3 comments about Africa on Six Wheels: A Semester on Safari.

1. I found the book, Africa on Wheels: A semester on safari by Betty Levitov, quite informative on contemporary social issues in Africa. The author took 13 students, male and female, of Doane College, Nebraska, USA, to eastern and southern Africa in 2002. They spent three months touring and learning about interesting landscapes, plants, animals, and socialising with local people. The group travelled in a van with six wheels, which was driven by an Australian with a highly fragmented and apparently fabled biography. At the end of their African travel and adventure, commonly called safari, every student reported that the experience had profoundly deepened his or her understanding of African people and life in general. And, in the words of the author, 'in spite of many dangers of traveling in Africa, no student died or became pregnant.'
   
   The author provided interesting background information to the places they visited, and described local people and individuals objectively and with affection. Unlike certain foreign writers, whose books are a catalog of the ugly and the comical in Africa, Levitov presented her observations fairly and objectively. Of course, she discussed the problem of poverty that is prevalent in most developing countries.
   
   I have a few criticisms on the book. While the author frequently mentioned taking numerous photographs, there is no single photo in the book to help the reader connect text to image. The cover of the book contains an illustration of a vehicle and a scenery, which do not match any description in the book. Shouldn't a book of travel and adventure contain show the reader some images that the author saw? Also, I felt the author dwelt on trivial musings of the students for far too long, and memorable events were too far in-between. Nevertheless, the book is very informative, and I strongly recommend it to any reader seeking objective and honest information on contemporary social life in Africa.
   Leo Juma, Riverside, California



2. I love reading travel books and I am especially interested in Africa. I have unfortunately been disappointed in the past with travel books about Africa written in a depressing or patronizing manner. Although plagued with many problems, Africa is full of people with hopes, dreams and talents. This book brings out the positive and best aspects of Africa and the people that live there without being unrealistic about the challenges they face.
   
   Overall this book was a very pleasant suprise. It is written by a professor who takes her students on a semester to Africa. She writes in a very honest, humorous and non-preachy way about the students, her travels and everyone's reaction to the places they visit and the people they meet as well as her experiences teaching and living in a communal household. She is a good story teller and each chapter has one main point and it is made in a very interesting and poignant way.
   
   I really enjoyed this book and found myself learning much from her insights and also learning about Africa as well. Out of all the travel books I have read "Africa on Six Wheels" is definitely one of my favorites!



3. I love this type of adventure/travel book but I could only make it half way through this book before I finally gave up. Half way through a book on Africa... didn't the author see any animals? I wanted to know more than.. we went here, then we stayed here, then we ate this. Didn't you see any wildlife worth reporting?
   Sorry, but it just isn't all that interesting.

No comments about A Tramp in Africa.

No comments about Cameroon's Tycoon: Max Esser's Expedition and Its Consequences (Cameroon Studies, 3).

5 comments about 12 Days in Ghana: Reunions, Revelations & Reflections.

1. My co-worker's brother wrote this book so I decided to support him and read it. Since I'm preparing for a trip to Ghana also I thought this book was interesting and Mr. Gaines' adventures were hilarious.



2. 12 Days in Ghana is a superb publication! Once I started reading the book, I couldn't put it down. I was amazed that this was Mr. Gaines first publication. 12 Days in Ghana made me laugh and cry - he did an excellent job on incorporating emotions and humor throughout the book. His writing style made me feel that I was with him on his journey to Ghana. This book has inspired me to continue my research on my family history. I highly recommend this book to anyone planning a voyage to their Ghana or anyone who is planning to search their own roots. I am hoping Mr. Gaines will write a sequel to the book!



3. It is remarkable to think that this is Mr. Gaines first book! He has hit a homerun the first time at bat! After completing the book I was struck with a desire to experince Ghana for myself!



4. I was very disapointed with this book. I'm recently teaching many Ghanains and hoped this book would give me a liottle bit of insight on their culture, but it was just a boring travel journal. I would not recommed this book, unless you're a good friend or family member of Mr. Gaines.



5. There are 10 reviews of this book here, they do not all seem genuine, just keep that in mind. they are all written in the same style, with many of the same comments.

1 comments about The Unveiling of Timbuctoo.

1. Rene Caillie was one of the great explorers and adventurers in European history. His journey to Timbuctoo is awe inspiring. It is a grand testament to the human spirit that he was able to overcome so many obstacles to achieve this staggering dream. This uneducated, unfinanced young man attained a goal unfullfilled by many a great explorer. Galbraith Welch does a fine job of retelling this amazing tale. I would have to state that I found some of her narrative condescending to the African natives and customs that Caillie encountered in his rounds. There is a trace of a sneer which was probably lacking in Caillie himself. This is a minor criticism, however. Welch was also a product of her own era. It does not diminish from a spectacular achievement. I was inspired by this story. The human spirit once more displays its glory. Obstacles can be overcome and goals can be attained. Overall, this is a valuable book to read.

2 comments about Ethiopia: Off the Beaten Trail.

1. THis is an "OK" book. Even though I know most of the stories in the book....I believe it did a good job in trying to introduce parts of Ethiopia many folks wouldn't know.:)



2. John Graham obviously has a profound amount of affection and respect for Ethiopia. It's history, culture and joie de vivre. I'm not sure many Anglo-North Americans have thought about Ethipoia as a vacation destination, but Graham's description of dance bars in the big city, 2000 year old churches, and bustling villages and markets Make it seem far more real than the stereotypes we are used to.

   Not that Graham makes it seem like the easiest place to travel, but he quickly gets way, way beyond the big-bellied child and desperate, doe-eyed mother of World Vision imagery to a nation of dignity and depth. The author understands the issues and includes things like when to trust a 'guide' and when not to. As the area's Program Director of Save the Children, he obviously knows what he's talking about, but he also makes it very clear that this mature nation has a wealth of experience to shareand expresses a deep committment to the real people of Ethiopia.

   Graham's good, edging on sarcastic, humour makes this book an easy read. (The chapter about hitting a pedestrian walks the line between humour and horror with amzing balance). Whether you're planing a trip or not, this book should be picked up by anyone interested in history, religion, Africa, or working overseas. I wasn't even planning a trip, but I'm eager to find an opportunity as soon as I can.

2 comments about Robben Island (Mayibuye History & Literature Series, No. 76.).

1. Inspired by a trip to Capetown, I picked up "Robben Island" (the place where Nelson Mandela and countless other prisoners were interned for years) in the airport on my way out of South Africa. The jacket convinced me that the book would be a detailed history and a captivating read. Detailed it is; captivating it is most certainly not. If you want to get a true feeling of the island, read the words of people who inhabited it - the prisoners, the islanders, even the guards - not those of a journalistic reporter.



2. On a visit to Robben Island, Cape Town we bought this book ahead of time. Although I had heard rave reviews of it on radio in South Africa and seen excellent newpaper and magazine reviews,I still thought it would be a dour summary of the history of this important site. However, I was thrilled by the evocative writing. The telling of stories in every chapter, whether we are being taken by a marine archaeologist working in Table Bay to the depths of the ocean to examine the incredible findings in this near perfect martime archaeological site, to the wonderful love story of Wilton and Irene Mkwayi who were the first people allowed to be married at the prison in teh 20th century - the couple were in their sixties, he was jailed with Nelson Mandela and she died not long after. The stories of the natural environment, the flora and fauna added richness to our explorations while on the Island. We could almost hear the myths and legends of the place and the seas ring to us as we stood on the beach and felt wind gust about us. My grandfather was in the Navy during the Second World War and I felt I could understand some of his experiences from the chapter on that time. The chapters on Robben Island as a prison, particularly a political prison gave me a whole new insight into this Island and the people who have risen to greatness despite being on it. I have since bought this book for others who have loved it and cannot recommend it too highly. J Myburgh.

1 comments about Africa Uncorked: Travels in Extreme Wine Territory.

1. John and Erica Platter helped bring south African wine to the knowledge of the rest of the world with the country's first wine travel guide, and their Africa Uncorked, Travels In Extreme Wine Territory follows the idea of unusual African wines through Africa in a travelogue which journeys from Algeria to Madagascar and beyond. Unusual wine and food discoveries, strange characters, and adventure permeates Africa Uncorked, which provides equal attention to cultural and culinary discoveries on the continent. A bold topic, a bold adventure, and a bold approach makes Africa Uncorked hard to put down.

No comments about Africa Against The Clock On A Motorcycle.

No comments about The Expat Confessions.