No comments about Fodor's Morocco, 3rd Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides).

5 comments about In Search of King Solomon's Mines.

1. La búsqueda del oro de Salomón acarrea la cuasi prueba de que, efectivamente, mucho del oro de la antiguedad egipcia y hebrea provino de la antigua Abisinia, lo mismo que la reina de Saba. Luego, muestra la pobreza enorme de una zona mayoritaria del territorio etíope, la riqueza situacional de pequeños sectores asociados a la minería del oro y el efecto negativo de la riqueza o la promesa de riqueza repentina sobre la fidelidad a las tradiciones y religiones....Es un libro que acarrea tristeza con su lectura y donde Tahir Shah, porfía con su gigantesca capacidad para exponerse a dificultades y, en este caso, de hacerlas subrir a su ayudante. Un descarnado vistazo de esa desconocida y prejuiciada Africa.



2. After coaxing a shopkeeper in Jerusalem's Old City to part with his "not for sale" heirloom treasure map for a whopping six hundred shekels, Afghan author Tahir Shah sets off on an adventure to find the legendary gold mines of King Solomon. He speculates that the mysterious Ophir the Bible describes as the location of the mines may likely be found "just a short boat trip down the Red Sea" in Ethiopa, a land with extraordinary reserves of gold and ostensibly the home of the Queen of Sheba. Known as Makeda in Ethiopian texts, the Queen of Sheba, according to Ethiopian legend, purportedly bore a son, Menelik, by King Solomon through whom the imperial family of Ethiopia descends.
   
   Tahir journeys Ethiopia first to Addis Ababa, south to Kebra Mengist and Bedakaysa, east to Harar and Dire Dawa, north to Lalibela, the Danakil Desert, and Debra Damo, then west to Tallul Wallel. Along the way, the reader comes to know a little about the land and the people of Ethiopia. Where even a haircut or a bus ride or encounters with guide-dogs for the blind are laden with danger, Tahir insists "the thrill lies in surviving".
   
   Somehow the discordance between Shah's engaging brusque humorous style and the stories that reveal to the reader the bleak reality of existence for many Ethiopians works, as he makes the reader want to laugh, sigh, and cry all at once. I highly recommend this colorful travelogue/adventure story/geography-culture-history book as it is an exciting, entertaining, and educational read.



3. Traveling to Ethiopia often for months at time, Shah showed me a side of it I've never seen, despite my time spent in local homes, hotels and villages. My only fear is that this book will leave some with the impression that the places he describes are in fact the real Ethiopia. I am happy to say they are not. In fact the flea bag hotels and bars he frequented are mainly frequented by truckers and those looking for action and are easily identified by all inhabitants. The majority of bars, even in smaller towns, are quite respectable and serve espresso and smoothies too. I've been to countless ones all over the country. I've also stayed in hotels in many regions. Yes the majority of hotels are for truckers and are flea pits with easy access to prostitutes, but we've always been able to find decent accommodations that don't double as brothels. I really felt that his descriptions failed to reveal the diversity of people who live in the country and focused on a select group, often among the poorest.I also wondered if his guide didn't mislead him at times. Ethiopian people are extremely hospitable and very protective of foreigners. Frequent concerns about violent attacks are contrary to anything I've experienced there. I wondered if the guide's warnings weren't just a way of manipulating Shah to buy drinks or prostitutes for his friends to make him look good. I am not questioning that the story took place as described, just that Shah evidently saw a very tiny slice of the real Ethiopia, one which is fortunately not seen by most travelers there. The storyline was engaging and well written. The history was informative and the scenic descriptions accurately portrayed the lush landscape and sometimes harsh conditions. Overall an excellent read, just be careful to to judge the people based on his impressions. In 20 years of traveling there I haven't yet met most of the people he describes.



4. Very well written, fascinating descriptions of Ethiopia, the people, geography, culture and history related to finding gold.



5. Ancient culture's responses to the modern world. Honey in the trees and gold in the ground. Sheba and judeo christian influences. Stolen minds and lost history. The tribal warrior and the modern gambler. The mule and the land cruiser. The pasta and the rasta. The knave and the cave. Counterfeit vs. real gold.
   Tahir's books are amazing experiences. They take me out of myself and let the potent experiences and issues he's raised integrate into a more comprehensive global outlook. More than a book-- you've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em...

5 comments about Sufferings in Africa: The Incredible True Story of a Shipwreck, Enslavement, and Survival on the Sahara.

1. Great and rapid service. Book was exactly as promised. We will definitely use this seller again.



2. I was surprised I'd never heard of this book, supposedly one of the books Abraham Lincoln considered influential. It is the true story of an American sea captain who is shipwrecked and taken prisoner, then enslaved, by Arabs. Through his ingenious bargaining and a leap of faith, he convinces and Arab trader to trade all of his goods for the captain and some companions from his ship. He convinces the trader to take them across the Sahara, which means not only braving heat, hunger and thirst, but fighting off would be thieves as well.
   
   The captain promises that there is a reward, that there is someone willing to pay a ransom when they get across the Sahara. The problem is, this isn't true - the Captain knows no one in the city they are headed to. The Captain and trader have made a deal that if the ransom isn't paid, the crewman will be sold as slaves and the Captain will be killed. The Captain is a linguist and learns enough Arabic to converse and to learn. He relates the tale of what happened, which is a true page turner, and the stories he hears from the Arabs. While this is an old book with a few old expressions and some racial terms no longer in use, I think it's clear that the Captain is not at heart a racist; he saw people of all colors as people. While he didn't like slavery, it was the way things were, and he accepted his fate as a slave without railing against the institution itself. Rather, he documents what happens, and makes some observations. Overall, it's a very interesting read.



3. As the previous reviewer already stated, Abraham Lincoln considered this book important and influential. Centuries later, and it has clearly stood the test of time, and should be considered a classic by any standard. James Riley's tale is one that has to be seen to be believed. Sold in to slavery, staved, Riley and his crew faced insurmountable odds, and beat every one of them. This is a must-read.



4. Old books are better than new books and this book is the best example I can think of. The author only had 8 yrs of education and yet it's better than any modern book I've read. It's shows the amazing guide hand of Divine Providence in the life Captain James Riley and the Arab that bought him upon the desert of the Saharah. After reading this book no liberal activist can claim that slavery only affected the black race or was only perpetrated by white people, nor could anyone deny the existence of God. From the beginning of this book to the very end God interceeded and guided James Riley back to his loved ones and into the safe arms of a Christian nation. This book should be required reading in public school and would make a wonderful supplement for home schoolers as well. The amazing sufferings upon the desert suffered by Riley and his crew are horrific and not for the squeamish, but it's hard to complain about your own minor sufferings in life after reading this book. If you only read one book in your life besides the King James Bible it should be this one.



5. I found this book to be informative and educational gving a clear picture of the geographical area as well. I felt as though I was right there with Captain Riley.

3 comments about Libya (Country Guide).

1. By all means, this Lonely Planet guide is an extremely useful tool for those travelling in Libya, and is probably the best guidebook about the country. The author and editors have put some great work into it, resulting in an excellent achievement in terms of overall coverage and book's presentation. Few other Lonely Planet guides are as interesting and fascinating to read as this one, so filled with thrilling information on history and culture, with great anecdotes and stories about Libya's wonders. But the problem is, exactly, that this guidebook is too filled with Libya's alleged 'wonders', making Libya truly appear a real dream-country for the visitor - which, very arguably, it is not. So, if you have already made your mind about going to Libya, by all means you should take this book with you. But if you are tempted to visit Libya mainly because you have been enchanted by this book, as might indeed happen given the book's excellent prose and contents, then you should think twice. The author seems to have made great friends in Libya and have enjoyed the country greatly, and I am glad for him. But please do note: Libya is far from being a pleasant place filled with "the most pleasant people on Earth" (book's wording). I have so far been to 155 sovereign nations, and to my chagrin I am sorry to say that I have found no other place on Earth as harsh, boring and outright tidious as Libya - I enjoyed Somalia, Sierra Leone and Kosovo far more ! If you are looking for Arabic warmth, Morocco or Tunisia are a much better bet. If you are looking for desert, you have a whole half-continent to consider, including nearby Algeria. If you wish to go somewhere 'new', maybe try Cuba or Iran. And I don't see why would one bother with Libya's ancient Roman ruins, since Italy is just opposite, on the other side of the Mediterranean. And if Libya fascinates you because of its alleged dangers and novelty, plenty of other alternatives exist, from Syria to Yemen. As regards the people too, I have not had the pleasant experiences which the guidebook seems to guarantee: without wishing to stereotype a whole people, I must say that I have found a great deal of arrogant, cheating, rude and inhospitable people among Libyans. Therefore my advice simply is: please take this book's positive words very cautiously. Many inacuraccies or misrepresentations are also contained in the book. The whole range of Tripoli's top-end hotels (allegedly 5-stars), listed very positively in the book, are in reality no more than low 3-stars properties with appallingly low or inexistent customer service. Some of the restaurants listed simply don't exist, or are horribly disappointing compared to the book's description. The whole procedure of getting a visa is described in the book in a way that makes it seem complex and lawyerly, while in reality I was able to get a visa very straight-forward, and was amazed by the lack of bureaucracy encountered along the process. Having said all this, thereby placing this book below the excellent standard usually offered by Lonely Planet, the book is indeed a great achievement in terms of coverage of the whole nation. In a region so hard to get to know, the author has been able to cover small towns and villages, albeit with errors, in a way that is amazing and wonderful. And as mentioned previously, the book is so rich with facts about Libya, that it makes fascinating reading, by all means great for the armchair traveller, and for those wishing to dream of a wonderful Libya. Indeed, I wish Libya were really as the author describes it...



2. Without having read the book, I can fully agree with Mr. Giuliano's review because I've lived in Tripoli for one year. Libya is all that Mr. Giuliano has written about and more. Streets strewn with plastic bags of all sizes and ages (yes, plastic doesn't seem to rot!), Libyans trying and sometimes succeeding in tricking and cheating you, a total lack of any restaurant that resembles a restaurant. The only place I ever ate at was in a foreigners' camp and most of the time I had Yalla (Montezuma's Revenge) shortly thereafter. Unfortunately I have few fond memories that I have taken with me. I have lived in many countries, some comparable to Libya, but none has left me more disgusted and disappointed than Libya and its hypocrisy. Without the plastic bags and rotting cans, I am sure it could be a beautiful place. I just wasn't shown the pretty places.



3. Libya is not a country yet used to having many visitors from the western world (with the possible exception of Italians) so vistors should not expect too much in terms for five star comforts - or at least not yet as things are already beginning to change. It is a place well worth visiting however and this guide is very helpful in both planning your trip and finding your way around. One of the greatest tourist assests this country has are the remarkable Roman and Greek ruins at various sites throughout the country - in particular the spectular Greek ruins at Cyrene in the east of the country. (These make the acropolis of Athens look pathetic by comparison). The outlines and maps provided by Lonely Planet of these archeological sites proved accurate and helpful and allowed us to get much more out of guided tours than we could have otherwise.
   The guide proved remarkabley accurate in assessment of the quality of hotels, restaurants and sites to visit. So much so that our Libyan guide from one of the local tour companies was delighted when we gave him our copy at the airport on our departure. It should be noted that the authors have a somewhat rosey view of things - they don't mention the fact that a lot of litter is strewn throughout the country, a lot of people are not especially friendly (though many are) but they are right in pointing out that it is a relativley safe place to visit. All in all a smart investment for anyone visiting the country.

2 comments about Time Out Marrakech: Essaouira and the High Atlas (Time Out Guides).

1. I studied a lot of books before I left, and this was the most up-to-date (fall of 2007) book I found. I've liked other Time Out books as well. Once I was in Marrakech, it was invaluable for all of its information and advice. I showed it to a local man, who gave it high marks too.



2. Love the way the book introduce the culture, provide the info needed for travelling to Marrakech. I followed their recommendation for the Spa, shopping and sight-seeing. With the colorful pictures, it is light to carry. I would strongly recommend anyone to read it and bring it along with you travel. Especially the route they recommended to shopping.

5 comments about My Heart Is Africa: A Flying Adventure.

1. This is like reading about the transatlantic flight of Charles
   Lindbergh... absolutely on the edge of your seat wondering what will
   happen.
   Wonderfully told, poignant,with an insider's look at situations
   on the African continent.



2. Last year I spent 10 days in Kenya and was totally blown away with the beauty and yet the desperate poverty of this country. Today with the unrest and political turmoil it takes me back to my trip last year. This book I just received last evening and could not put it down. If you like adventure books especially planes or motorcycle travel this book is for you. It has been a good while since I have read a non-novel that was so riveting and exciting it makes you want to read it night and after night. I will give an update when I finish it and I assume that will be in a few days.



3. The book is quite entertaining.
   
   It was easy for me to identify with the author and the stories.
   
   I am a pilot and I worked in an air ambulance service in West Africa at the same period of time.
   
   The writer is doing a good job at describing the mentality and the life of expatriates in Africa.
   
   The poetic descriptions of Africa's landscapes are a bit lenghty for my taste...but otherwise it is well written.
   
   Recommended !



4. As someone who knows his way around small planes, I wouldn't get into an aircraft with this man for a million bucks. Fortunately for the reader, incident after incident of incredibly poor aviation decision making combined with the scenery and people of Africa as a backdrop makes for highly entertaining reading.



5. If you love Africa and a good story from some-one who has lived and flown an aeroplane in Africa, this is the book for you. It's a great story.

5 comments about Surrender or Starve: Travels in Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea.

1. Kaplan's book "Balkan Ghosts" was described by slavist H. Cooper (Slavic Review 52, 1993) as "a dreadful mix of unfounded generalizations, misinformation, outdated sources, personal prejudices and bad writing". The same can be applied to "Surrender or starve". Any specialist could point dozens of minor errors in this book, but lack of scholarship is not the worst. Kaplan is exasperatingly tendentious and partial and his extraordinary simplification and misunderstanding of the conflict in the Horn is outrageous. He overemphasizes the ethnic component, sometimes dangerously approaching racism in his contempt for the Amharas (they are all intrinsically bad). To be sure, the Derg (the communist regime) was evil, but linking a particular culture (the Amharas) with a transient political regime that was imposed against the people's will is absolutely wrong. Besides, anyone minimally informed knows how many Amharas suffered by the resettlement policies of the Derg.
   Worst of all, Kaplan embraces the politics he presumedly criticizes: "Surrender or starve" is not the slogan of the former Ethiopian communist regime, it is Kaplan's own motto. According to the author, we should have left 10 million Ethiopians starve in 1984-85, so as to foster a local rebellion against communist rule! To put it bluntly, this book is scholarly defective and morally despicable.
   
   Forget Kaplan. If you really want to be informed about the complex reality of Ethiopia and neighboring countries, take a look at any of the books written by historians Bahru Zewde and Harold G. Marcus or by anthropologist Donald Donham. And if you want to be informed and at the same time enjoy a superb literary experience go for Ryszard Kapuscinski's "The Emperor"!



2. The book takes a view of one side approach. I lived in Ethiopia in the 1980's and most of the staff Mr. Kaplan talked about never happened. The historical facts are missing. Emperor Menelik was not the first Amhara king there was Emperor Tewdros form Gojam which is the main Amhara region who united Ethiopia from Red Sea to Showa. Reading the book makes me think that the author had a good close relationship with then gorilla fighters now the people in power in Ethiopia and its former province Eriteria.



3. This book is almost completely about how the Communist government of Ethiopia misled the West into thinking that a small harvest was the reason for the mass starvation of 1984. Most remember this as the time when the charitable West stepped in with huge donations of grain and musician celebrities formed to perfom Band Aid. It is bad because the main culprit was the dictator Mengistu and his Communist buddies doing forced resettlement, collectivization, and centralized villages. They wanted to win the civil war raging in Ethiopia and install a Marxist government. Millions died, the Hollywood establishment blamed bad weather, and leftists told the West they weren't doing enough. Well the Ethiopian government could have stopped the genocide by stopping its failed policies.
   
   This is an eye awakening book about how the West was deceived by a Marxist Third World government. There is some material in the book about Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen but the main focus is Ethiopia. The fallen Ethiopian government failed the people it governed.



4. I have enjoyed reading a half-dozen books by Robert Kaplan, a journalist who writes about foreign affairs for the Atlantic Monthly, and this one was no exception. Although some critics consider Kaplan's analyses as overly pessimistic, most give him high praise for his skill in combining first person travel narrative, history, geo-political analysis, and a street-level view of what is unfolding in the farthest corners of our world. Surrender or Starve was first published in 1988, right after the epic famines that devastated the Horn of Africa from 1984-1987; this new edition includes a new foreword and a postscript on Eritrea (which declared independence from Ethiopia in 1991 after a thirty-year war).
   
   Kaplan is an unapologetically opinionated writer. Most of the media covered the famines that devastated eastern Africa as caused by horrible droughts, which is partly true. But Kaplan insists that Africans, and not only God, were also to blame, because the famines were greatly exacerbated by ethnic conflict and class warfare. In Sudan, the northern Muslim government in Khartoum ignored the plight of Christians in the south. In Ethiopia, the ruthless Marxist regime of Mengistu Hailie Mariam (1977-1991) turned the famine into a weapon of war against the ethnic Oromos, Tigreans and Eritreans. Massive "villagization" or forced collectivizations that displaced five million people were hailed by Mengistu as "famine relief." In 1986, for example, the World Human Rights Guide "gave Ethiopia the lowest rating of any country in the world" (p. 81). Today Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in the world. What makes Kaplan such an engaging writer is his stated intention to think and write about Africa in "a bold, unpopular, but more realistic way, judging Africa by the same standards of moral conduct that would apply to any other part of the globe" (p. xii). Characteristic of all his books, Kaplan thus places himself squarely in the tradition of realpolitik as opposed to all forms of political idealism.



5. Surrender or Starve is a solid book that deserves reading, especially if you knew nothing of the Ethiopian/Eritrean conflict. When I was young, I distinctly recall images of the famine in Ethiopia, calls to action from within the United States but, like Kaplan emphasizes, the West did not appreciate the true root cause of these problems: ethnic conflict. At the very least, I was ignorant of these factors. Kaplan made me investigate deeper and in doing so, I found a lot of interesting material on the Internet. One mild example of the two countries animosity of one another was found when I was looking for a good Ethiopian or Eritrean restaurant in NYC. I found one, incidentally, and the food is different but good--first time for Ethiopian for me. At any rate, a listing of Eritrean restaurants on an Eritrean-American website showed several but apparently 2-3 were "bought by an Ethiopian" and were blocked out with those words bolded in red. I guess for the time being with the struggle still fresh in everyone's memory (and likely to ignite again), it's not appropriate to patronize your enemy.

1 comments about Kilimanjaro: A Compete Trekker's Guide (Cicerone Mountain Walking).

1. I was very apprehensive about climbing Kilimanjaro, even though i always wanted to, until i read Mr. Stewart's book.
   
   The book put me at ease, with its comprehensive description of the routes, the dangers, and the joys.
   
   Though nothing compares to the real experience, 'Kilimanjaro, A Complete Trekker's Guide' will give the reader a thorough discussion of all aspects of the climb, from detailed route descriptions to the ultimate 'thrill of victory', and, yes, sometimes the 'agony of defeat'.
   
   The book is a must read for all first time climbers.
   
   w g moss
   Minneapolis, MN.
   USA

5 comments about The Village of Waiting.

1. Haunting--this book is raw and hontest. I can't get it off my mind. Will be visiting friends doing VSO in northern Ghana soon and am trying to get a copy for them as well.



2. George Packer's ability to describe the lives of many who live in Togo make this piece of text a must-read for all, even for those who do not have an interest in serving in the Peace Corps. He writes with raw emotion and sincerity, without a tad of pretense. I'd say that Packer's foremost accomplishment in this text is that he makes no attempt to tell a story about how a superior white individual intervenes in a remote village and rids the residents of poverty and illiteracy. Rather, The Village of Waiting is a sincere account of his realization that sadly, some things just cannot be altered. I think Packer knew this from the outset, but it is interesting to read about he endures this realization during his 2-year service in Togo.



3. I have to disagree with every review written about this book thusfar. It is not well written, for one. The style is amateurish, and it has little substance.
   But that's not what really bothers me about this book. What really bothers me is that he writes about soliciting a prostitute that he describes as having a "twelve-year-old's body." Another thing that bothered me was that George Packer dropped out of the Peace Corps without even telling his so-called friends in the village that he was leaving. He wasted the opportunity that was given to him, wrote a mediocre book about it, and yet reviewers come on Amazon.com and laud it.
   Want some free advice? Read any other book about Africa, Togo, or the Peace Corps instead. This one is not very good.



4. I spent 6 months in Africa while in college and was seriously considering joining the Peace Corps when I came across Packer's book. I was very realistic about the comic grind that is day-to-day life in Africa and the maze of paperwork, mind-numbing waiting for mundane administrative tasks to be accomplished and pervasive acceptance of inefficiency. However, Packer's book really brought home to me the toll of isolation takes on your ability to cope with these realities. Early on, Packer states that Peace Corps volunteers fall into 2 categories, the world savers and the folks that just to try to help in a small way and enjoy the experience. Packer recognizes he falls into the second category and even the detachment humor and a bit of cynicism can not protect him from the inequities and pain of life in pre-AIDS ridden Africa. I thought the book was honest and is on my list of 'must reads' for those thinking about committing full time to any volunteer group.



5. If you want to cast moral judgement on George Packer, don't read this book. If you want to read the best Peace Corps book ever written, at least about life in Africa, then pick up this book. I lived in Guinea in the mid-90s, while Packer was in Togo in the early 80s. Yet I felt like he was describing my own village, my own frustrations, my own thoughts and feelings (save the prostitute). This was the book that convinced me not to write a book about my own experience. He did it, only better.

5 comments about The Journey of the Lost Boys: A Story of Courage, Faith and the Sheer Determination to Survive by a Group of Young Boys Called "The Lost Boys of Sudan".

1. Readers of this book will be touched by the stories of these incredible young men, who, at an early age, were separated from their parents and families. The atrocities witnessed by the boys are unspeakable. The author has provided the readers with stories that make those who have lived a life without fear take a new appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy in the United States.



2. This is the book you need to read if you are unfamiliar with the background of the issues in Sudan, the Lost Boys, and the issues faced by refugees who come to America. Ms. Hecht might not be an " academic", but she is the person with an enormous amount of first hand information on these subjects, and she breaks it down into managable pieces. Even if you are knowledgable on these subjects, this book is still useful as a clarifying tool. Ms. Hecht is also very committed, and that comes through on every page.



3. I can only summarize my comment about this book in a few words. The author Joan Hecht did a wonderful task in narrating the frightening and heartbreaking experience of the thousands of lost boys of the Sudan,Africa's largest country. Their dangerous journey involving thousands of miles in a very hostile landscape is incredible. The author's very kind heart,sincere consideration and admiration for these children is worth more than all the gold of the world. Very highly recommended for young and old.



4. The Journey of the Lost Boys, written by Joan Hecht of the Alliance for the Lost Boys, is a story of courage, faith and the sheer determination to survive against all odds. Abraham Chol Kuany is one of these young men. In childlike language, he traces his harrowing journey from his small, Dinka village in southern Sudan where life was simple to the 1,000 mile trek across a forbidden land filled with starvation and death. "We were so thirsty that we sometimes drank our own urine...There was nothing else to do at this point but stop and wait. We stopped and waited...for our time to die."
   The book is filled with similar images by the Lost Boys who now live in Jacksonville, Florida. It is a real eye-opener to the plight of the Sudanese people and these young men. It is a journey etched into our minds and hearts.



5. I have just ordered my third copy of this book as friends are eager to borrow it once they take a look at the drawings and the pictures of these incredible young men who survived challenges beyond belief. I complain less and appreciate more after reading this easy -to- read book that does not get into the politics heavily but focuses on the everyday triumphs and challenges of these spirits who came to America through the grace of God. "Mama Joan" ranks right up there with the most dedicated humanitarians and because of her, over twenty lives have been forever changed. Having met some of the boys, I hope to meet her someday. Claudia Scott, Jacksonville, Florida