2 comments about Tunisia (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. This is the best travel guide I've ever found. Full of full color photographs and information that is relevant and sectioned in a logical manner. Well worth the money.



2. I find the guide useful in my recent travel to Tunisia but many places need updating, particularly the "where to stay" and "where to eat" sections the comments in which I find run-of-the-mill and, in some cases, outdated, e.g. one hotel was closed down more than a year ago despite its mentioning in the guide. I find these two sections disappointing.

5 comments about The Ends of the Earth: From Togo to Turkmenistan, from Iran to Cambodia, a Journey to the Frontiers of Anarchy.

1. Robert Kaplan is my favorite non-fiction writer. I have read almost everything he has written. This book was the first book of his that I read -- it prompted me to read many more. This author is absolutely brilliant in processing information, making relationships among trends, and communicating them to others. He's also brilliant at survival because he goes to places few would even imagine contemplating. This particularly book is extraordinarily well cited and substantiated with sources.



2. Kaplan has got to be one of the best foreign journalists of our day. I especially could not put down the first section on Africa, where he describes the Third-World regions of equatorial Africa with such precision that the disgust, nausea, and blood-ridden condition of many of these people was almost like a pop-up picture book in it's concrete detail. His stark realism is absolutely stunning in describing (from a secondary source) the difference between the developed nations and Africa proper:{paraphrase}" A stretch limo with US. Britain, Europe, Canada, and parts of Latin America inside, cruising alongside the dirt roads of oblivion where everyone else is going a different way." This book has awesome power to it.



3. Because all I have to say is that this is an outstanding book. Incredibly in depth, the bibliography itself is worth reading if only to garner more reading materials. Made me wish I had Lexis at home, to access some of the older articles he references. Kaplan won me over completely when he exhibited reverence for Kapuscinski in the section on Iran.
   
   Read one of Kaplan's books, you won't regret it.



4. First a few criticisms: Kaplan covers a monster amount of ground in this book without developing a cohesive narrative element. For instance a journey along the Silk Road would have an obvious narrative element. He could have developed even a contrived means of guiding the reader along. Perhaps he could have matched the footsteps of Alexander the Great, or used geology or some common element to give continutuity and guidance to the reader. Some might argue he uses the common travails of the developing world to link his travels but instead he spent most of his time explaining how Iran wasn't Turkey for example. I think this lack of cohesion can confuse the reader. But ultimately, Kaplan is not for light reading. He is not intent on amusing. And he is very interested in giving the reader the unvarnished world as he sees it.
   
   So while I criticize Kaplan for not being Thoreaux of some other great travel writer it may also be his greatest strength. Kaplan is his own State Department, CIA and Assocaited Press. He gives background derived from copious research. He offers experiential comparisons. He draws on local sources. All balanced with what can almost be called objectivity.
   
   At times, Kaplans near love fest with Iran annoyed. But it is hard to fault someone with experience well beyond that of any diplomat or common reporter.
   
   All in all, this is not his best book but still extremely enjoyable and worth reading.



5. In this book, written some 15 years ago as huge parts of the world were coming out of decades of communism, US journalist Kaplan tells of his travels to some of the more troubled spots in the world: West Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, Indochina. His thesis is that huge parts of the world are going through a period of anarchy, or, to put it in another words, they are going to hell. The chapters about Iran and Turkey are surprisingly good (Kaplan bothered himself into learning about the history and politics of these places before going there, and his impressions are reasoned and intelligent); the material about Central Asia is by comparison, extremely poor (he doesn't seem to say there anything except that these countries reeks). The other countries covered are in between in terms of the quality of his comments. Overall, and given the fact that Kaplan has the opportunity to travel that few other people have, this book could have been far better. Despite the huge bibliography in the back, the research into it seemed particularly poor.

4 comments about The Voices of Marrakesh: A Record of a Visit.

1. "The Voices of Marrakesh," by Elias Canetti, has been translated from German by J.A. Underwood. The copyright page of the 2001 edition notes that both text and translation have a 1967 copyright date. The back cover notes that author Canetti was born in Bulgaria and received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1981.

   "Voices," which is divided into 14 short chapters, is the first person account of a visit to the Moroccan city of the title. Canetti tells of encounters with and observations of camels, beggars, donkeys, merchants, and other inhabitants of the city. The book is a fascinating record of cross-cultural contact, and includes an intriguing view into the Mellah, the Jewish quarter of Marrakesh.

   The book is full of vividly rendered scenes; Canetti really brings these people and animals to life on the page. The book also has a dark edge as he recounts the exploitative underside of the city. Literacy and linguistic difference are also key themes.

   "Voices" is a short text (103 pages), but rich in mystery, tragedy, and wonder. As a companion text I recommend "The Jaguar Smile," by Salman Rushdie.




2. As a twelve-year foreign resident of Marrakesh, I read with interest this slim volume in about two hours. Before reading, I thought this was something written in the past 20 years. But I quickly discovered that the author's sejour in Morocco must have occurred in about 1959 (according to my Moroccan husband) due to certain events mentioned. (The book was first published in 1967.)

   The book takes place in the time when Morocco was still part of the French Colonial Empire, and when the French had placed a "puppet" sultan on the throne. The author speaks of camel markets in Bab Khemis, the camels having walked in a train of 105 animals from the Western Sahara. Those not purchased by butchers (yes, for eating) in Marrakesh were to continue walking north to Settat, the end of the line for the camel trains (just outside of Casablanca). This must have been before trucking was the common method of transport. Occassional "blue men" of the Sahara could still be seen in Marrakesh.

   This book will be of particular interest to any visitors of Moroccan Jewish origin who may be returning to visit the land of their parents. The author, we find out, is Jewish, and just happens to meet up with some members of the Jewish community. He gets pulled into their own little world (which no longer exists in Marrakesh, as most of that community emmigrated to Israel after 1967). He relates his experiences.

   If you are thinking of traveling to Marrakesh, or anywhere in Morocco, this little book will open your eyes to the sights, sounds, and smells of the city. Much of the city has changed, but the atmosphere has remained the same.




3. "The voices of Marrakesh. A Record of a Visit" is one of the sharpest and most original accounts of the life in the Moroccan city written by a tourist. The1981 Nobel Prize winner, and author of the famous "Auto da Fe", Elias Canetti, has described his impressions from the stay in Marrakesh. He was indeed a tourist, although the better word in his case might be "a visitor", and many of his observations are typical for such, but his language and style would make this slim book exciting anyway. His view makes the streets of Marrakesh interesting and mysterious, the camels have their own personal life, the donkeys accept their sad fate and the art of negotiation at the souk is a starting point for the divagations on the human nature.
   
   There are, however, many chapters on not-so-touristically-obvious subjects. Canetti, being Jewish, was especially interested in the life of the Jewish minority and explored the Jewish quarter, which resulted in amazing observations, central to the book. His perception is acute and his opinion of people he encountered (he loved the native women!) are witty and deep at the same time. His voice is very fresh, the book does not sound like a guide, and one of the best points is that, despite his obvious fascination with his exotic surroundings, he can be very critical without being offensive and retaining the respect for the people he describes. His use of words is superb and the translation does not cause the loss of the flow and atmosphere he evoked.
   
   Although written more than 50 years ago, "The Voices of Marrakesh" did not lose the charm and magnetizing quality.



4. I purchased and read this book while in Morocco and loved the descriptions of life in the streets.

5 comments about Tropical Gangsters: One Man's Experience With Development And Decadence In Deepest Africa.

1. It is not very common to find a World Bank economist who writes with a touch of humor, humility and eloquence, but that is exactly what you will discover in this unique book. The author was a World Bank advisor assigned to the tiny African nation of Equatorial Guinea in the late 1980's, a time when many African nations were beginning to flirt with market reforms and economic liberalization. This book is kind of like a personal diary of the time he spent there. It is written in an easygoing, informal style. He alternates between discussing his job- trying to develop an economic strategy that will enable E. Guinea to qualify for a World Bank loan- and discussing his recreational activities, which range from surfboarding to hanging out with African rock stars. He introduces us to many people- government officials, "experts" from the UN and other international organizations, and ordinary Equatoguineans. He seems to be particularly critical of the so-called "experts," many of whom are in this remote backwater merely because "they couldn't find jobs in their own countries." Many economists and other academics seeking a rigorous, theoretical analysis of African political economy might be frustrated by this informal style, but I think it adds an extra dimension to the story of economic reform in the third world. It helps remind us that these structural adjustment policies thought up in Washington D.C. are implement by real people facing real constraints in recipient countries. Klitgaard does an excellent job of relating the pressures faced by well-intentioned (and some not so well-intentioned) government ministers, as they must deal with corruption, apathetic bureaucrats, nasty military officers, and the poor infrastructure found in every developing country. All in all, this is a great read for anybody interested in the troubles facing third-world countries, for anyone curious about why these countries can't seem to get out of their economic malaise. Although it was written in 1991, it seems just as relevant today as it did when it was written.



2. What initially attracted me to Tropical Gangsters was surfing. As a surfer working at the time for AusAID, Australia's government foreign aid agency, I was fascinated by Robert Klitgaard as Foreign Aid Surfer Dude. He surfed and worked in Equatorial Guinea, paralleling a particular dream of mine, which I eventually played out in the Pacific. But his book goes much further than simply surfing the Third World: it gives a quirky and realistic picture of the difficulties (and joys) of working in a developing country. Unlike most books on development, it is a personal testament from someone who's been there and done that, and which makes an engaging read. Highly recommended.



3. (Memoir) Account of author's work as leader of
   a World Bank project in Equatorial Guinea in
   1987. Klitgaard provides a nice mix of stories
   about day-to-day life anecdotes and how the
   World Bank interacts with ministers of
   government. He's also a very "groovy" guy,
   jamming on the guitar with local pop stars and
   continually searching for good waves.
   
   Potentially offensive material: nothing serious



4. engaging and informative. a must for those interested in economic rehabilitation of west african countries.



5. I worked in Liberia for a year and could tell some of the same stories. Utter corruption at every level coupled with the average government fuctionary's well developed sense of his/her own importance makes dealing with them something that would lead Mother Teresa to drink. As the book makes clear, the state exists to serve the "elite", i.e. the gangsters. The author puts in all down in facinating detail. Haven't seen another book that captures what's wrong in Africa with such insight. Since the book was published Equatorial Guinea, the country that's the focus of the book, has come into a lot of oil wealth. The money has all disappeared into various off shore accounts owned by the gangsters in charge without benefiting the people one iota. Nothing ever changes. Aug 2008 update. I just read that Riggs Bank (now PNC) has been investigated because they have $375 million in funds that they were hiding for the gangsters.

1 comments about Lonely Planet Madagascar & Comoros (Lonely Planet Madagascar) (Multi Country Guide).

1. Writing a review of a travel guide that one has not yet used presents fundamental difficulties in judging the usefulness, accuracy, and validity of the information given. Nonetheless, I have lots of experience using guides and, further, I have the 2007 edition of Hilary Bradt's Madagascar book to compare with the Lonely Planet publication. To begin with, the Lonely Planet guide is of a smaller format and shorter in length than Bradt. It covers an additional subject, the Comoros. The net effect is a more surface treatment of the sights and regions of the country, but a heavy emphasis on such practical aspects as where to stay and eat and how to get around. There are excellent maps of towns and small local areas. Lonely Planet authors give opinions about destinations that have become too popular for their own good and suggest itineraries. One irritating feature, however, is the index. Numerous times, when I attempted to look up a place, I could not find it until I studied the two-page color map at the beginning of the book (you have to have an idea where in Madagascar this place is) and found out how it was listed. For example, I couldn't find Isalo until I looked under Parc National d'l'Isalo. Overall, I believe that the Lonely Planet guide to Madagascar is an indispensible companion, but I believe, too, that the Bradt has so many other assets that the two books complement each other and I would not want to travel in Madagascar without either of them.

5 comments about My Mercedes is Not for Sale: From Amsterdam to Ouagadougou...An Auto-Misadventure Across the Sahara.

1. If your idea of a great vacation is getting into a car and driving somewhere new and exciting, you will enjoy this book. This is one of the best travel/road trip books I have read in a long time.
   
   As pointed out in a previous review, the book is not intended to be very funny, like books by Maarten Troost or Bill Bryson, but I really enjoy the author's writing style. He does an excellent job of describing the many interesting characters he encounters on the way and weaves in many interesting facts and history about Western Africa. I also enjoyed the author's forays into the philosophical aspects of automobiles and his discussions of "Zenn and the Art of Motorcycle Repair." As an interesting side note, the author includes several chapters that detail his attempts to locate previous owners of his Mercedes, which I found interesting and entertaining.



2. A road trip across the Sahara in a battered 17-year-old Mercedes with 136,000 (at least) miles on it doesn't seem like the kind of trip to undertake alone. Particularly if you don't know the first thing about car repair.
   
   Nevertheless, Dutch journalist Bergeijk can't get the idea out of his head after attending a friend's wedding in Ougadougou in West Africa. Falling into the back of a clapped-out wreck of a Mercedes, held together with rust and baling wire, he discovers the car was originally from Holland.
   
   He's always wanted to drive a Mercedes, so why not across the desert? Determined to have an adventure and make a profit - determined being the operative word - Bergeik sets out with copies of "Sahara Overland," a "Lonely Planet" guide and a Mercedes repair manual that might as well be in Greek.
   
   He encounters lost souls, con men, thieves, low lifes, cut throats and tourists. Little is as he expects it to be. "Or, to put it another way, wherever you go in the world, sooner or later you run into other people and then the party's over."
   
   Entering the desert, he refuses a guide. Within minutes, of course, he's lost and bogged in sand to the axles in a minefield. Yes, a literal mine field. After being rescued, he gets a plate fixed to the bottom of his car to keep sand out of delicate parts and hires a guide.
   
   The guide is a supercilious, chain-smoking, 20-something rap fan. And the road turns to smooth, impeccable asphalt - the new Trans-Sahara Highway. Which is being swallowed by sand almost as quickly as it can be built. "The problem, of course, is maintenance - like everywhere in Africa."
   
   Bergeijk punctuates his narrative with riffs on life in Africa - his take on the African attitude toward the future, poverty, the wealth of the West. The mechanic who installs the plate on the bottom of his car owns only a rickety, inadequate jack. Bergeijk has a good one, which he offers to trade for the work. "No deal. Amadou preferred money." Rather than invest in equipment for his business tomorrow, he needed to pay bills today.
   
   "Now that was one thing. I could follow his reasoning. But then he asked: Can't you give me that jack? Here was someone who could take care of himself, who had mastered a trade, had his own business, and who shamelessly asked: Won't you give it to me? Like a little kid." Annoyed, Bergeijk threw the jack back in his trunk and went on his way.
   
   The narrative makes side trips onto the history of travel in the Sahara, from the horrific experience of shipwrecked merchants in the early 19th century (retraced in Dean King's excellent "Skeletons on the Zahara") to the first motorized Saharan crossing in 1922. He also explores the history of his own vehicle, tracing and interviewing its previous owners, even visiting the factory where it was made.
   
   Funny, sharp and reckless (though he probably wouldn't describe himself that way), Bergeijk has no patience for boors or whiners. His descriptions of the sand-blasted African towns along his route are unlikely to increase tourism while his encounters with people - many of them adventurers like himself - are hilarious, eccentric and occasionally terrifying. The map at the front of the book is useful for following along.
   
   Eye-opening and entertaining, Bergeijk's debut will have readers hoping he travels again.



3. I find that travel writing is one of the best ways to attune to one's inner gonzo. Perhaps it's best explained by the saying truth is stranger than fiction. Indeed, the mere experience of finding yourself in sand-swept Nouakchott, Mauritania, just after leaving a comfy flat in Amsterdam can hammer home said reality is a fine feeling to savor.
   
   Especially from the comfort of a good book, which is what My Mercedes is Not for Sale: From Amsterdam to Ouagadougou...an Auto Mis-adventure across the Sahara delivers. Jeroen van Bergeijk tells the story of his seemingly innocuous quest to deliver his car, a Mercedes-Benz 190 D through Saharan Africa in a grand quest to...wait for it...sell it.
   
   But it is so much more than that. After a brief introduction to the culture of Mercedes-Benz as well as his own car, he immediately takes the reader to the dust, deception, poverty, corruption and overall culture of Western Africa and its obsession with the automotive throwaways of Europe. Peppered with the historical outlook of various historical/literary visitors such as James Riley, Mungo Park, and Antoine de Saint-Exupery, the culture becomes more engrossing. It's a comedic, frightening, even meaningful romp through countries like Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Ghana, Mali, Togo and Burkina Faso in search of some adventure as well as a quick sale.
   
   The great thing about this book is that it's not geared toward the hardcore car enthusiast, but rather the culture of someplace deemed exotic or authentic; the car is merely the vehicle, ahem, of such authenticity. Which is, he states, in the spirit of Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (to which he often refers), the act of trying to grasp the essence of a place. As the book progresses, he seems to get a whole lot of it, perhaps more than he bargains for.
   
   Africa's authentic essence is timelessness. "Things in Africa come in two forms," he states, "broken and not broken". With the insistence that life is thus lived according to the phrase "god willing" or "inshallah", time really has no place here. He states that for these people, there is no future; everything, every decision is done for the moment for survival.
   
   This sentiment is evident through all characters encountered along the way, from the ever-predictable corrupt border officials (regardless of country), to roving bands of car thieves and drug traffickers, desert guides, car merchants/repairmen, to everyday citizens looking to employ the fine art of finagling or chep-chep, just to make their daily ends meet.
   
   But aside from the corruption, poverty and lawlessness, van Bergeijk also finds a sense of serenity and exquisite freedom in his journey. Meeting colorful tourists and expats along the way he realizes how Africa is a destination for people running away from something, that it has comfort to offer.
   
   In the end, this is an extremely fast and engaging read about an often overlooked area of the world in which is found an essence that's worth deeper examination. It truly is an authentic work, well worth reading.



4. Taking guidance from Robert Pirsig's "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," Alain de Botton, Paul
   Bowles and Saint Exupery, the author drives from Amsterdam to Burkina Faso in his Mercedes 190;
   his intent to sell the car in Africa. Along the way, he captured the essence of West Africa, its used car trade, rampant bribery and an engrossing wanderlust. A quick, fun read for the transcontinental plane ride.



5. Dutch journalist Jeroen van Bergeijk drove through Europe and Morocco, and into Burkina Faso. He had bought a 1988 Mercedes 190D in the Netherlands for the equivalent of $1,200, hoping to sell it for a profit. He describes his objective:
   
   "There are ads like this on the Dutch Internet auction site marktplaats.nl all the time: 'For sale: 1988 Mercedes 190 D Price: $1,400 136,400 miles. Alarm. Black 4-door. Excellent condition. Recent checkup, oil change, safety and emissions inspection.' This one gets my attention because everything about it seems right: the kind of Mercedes I'm looking for, a reasonable asking price, not too many miles, and a recent inspection. 'My phone hasn't stopped ringing,' the owner says when I call his cell phone number on a Saturday morning. 'You can have a look, but the first good offer gets it.' I drive immediately to one of the new suburbs just outside The Hague. The owner's name is Ronald. He works for the police. And so, the implication is, can be trusted. Ronald is a well-built man with close-cropped hair, about what you'd expect for a police officer.T aciturn, a bit stern, but not unfriendly. We stroll to his Mercedes, which seems rather out of place among the brand-new gleaming mid-class cars parked on Ronald's tidy little street. The finish is dull. There's a crack in the bumper. The sunroof doesn't open anymore. The driver's seat sags, and the doors don't lock."
   
   "I couldn't get that cab in Ouagadougou out of my mind. On the plane home to Amsterdam, I'd obsessed about how that car had wound up there. I imagined a Dutch aid worker who'd gotten the Mercedes from his uncle and imported it through the port in neighboring Benin. Maybe an African immigrant to the Netherlands had bought the car and sent it to his family in Burkina Faso. Or some adventurous Dutchman had driven that Mercedes 190 straight through the Sahara to Ouagadougou to sell it there to the highest bidder. But what really happened? How did a Dutch car end up in Africa?"
   
   van Bergeijk has written an interesting account of his journey, alluding often to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig. He's practical -- he took an off-road driving course before leaving home -- but not that practical; he knows nothing about repairing the car.
   
   Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg takes him to task on that discrepancy in an interview in "The Wall Street Journal."
   
   "WSJ: Throughout this book you refer to Robert M. Pirsig's "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance." Yet you didn't do your own repairs, and appeared completely reliant on others. What happened?
   
   "Mr. Van Bergeijk: I'm not a very good mechanic. He describes the tension between the hippy, groovy thing, and the square, do-your-own-repair sensibility. He sees that division everywhere in America. It's the same division between Eastern and Western philosophies. I have similar tensions. I'd like to repair my car myself, but I can't be bothered."
   
   That answer didn't satisfy me, frankly; Van Bergeijk's book lacked the tension I was entranced with in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Van Bergeijk has written a journal of a sometimes pleasant, sometimes unpleasant learning experience. In particular he was struck by the grimness of the countries he visited, but was surprised to find "upbeat people" everywhere he went.
   
   The photographs are extraordinary -- gigantic loads of materials and people on trucks for example. A very good sampling appears on Van Bergeijk's excellent website which is devoted in large measure to his journey. His writing is clear and generally insightful. I had stopped by a Manhattan bookstore for his book signing, but in the event spent a very pleasant two hours with his book instead at a nearby Starbucks. Somehow reading about the journey seemed more satisfying than waiting in line and then briefly talking with the author. And so it proved to be.
   
   Robert C. Ross 2008

1 comments about Curse Of The Black Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta.

1. I just returned from working in Port Harcourt for several months. This is a very graphic book from people who were able to penetrate the heart of the Niger Delta with pictures that very few people would otherwise be able to see.

No comments about Zambia, 4th (Bradt Travel Guide Zambia).

5 comments about African Safari Journal.

1. This journal was wonderful!!!! It had all the information that I needed about the animals, had maps of the areas, translations for the various languages, space to enter all my thoughts, information about the people who were on safari with us, our personal information - everything!!! I'll cherish it forever!



2. This book is full of not-enough information to bring on a trip and therefore has precious little extra room for you to do your own writing. The maps are such poor quality that you'll undoubtedly have a better one, and all the extra information is just not worth the weight. Better to bring a blank book along with a good map or guide book. Could be very good for kids if parents are already informed.



3. I have been to Kenya three times and would not leave home without this book! Its a wonderful way to remember what you saw and what you need to take.



4. When I received this book and checked it out, I was so impressed, I purchased one for each of the other two couples we were going on Safari with. Fortunately they liked it enough to bring it along. We went on 4 different safaris in 2 different countries. By the second day we were bringing our books on each game drive, identifying and checking off all the animals, birds, reptiles etc. that we came across. The journal part was a bonus! It was the color illustrations of all the animals, reptiles, birds etc and a checklist of each one that was so valuable. We would not have remembered the names, coloring etc. without it. The packing list, resources, maps, star gazing, glossary, photography tips were excellent and up to date. A must have book to get you into the Safari experience.



5. If you are going on a safari to Africa, this is a must have! Love it and have used it two years now, keeping a journal of what I have seen!

2 comments about The Villas and Riads of Morocco.

1. This work is thoroughly researched and beautifully presented. As well as the delights of the photography and text, it contains really interesting aspects of social history.



2. It is an exquisite book, filled with photographs to make you drool and text that informs you of the nuances of homes so far from my own. Buy it! So worth the money to have it sitting on your shelves!