Huband's book is essentially three very different ones on the same subject put together in one jacket. And it ultimately fails to win top marks due to this. Part one , based on his experiences is interesting and gives good eyewitness accounts of events behind rebel lines in 1990. However for those who followed newpaper reports closely at the time [and who like me have files full of Huband's articles] there's little new. Part two, his dogged investigation of the events leading to the war is excellent and I just wonder why the whole book wasn't written in this analytical style. The final part fails to inspire as it is based on the author's attempt to discuss the later events of civil war in the six years that followed the events he witnessed in 1990. A bold, though flawed attempt to explain the 1989-1996 civil war in Liberia. Huband's book should more realistically have been titled ''Liberia: 1990, the start of an African war''.

Marks account of events surrounding the Liberian Civil War is very revealing for many of us Liberians and friends of Liberia who have longed for such information.

Any one who wants an unbiased account of the Liberian Civil War ought to read this book.

Anyone interested in Liberia would do himself or herself a favor by buying this book. Read Elizabeth Blunt's review carefully--she was in Liberia at the time the author was.

I just bought "AFRICAN SCULPTURE SPEAKS" and again I am pleased with the down to earth approach and examples of sculptures of the different tribes throughout Africa. Ladislas Segy is covering a far greater theme in this book than in his "MASKS OF BLACK AFRICA", however, it is a great aid for identifying some of the carving styles.

African Sculpture Speaks has spoken very well. One of the most interesting documentations of Sculpture I have seen in quite some time. There is a wealth of 436 illistrations in black and white, lending an impression of the significance of each piece. Also information on each tribe and the functional use of the sculptures was brillant. Segy has successfully documented an ancient tradition that is in a rapid mode of metamorphosis due to technology. But most of all African Sculpture Speaks allows you to experience a rich part of Africa in the comfort of your own home.

Very interesting. Information presented in a very organized way. An excelent way to get aquainted with the subject of African Sculpture. The ony flaw is that the book was published in this late edition in 1975 and so much work has been done sence then in the study of African Art that it does have some blank spots, but over all this is a good start and one of the best general works and texts that I have seen. Images are black and white, but this works to the sculptures advantage so that you can see more of the relief work and shadow. The book is very well organized, topics ranging from mythology and magic to general history and socio-cultural impacts of the west are covered.

This book is not too bad, but it would have been better if its author and editor were frank with their "facts".
Mungo Park, an inquisitive Scottish doctor and explorer, displayed a lot of courage in his adventures. He was steadfast and result-oriented. However, it is wrong for anybody to assume that he discovered the 'Nile of the Negroes', (as the River Niger was then called). The indigenous Africans who lived by the river banks knew its course long before Mungo Park's forefathers were born. They showed the Scot the way!
Thus, claiming that Dr. Park discovered River Niger is absurd. It is as ridiculous as claiming that the first African who sailed across River Thames discovered the English river.

Kate Ferguson Marsters' edition of Mungo Park's TRAVELS is an excellent example of the travel narrative - easily comparable with the Journals of Lewis & Clark or Francis Parkman's OREGON TRAIL. The book is broken into three parts: Park's travel narrative , Marsters' Introduction & Major Rennell's Geographical Illustrations Of Mr. Park's Journey (which is rather dry and dated).

The main work is a narrative of Park's travels from Barra, on the West African coast, to the town of Silla, just west of Jenne and his return to the western coast. Park provides many interesting details and asides, including that of Mumbo Jumbo (also mentioned by Francis Moore) for disciplining wayward wives. Park also spends a fair amount of time explaining local governments and social norms. Throughout, the account attempts some degree of neutrality while noting acts of kindness and avarice by various individuals and rulers; although, not surprisingly, he explicitly criticizes the Moors who continually interfered with his progress and those who robbed and stripped him. Perhaps his most disturbing account is of the female slave who becomes too sick to continue traveling with the coffle. The entire work puts black slaves and their families in a very sympathetic light and shows the slave trade at its worst; although, due to the continuing conditions of slavery and internal conquest pre-dating major European involvement in the trade, Park stated that the termination of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade would not provide as great a benefit to the populace in Africa as many hoped.

The Introduction is important in providing the history of Park's early years, the important role of the African Association and its leader, Sir Joseph Banks. More importantly the Introduction deals with the Bryan Edwards controversy. Richard Burton and Orlando Patterson's criticisms have held that internal African slavery and slave trading was not nearly so prevalent as suggested by Park. In light of this, Marsters' statement that Joseph Banks, a critic of slavery, had to approve every piece of Edward's editing becomes extremely important. In addition, it is made clear that the reason for the stylistic differences is that the original TRAVELS was a book derived from Park's notes whereas the published work of his second, ill-fated journey was merely a compilation of those notes retrieved from the dead man's party!

All-in-all, an excellent and informative read!

Mungo Park (1771-1806?) was the first European to visit the Niger River basin in 1796. He resolved, once and for all, a debate that had European cartographers and geographers confused for centuries.

His initial journey (1795-1797) was a tale of tremendous personal hardship and suffering, but triumph in the end. After returning to Scotland in 1798, he became acquainted with Sir Walter Scott. They became close friends, and it was Sir Walter Scott who convinced him to return to Africa to encover the secret of the mouth of the Niger River.

In 1805 he convinced the British government, in the middlle of a war against Napoleon, to send another expedition to seek out the mouth of the Niger. With 100 officers and men he set out, retracing his earlier steps. The journey was filled with personal tragedy and heroism. After arriving on the Niger, he built a boat, named the Joliba, and travelled down the river. During the course of his journey he met and traded with the many kingdoms that lined the river. However, he also incurred the wrath of many local kings and chiefs who believed that he was cheating them.

Near the town of Bussa (now covered by a huge dam), Mungo Park met his unexpected end. For many years it has been assumed that he was attacked by hostile natives seeking to rob him. In fact it may have been due to the fact that he just failed to navigate the river

One can almost imagine the conversation between Stephen Ellis and his NYU Press editors as they mulled over a title and a marketing scheme for this book. Ellis is a scholar of African affairs who, I gather, doesn't typically write the sort of book that can be marketed to the non-academic set. Nonetheless, this volume boasts a snappy title, drawn from a Percy Byshe Shelley poem, and a striking book jacket photo of three bewigged Liberian rebels who, like the Liberian civil war itself, manage to appear at once both frightening and farcical. Looks like the editors got their way.

But, as they say, one shouldn't judge a book by its cover. This is an unapologetically academic tome, with extensive footnotes and a fifteen-page bibliography. If you are not of an academic bent, or not seriously curious about the truly unique character of the Liberian civil war, you might want to skip this book.

But if you are looking for a very good summation of the Liberian conflict, a primer on ethnicity and religion in Liberia, and an interesting examination of how these factored into the conflict, then this is a must-read.

My most vivid impression is that this is not so much one book as two separate volumes, one focusing on the war itself, and the other delving into Liberian, history, economics, and anthropology. The first section, on the war itself, is quite well done and very readable, almost journalistic in tone. Ellis draws from a wide variety of sources, including his own travels to the country, to describe and explain the Liberian civil war and the conditions in which it took root. Commendably, he cites Liberian sources whenever possible, though this tendency also raised one of my quibbles. For some reason, his citations of things like US Congressional testimony are from Monrovia newspapers rather than the original sources themselves, something I had been taught to avoid, especially when the original sources are so accessible (just a few mouse clicks away).

Ellis also occasionally falls into the trap of providing too much information, seemingly just because he did the research and wants to use it. For example, he goes on for pages and pages about the bases of the Nigerian and Ivorian economies by way of explaining the economic interests of both countries in the Liberian conflict. He could have summarized this information in much less space without taking anything away from his thesis.

That having been said, Ellis makes some important points about the conflict. One is the tendency of some analysts, myself included, to be too quick to ascribe ethnic labels and motivations to the key players. The situation is more complicated than that, with clan affiliations, personal ties, and other considerations often more important. He also delves into the unique religious and cultural backdrop of Liberia to explain some of the seemingly wierd and grotesque practices that became hallmarks of this conflict -- like the transvestism and ritual cannibalism practiced by some of the combatants.

One can't help but conclude that, for all Liberia has been through in the last twenty years, it still has a long way to go to find some political equilibrium, much less to achieve its promise. Charles Taylor, while more clever and formidable than most of his predecessors in the Executive Mansion, is at least as brutal and venal as any of them, including the late Samuel Doe. And, sadly, Taylor appears incapable of mending the deep wounds that still beset Liberia. No one will be surprised if he, too, is toppled by yet another self-aggrandizing military man out to plunder the country. Liberia deserves better.

The author has drawn on an impressive range of sources to give us an in-depth look at the Liberian civil war. The book is like an onion: the outer later is a description of what happened; the second lays out the historical, social and economic framework, and the core discusses contributing psychological and spiritual factors.

Whether or not you accept his analysis of the role which traditional religious ritual played in the way in which the war was carried out, the fact remains that the Liberian warlords, most of whom had enough education to know what they were doing, consciously manipulated young, poor and uneducated soldiers to commit murder, torture, rape and terror in the interests of seizing power and the spoils of war. When foreign governments intervened, more often they did more harm than good. There are no heroes in this book.

If there is a weakness in Ellis's analysis, it is in the period of the 70s and 80s; he gives somewhat cursory attention to the failings of the Tolbert regime which led to the 1980 coup and to the dynamics between the Doe government and the international community, especially the United States and its short term interests in the country. As a result, no meaningful conclusions can be drawn as to how and when the rapid descent into madness might have been prevented--despite an acknowledgement that things could have turned out differently. This is a minor cavil to an otherwise perceptive study of the nature of the challenges facing Liberia if it is to take up again the task of nation building.

Small in size, this compact book provides crisp photos and concise narratives and descriptions of a wide variety of African masks. Some of the masks appear in many other books on the subject, but many were new to me. A good introductory book.

This book makes me want to travel to the Canary Islands after cancelling one trip for lack of interest, and even venture off Tenerife to try a couple of the other islands. This is a winner. From Accomodations to Youth Hostels (there aren't any at present) and point by point, this is the book to buy. Each island is detailed for you to decide if it's worth a separate trip. Where to go - what to do - eating out - travel tips - and Berlitz"s language aids.

I found this book in Kampala, Uganda at the start of a binge of collecting Congolese artifacts and fell in love at first sight. The pictures are vibrant (if not always well-labeled); the text tries to explain the significance of the art in the African context, rather than serve to merely catalogue the tribe, the owner, etc. It certainly helped me to love it that much of what I saw was discussed and/or pictured in the book. It goes arm-in-arm with it's companion "Art and Craft in Africa : Everyday Life Ritual Court Art "

A cat and a rat were in the garden working on the vegetables. Cat's friendly uncle came to visit him to give him a small drum. Cat was supposed to keep the instrument for memory of his uncle. Rat came and saw the drum which he wanted to play. Cat would not let Rat play any music. So Rat tricked Cat by saying that he (Rat) was hungry and sick. So Cat was nice and let Rat sleep in his bed after serving some porridge. Then Cat left the house to go into the garden. He kept hearing someone playing a drum, so he returned to the house where he discovered that Rat was playing the instrument. Cat tried to eat Rat but ate quickly his own drum instead! And that is how Cat got his purr.

"New Military History" refers to scholarship which explores soldiers' lives away from the battlefield, and the broader impact of warfare on society. This prizewinning study is a concise but thoroughly-researched look at the military experience in 19th and 20th-century West Africa, largely based on archival materials but making effective use of key oral interviews. France's empire was the most militarized in all Africa, with universal male conscription during much of the 20th century. This draft, withdrawing labor from the rural economy and deploying it elsewhere, had a heavy impact on the region. Echenberg's analysis is therefore central to understanding West African life under colonial rule. He further demonstrates the importance of the slave origins of soldiers, many of whom attained freedom by joining the Tirailleurs Senegalais (recruited throughout West African territories, not just Senegal). Tirailleurs, or "sharpshooters," fought with distinction in France's colonial conflicts and both World Wars, suffering heavy casualties on the Western Front, and imprisonment and discrimination during 1940-45. Echenberg also examines the significant contribution of veterans to postwar nationalist movements. Overall, this is a highly readable and succinct book, perhaps too succinct. The account of the epochal 1944 Thiaroye soldiers' uprising is overly brief, and Echenberg could also say more about the domestic and social life of army families. On Thiaroye, see his chapter in P. Gutkind ed., "African Labor History," and Ousmane Sembene's memorable film "Camp de Thiaroye." Cf. also N. Lawler, "Soldiers of Misfortune;" J. Lunn, "Memoirs of the Maelstrom;" and J.M. Thompson in "The International Journal of African Historical Studies" (1990).

After reading this books I was quite dismayed at the many distortions of Mr. Lucke's book.
As a person who has experience in the region I continued to wonder where Mr. Lucke found or conducted his research. It was a real dissappointment.

The book rings true as a vivid description of life in development work. It's a very good and very informative read. My only complaint is that it could be better edited. Simple grammar errors occasionally slip in (for example, I remember the phrase "beckon call" used when "beck and call" was intended). Also the author's description of his work sometimes dwells on technical issues that slow up the story a little.

The reviewer from Mali who complained of distortions should remember that the author worked in Mali 20 years ago, and that conditions have no doubt improved since then.

While many Americans have worked for the US Agency for International Development over the years, few have subsequently penned their reminiscences as Lewis Lucke has done in "Waiting for Rain". This authobiographical volume recounts both his life there and issues of economic development relevant not only to Mali, but also many other developing countries. The author successfully weaves these two broad themes through his account, which makes for an enjoyable and informative read. A sensitive and insightful observer, Lucke describes Malians and their country with empathy and understanding. His vivid, and at times humorous, descriptions of expatriate life in the country will loudly resonate with anyone who has spent time in this part of Africa. Traveling throughout the country, he was able to observe well-intentioned development projects gone wrong, but also a number of success stories. Above all else, he came to know the Malians and their country well, and developed a sincere admiration for their incredible capacity to overcome enormous adversity. Lucke's narrative is enriched by fine descriptive detail and many captivating human interest stories which make it enjoyable reading. "Waiting for Rain" will appeal to a very broad audience of readers including armchair travelers, international development workers and those interested in Africa.

Pascal James Imperato, MD, MPH & TM, Editor