my law pun??) we've had quite an interesting on again off again discussion thread about his writing--you might feel compelled to jumpstart it again.
Please poke around and ask any questions you have. Our basic rule is just that we all be respectful and as far as I can tell we've never had a problem here. So please make yourself at home (that goes for all members, new and old! don't be shy!).
Hi Craig,Welcome to the group! Sounds like you have very diverse interests, which you will find goes for lots of people here. Look forward to discussing with you.
Hi Craig,Welcome, and hope you find the group an intellectually stimulating place! Sounds like you've got quite some experience travelling across Africa - many members (including myself) would be quite jealous! :)
As Marieke said, please feel free to join (and revive) any discussion thread - it's always a pleasure to hear others voice their opinions and thoughts.
Hi - I'm Mary Lou, Finding this blog has been really exciting. Unfortunately I am reading very slowly these days due to eye problems but also listen through Audible.con so that helps. Unfortunately also is the fact that my house is filled with great books and I don't think I will get to even 1/3 of them!I've read several books on Africa and am looking forward to seeing what else is out there. I have been to Egypt so it is of particular interest to me and I like the idea of extending to at least more than one book. I've read a lot of Elizabeth Peters Amelia Peabody series and thoroughly enjoy the wit and history. Still going down the list there.
I've listened to some of the Amelia Peabody series on audio. I thought the mysteries were well-constructed, but sometimes the "romance" element was a little more than I liked. I think they would be especially interesting to someone who had been to Egypt.
Andrea wrote: "I've listened to some of the Amelia Peabody series on audio. I thought the mysteries were well-constructed, but sometimes the "romance" element was a little more than I liked. I think they would ..."Yes I agree about the "romance" but it is in character and makes rather enjoyable. It's not great literary work but there is so much about Egyptology and Egypt through the 19th and early 20th century great exploration periods. If you have been there it really brings everything to life - past and present.
Hello everybody,I just found this group and am excited to see what everyone is reading! This past winter I started sponsoring a boy through Children International in Zambia. As I have always had an interest in Africa (it's people, culture and environment), having a sponsored child has made me realize how little I actually know about where he lives and what life must be life for him. So, I am trying to get my hands on the best reads and look forward to seeing what the buzz might be about here! I'm currently reading "Scribbling the Cat", which has been very good and intense so far!
Wendy
Elizabeth Peters also wrote two of my favorite non-fiction books, Red Land, Black Land: Daily Life in Ancient Egypt and Temples, Tombs & Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient Egypt, under her real name, Barbara Mertz. She's like an actual respected expert on ancient Egypt.Wendy gives me a
Alex, you could check with GR to see if that breaks any rules before you deem it "terrible." and of course members wouldn't have to donate; only if they want to. :D
Well, I started thinking about how we would decide who to donate to, which would be some kind of huge clusterheck. Especially because most loan recipients get their loans filled remarkably quickly these days, so by the time we'd even started to debate someone, they'd be off the table.But if a ton of people start yelling how they'd love that, and if Kiva allows many credit cards to securely donate to the same account (which I haven't checked), we could try to figure something out.
Alex wrote: "Well, I started thinking about how we would decide who to donate to, which would be some kind of huge clusterheck. Especially because most loan recipients get their loans filled remarkably quickly..."Alex, if you want to look a bit more into it that'd be great - let's find out more before we make any decision! :) But it's not an entirely "terrible" idea... ;)
Wendy wrote: "Hello everybody,I just found this group and am excited to see what everyone is reading! This past winter I started sponsoring a boy through Children International in Zambia. As I have always ha..."
Oh, and welcome to the group, Wendy!! Hope you find some inspiring and interesting discussions and exciting new books to read! Feel free to join in.
Feel free to check out the book club tour where we travel to all African countries in alphabetical order - we've now arrived in Egypt!
Another option would be for each member who wanted to participate to choose her own African recipient through Kiva and report on the experience in a dedicated thread. This would not require multiple credit card issues or disagreements about the recipients.
Shoshanapnw wrote: "Another option would be for each member who wanted to participate to choose her own African recipient through Kiva and report on the experience in a dedicated thread. This would not require multipl..."This is an interesting idea. I am intrigued by kiva but haven't done anything with it yet. This might inspire me.
Wendy wrote: "Hello everybody,I just found this group and am excited to see what everyone is reading! This past winter I started sponsoring a boy through Children International in Zambia. As I have always ha..."
Welcome Wendy! I hope you like our group! I don't think we have a discussion thread about Zambia; feel free to start one if you would like. I don't know much about Zambia, either. I totally agree that Scribbling
the Cat is an intense read, though!
Shoshana, that's a really smart idea. I like the idea of a specific African Reads account, idealistically, but I'm not at all convinced it would work; your idea maintains the important part (helping people) while minimizing stress and complication. Thank you.
Wendy wrote: "Hello everybody,I just found this group and am excited to see what everyone is reading! This past winter I started sponsoring a boy through Children International in Zambia. As I have always ha..."
An even better read by Alexandra Fuller is Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight.
Wendy wrote: "Hello everybody,I just found this group and am excited to see what everyone is reading! This past winter I started sponsoring a boy through Children International in Zambia. As I have always ha..."
I read Don't let the Dogs out...fascinating read so I will try Scribbling..I do tend to be influenced by reviews and, if I am remembering correctly, the critics for the latter weren't great but...it looks like they may have been wrong!
After a trip to Tanzania, I have been culling the web to find a few situations where I can make more focused contributions that really make difference. There was a boy in one of the villages who just sparked of personality and intelligence. I so want to see him in school but have no way of identifying etc. Best I have done is send books to Haiti and a contribution to Sudan Sunrise. I'd LOVE to get a listing and any feedback of other non profits that are making a difference.
Shoshanapnw wrote: "Another option would be for each member who wanted to participate to choose her own African recipient through Kiva and report on the experience in a dedicated thread. This would not require multipl..."Great idea and it would give us all a glimpse of what the possibilities are out there that are making a difference or which end up being less than helpful. It would really provide a great deal of insight and not to mention helping in the process. That's my VOTE!
Ruthmarie wrote: "Wendy wrote: "Hello everybody,I just found this group and am excited to see what everyone is reading! This past winter I started sponsoring a boy through Children International in Zambia. As I ..."
Yes, I heard that one was good too. It's on my list to read. I assume you've read them both then?
Mary, I know what you mean. My partner and I sponsor a primary school student in rural Cambodia through Friendship with Cambodia. In the winter I'm planning to have my students read Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide and choose non-profits to raise funds for.
Mary, a few of us read and debated Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa a while back, which is a real interesting and divisive book; among other things, the author is a strong supporter of Kiva and microloan programs like it. I don't feel qualified to judge the book's message, but I do feel qualified to put some money into Kiva - and it's kindof a neat thing to do with your family anyway. It's fun to debate who your money should support. And it's exactly what you're looking for: focused contributions that make a specific difference to specific people.(Well, except that they're not exactly contributions. But, like, aside from that.)
Wendy wrote: "Ruthmarie wrote: "Wendy wrote: "Hello everybody,I just found this group and am excited to see what everyone is reading! This past winter I started sponsoring a boy through Children International..."
Yes. I also recommend When a Crocodile Eats the Sun by Peter Godwin.
Welcome, Wendy! "When A Crocodile Eats the Sun" is a great book, but remember it's about Zimbabwe, not Zambia. Alexandra Fuller's family lived mainly in Zimbabwe too, but spent some time managing a farm in Zambia, I think. Anybody have any great Zambia suggestions? Of course, the book tour won't be there for a while.
Alex wrote: "Mary, a few of us read and debated Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa a while back, which is a real interesting and divisive book; among other ..."Alex wrote: "Mary, a few of us read and debated Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa a while back, which is a real interesting and divisive book; among other ..."
Thanks and I just ordered these two below. I didn't know that Eli. Peters wrote under another name! " Elizabeth Peters also wrote two of my favorite non-fiction books, Red Land, Black Land: Daily Life in Ancient Egypt and Temples, Tombs & Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient Egypt, under her real name, Barbara Mertz. She's like an actual respected expert on ancient Egypt"
Mertz's are very cool, fun-to-read books. I really can't recommend them enough.I met Peter Godwin while scuba diving in Colombia (of all things) this spring; it's so cool that people actually like his book (which I should probably get around to reading someday). He sortof implied that no one had read or would ever read his books. Nice guy.
Alex wrote: "Mertz's are very cool, fun-to-read books. I really can't recommend them enough.I met Peter Godwin while scuba diving in Colombia (of all things) this spring; it's so cool that people actually li..."
did you tell him about our group here at good reads? People READ and LIKE his books!
I didn't. I should have, though; for all we know, he'd enjoy dropping by here.
Heythere Everyone:If it's not too rude, I would like to recommend my new book, The Black Nile, which is coming out August 12 from Viking Penguin. The Black Nile is a nonfiction account of a journey I made on and along the Nile river through Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt.
Library Journal this week rated the book "highly recommended."
“Morrison’s narrative combines reporting and travelog in a way that brings readers to this most unlikely destination, a place of complexity, tension, struggle, and pain, where shreds of tradition and community are still visible.
“Verdict: Morrison’s account transcends the travel genre to provide authentic and timely information on a complicated part of the world. Highly recommended.”—Melissa Stearns, Library Journal
The book has a page here at Goodreads and there's more info at my website, http://danmorrison.net
Regards, and thanks for listening,
Dan Morrison
The Black Nile: One Man's Amazing Journey Through Peace and War on the World's Longest River
So exciting! Congratulations, Dan! I've been a little swamped but we have a couple of group members who have new books out and I need to acknowledge that in our accolades thread. I was actually just thinking of you because I've been reading Tim butcher's account of his journey through DRC and I recalled your book had an August publication date...
Cool, Dan! I read Down the Nile Alone in a Fisherman's Skiff a while back, which is dimly similar in that it's a travelogue featuring the Nile, I guess.There's a long tradition of absurd traveling companions in travelogues, huh? The obvious one is whats-his-name, Bryson's friend from A Walk in the Woods, but there's also Fenton from Into the Heart of Borneo and Roger from Tony Horwitz's Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before. Conclusion: writers of travelogues have crappy friends.
omg, Dan, do you have crappy friends? i've read The Other Nile: Journeys in Egypt, the Sudan, and Ethiopia, which i really enjoyed. i don't really remember any outrageous friends featuring in it, however. hrmmm. or in Horwitz's Baghdad without a Map and Other Misadventures in Arabia. i must start paying closer attention.
anyway, dan, have you read this charlie pye-smith book by any chance?
Is Baghdad without a Map good? I've read a couple of Horwitz's books and enjoyed them...I should try that one someday.
Hello Mary,On Scribbling the Cat, I just feel that you get one more perspective what life is like for many in Africa as so many people are touched by war and most in a very unfriendly way. The mental as well as physical scars are passed through families, friends, communities and across country borders. The desperation these people have from crumbled lives and economies is heart breaking.
Since you are interested in making a difference, I would like to mention another great book called "Give a Little". I don't recall the author - but you can Google it here and I'm sure it will come up. The woman that wrote the book has worked in the non-profit sector her whole life. She gives a summary of a variety of ways that you can "Give a Little" and what all those little "Givings" add up to. It takes you from these small micro loans, to organizations that build bridges to others that take used bicycles that go to the poor for transportation. It's a great read and helps you see what changes something like a bicycle might mean to a family who now can get gainfully employed farther from home at some X times their normal salary.
I would not be a good sponsor of Children International now if I didn't give you a pitch for this organization. I have always wanted to do something, but I like to know that my $ is really connecting somewhere, not just to some large pot of gold used for whatever. I also wanted my children to learn from this experience. Children International allows you to write to, give gifts to and even visit your sponsored child. I was leary of the whole thing, but I have to tell you, they really do what they say and it's an amazing experience. The bond you make with this child and how much you want to continue to help just grows daily. They also give you photos of your child so you can see them grow, or when you send "special gifts." The smile on my sponsored child's face when he got a new bed was priceless to me. Most of these kids spend their lives sleeping on a mat on a dirt or cement floor. My sponsored child's family (5 of them) live on $42/month. That's eye opening.
If you do not want to get tied down to a monthly payment, you can also make a one time donation in various areas. (To sanitary water, bathrooms, schools, etc in the community.)
Another great place, also listed in the book "Give a Little" is Heifer International. They send various farm animals to impoverished families so they can get $ from selling their milk or using them for farm labor. They also are able to do micro loans. I read about this organization from a children's book "Beatrice's Goat" that my daughter brought home from school one day. The story is about this girl in Africa (don't recall which country) who gets a goat from Heifer Int'l. The goat I believe had a baby and they sold the baby and the goat's milk, making enough $ to improve their home and send Beatrice to school. There was a newspaper article attached to the back of the book about Beatrice. She was able to make her way to the US and was graduating from a MA college! So, the program really worked for her and her family! I am really excited as I am planning to tour the Heifer farm in Rutland MA with my Brownie GS troop this fall.
So, this thread might be a bit off the path, but I have referred to several great books that got me here!
Good luck in your search, I hope it ends where you can be as excited as I have been to give back to this world!
Wendy
Mary wrote: "Wendy wrote: "Hello everybody,
I just found this group and am excited to see what everyone is reading! This past winter I started sponsoring a boy through Children International in Zambia. As I ..."
Hi Mary,Thanks, I'll have to put that book on my list.
I am not completely focused on Zambia, but I sure am having a heck of a time finding many books from there!
I have also found from what I've read so far, that the borders of these countries have changed so much over the years and the names of the places as well. For example, and I'm no expert, I believe parts of Zambia and Zimbabwe were called Rhodesia. So, when people write about Rhodesia, I am not always sure exactly where that is. I'll have to do some more research on that. But, from what I have found, these countries have become quite a melting pot of cultures, so many of the people come from a different land.
Wendy
Andrea wrote: "Welcome, Wendy! "When A Crocodile Eats the Sun" is a great book, but remember it's about Zimbabwe, not Zambia. Alexandra Fuller's family lived mainly in Zimbabwe too, but spent some time managing..."
HMMM - I'll have to read that one too. If any of you get HBO, or even if you don't - there's a great documentary called "A Small Act" about a gentleman who lived as a child in a poor community in Kenya. He was sponsored by a woman in Sweden. He was the top of his class and was able to get a scholarship to college there and then to Harvard Law school. H now works for the U.N. - if you don't get HBO - you can go to the website for this movie and order it - or learn more about it:http://www.asmallact.com/Wendy
Mary wrote: "Alex wrote: "Mary, a few of us read and debated Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa a while back, which is a real interesting and divisive book;..."
Thanks Wendy! I looked up Children International; it gets a pretty good rating from Charity Navigator, and Consumer Reports ranks it 22nd (out of almost a thousand) in efficiency. Looks like you've picked a good one. :)
Yes, I also reviewed their stats. And, I've taken it slowly, making sure they do as they say and say as they do....They run a pretty tight business. There's also a great blog group on http://community.liftone.org for sponsors - or anyone interested. It's a nice sit for sponsors to learn more than what is on the website and see what other sponsors are doing around the world.
I like Heifer, too.
Zambia: The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa (Peace Corps)
Zimbanwe: Of Spirits & Madness: An American Psychiatrist in Africa (psychiatry)
Zambia: The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness and Africa (Peace Corps)
Zimbanwe: Of Spirits & Madness: An American Psychiatrist in Africa (psychiatry)
Marieke wrote: "omg, Dan, do you have crappy friends? i've read The Other Nile: Journeys in Egypt, the Sudan, and Ethiopia, which i really enjoyed. i don't really remember any outrageous friends f..."
Heythere, Marieke and Alex:
I hadn't seen the Pye-Smith book but it looks like required reading.
As it happens, I did bring a friend, my best friend, along for part of the Nile journey. I was in part inspired by Lary Shaffer, Redmond O'Hanlon's American pal in No Mercy. (No Mercy's a hell of a book; maybe an actual masterpiece.) But it definitely helped, both during the travel and during the writing, to have a familiar companion.
Best/Dan
My goodness, guys, I am so thrilled to see so many posts in such a short time - we've really developed as a group and it's fantastic to see you all jump in and have your say! :D Very exciting when members participate (says me, the often absent moderator... ;) )
If some of us could read Dan's book, we could get an author Q&A? Maybe?
Andrea wrote: "If some of us could read Dan's book, we could get an author Q&A? Maybe?"I definitely plan to read dan's book!
I didn't totally love O'Hanlon's Into the Heart of Borneo; his writing style struck me as a little...cutesy. I suspect it's more my personal taste than a failing of O'Hanlon's, though.
Andrea wrote: "If some of us could read Dan's book, we could get an author Q&A? Maybe?"Definitely! Dan, would you be up for it?
Zambia was Northern Rhodesia and Zimbabwe was Southern Rhodesia. Zambia gained independence in 1964 and the name was changed then. In 1965, the white minority Northern Rhodesian government made a Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the UK and became the Republic of Rhodesia, or simply Rhodesia. In 1979, it briefly became Zimbabwe Rhodesia (after democratic elections), and then Zimbabwe in 1980.Alexandra Fuller was born in the UK, was mostly raised in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, and I believe her family settled in Zambia after Zimbabwean independence. She lives in the U.S. now.
Peter Godwin's first book, Mukiwa, is also very good.
I served in Peace Corps in Zimbabwe. I kinda know this stuff. :)
Wendy wrote: "Hi Mary,
Thanks, I'll have to put that book on my list.
I am not completely focused on Zambia, but I sure am having a heck of a time finding many books from there!
I have also found from what I'..."
Katy,What was it like to be in the Peace Corp in Zimbabwe and when were you there? I would really like to hear more!
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Andrea - That's what I have been hearing so I don't feel too bad about all the cat naps I've been taking. :)