No comments about Dateline Soweto: Travels with Black South African Reporters.

No comments about Globetrotter Islands Mauritius (Globetrotter Islands: Mauritius).

1 comments about Africa's Great Rift Valley.

1. Africa's Great Rift Valley written and photographed by Nigel Pavitt is a wonderfully illustrated book on the fauna and flora of Africa's Great Rift Valley. This valley is most unique in it's layout, as the largest, longest and most prominent feature of its kind on earth.

   The Grerat Rift Valley spans over 3,400 miles and incorporates land from Ethiopia in the north to Mozambique in the south. Elevation range fron 500 feet below sea level to mountains over 16,000 feet. This part of Africa is presumed to be where mankind started and evolved, from the discovery by the Leakeys, Louis and Mary, Richard and Meave who found the oldest partial skeleton of mankinds ancesters. The fauna are noteable as well and includes chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas and there is the greatest concentration of grassland animals found on Earth.

   The pictures are spectacular and they tell a fantastic story of the geological evolution of this area from salt brines to volcanic activity to some of the most spectacular vistas on Earth. This book is well-written and tells an engaging story of one of the most interesting features on planet Earth. Few books about places in the world contain what this book does you'll find it well worth the money for information about geological and evolutionary history, not to mention exploration and conquest, but most importantly there are stories of the peoples living close to nature that are very engrossing.

   You'll go back and reread parts of this book as I have to view and understand what Dr. David Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley found so captivating as they traveled the lenght and breadth of the Rift Valley.

No comments about The Napoleonic Survey of Egypt: Description De L'Egypte : The Monuments and Customs of Egypt : Selected Engravings and Texts.

No comments about Algeria Geographical Map.

1 comments about Safari-Safari: Chasing the Big Five in Botswana and Tanzania, Africa.

1. An amazing tale of life and death
   Safari-Safari is a wonderful account of a man risking life and limb on the African Continent. It is an amazing record of a man on a hunt who respected and loved the animals he hunted. His search for 'trophies' was the result of his admiration of the animals he sought. Even though his devotion to conservation officially came later, his respect was obvious when he went on the safaris. 'Trophy targets' meant the old, mature and aged animals, the ones who would become the victims of the predators that would destroy them slowly and painfully. As a young man, Dr. Abernathy earned, deservedly, the respect of the 'white hunters', the professional hunters, who would usually give disdain over admiration. The respect by the many trackers, bearers and other company was obviously never given lightly and was bestowed on Dr. Abernathy in rare fashion. This book is a journal a most exciting adventure. Exhaustive treks through desert and marsh were the order of the day. Dr Abernathy is NO 'Walter Mitty'. One could only wish that the 'African Conservationists' would have sought the advice and counsel of a true sportsman like Dr Abernathy and his professional hunters. Even as an 'amature' in Africa, Dr Abernathy's love and respect for wildlife was evident. His iron nerves in the face of almost certain death was mystifying. I strongly recommend this book to hunters and conservationists alike.

No comments about Géographie moderne, rédigée sur un nouveau plan, ou description historique, politique, civile et naturelle des empires, royaumes, états et leurs colonies: ... notes et augmentations considérables. Tome 1.

3 comments about Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa (Volume 2).

1. In his book on Nile exploration, Moorehead speaks of Livingstone as possessing "baraka"--the quality of making everything seem better just by his presence. Livingstone's humanity and generosity of spirit illuminate this book. The details of his journey through Southern Africa are interesting and vivid, though not crammed with incident. Modern readers will be interested in Livingstone's observations on race relations in the different colonial settlements of the region. But the highlight of the book for me was the personality of Livingstone himself, his sympathy and insight, his matter-of-fact documentation of danger and hardship, his global perspective. A particularly rewarding read if Speke and Burton have left you with a bad taste in your mouth.



2. David Livingston was an incredible man. He explored areas of Africa that had been previoulsy ignored by most of Europe. His notes on the regions he explored and the people he encountered are meticulous and fascinating. Prior to his visit to the region of Nyasaland, every year between 5,000-20,000 slaves were being sold to slave traders in the region. Livingston attacked the slave trade head on and was largely responsible for its downfall in that area. While some of his personal notes would be considered ignorant or offensive by modern standards, he was progressive and open minded for his time. He is a great historical figure who is too often ignored.



3. Amazon doesn't tell you that this book is Volume 1 of 2. Additionally, when you receive the book and find out it is 1 of 2, you can't buy Volume 2. Apparently what is needed is the following ISBN, which is supposed to contain both volumes: 1-58976-287-8. Very poor identification on the Amazon website.

5 comments about Mali (Bradt Travel Guide Mali).

1. During the past five years I have been searching for a book like this as I prepare to do development work in Mali and want to learn more about this country. However, books of any sort on Mali are few, especially in English. This is the first guidebook on Mali, itself, that I have discovered, and I have found it to be an excellent overview not only of the individual areas of Mali, but also of the culture and history of the country. I highly recommend it!



2. A superb book - blows the competition out of the water. Well-written, sensitive, passionate and informative. The author obviously loves Mali and its people, and, after reading this book, so did I. I spent time in Bamako, Djenne, Mopti and Dogon country, and this book helped me in each one of these places. Well done also to the publisher for focusing on just Mali rather than including it in a 'monster' guide to the whole region.



3. My wife and I just returned from a month-long trip in Mali, and the one book we found indispensable there was Ross Velton's Bradt Travel Guide to Mali. We would have been lost without it - literally, because the maps in this book are outstanding - clear, accurate and easy to use, unlike those in other books we had (the Lonely Planet maps, for instance, were very disappointing). Velton's writing is clear, lively and accurate, with excellent descriptions of all the main destinations and cultural attractions, and provides a judicious selection of hotels, restaurants, and other practical travel needs. Best of all, Velton conveys a deep understanding and appreciation of the Malian people, preparing visitors nicely for their first encounter with these warm, open, exceptionally likable men and women.



4. Although this book provides a good description of what attractions and tourist facilities one can find on a trip to Mali, it does not convey what it is like to travel in Mali by modest means.

   If you have never been to Africa or the developing world, you will be in for quite a shock when you reach Mali. The crowds, the lack of sanitation and the cuisine of a people on the brink of starvation can overwhelm a soft westerner who has never left North America or Europe. This was particularly hard on one of my travel companions, who in Dogon country refused to eat local food for about three days. This can vary, of course. Maybe you like sphincters and mystery tubes in your spaghetti.

   The long distance buses that I rode, while "basically like what the book said", were a hazard to my luggage. This came from both rain from leaky cargo compartments, and from the urine of sheep checked as luggage. When checking bags on Malian bus lines, pack as though they will surely get wet.

   The book does get the bachees more or less correct... slow and uncomfortable transportation that is often your only option. It should be added that because they are so cramped and stop so rarely, long rides on bachees are dehydration risks. They do offer the opportunity to affect an aloof, macho, "more authentic than thou" air when you encounter French tourists in SUVs passing you by while your bachee has a flat tire.

   The book does not discuss the bartering and haggling system that is omnipresent in Malian markets. This is a substantial oversight, and can lead to wasted money.

   The book also encourages people to give candies and pens to the local kids. This is an outrage. The omnipresent mobs of children with their cries of "tubab ca va" and "cadeau" were the lest pleasant thing about Mali. Please don't encourage their begging, a candy won't cure malnutrition. Give to an NGO, or even better, lobby your USA or EU governments to drop their trade barriers and subsidies spoiling your local farmers so that the Malians can compete in the global marketplace and better themselves without handouts.

   I should not be so negative. I had a good trip to Mali, and there are many good things about this book. It is certainly better than the short chapters in the big "West Africa" guidebooks. It gives a good introduction to the country and nicely surveys tourist sites and facilities. However, it seems to best describe a more luxurious trip than I had: travelling in rented Range Rovers or by Air Mali and eating only in tourist restaurants. If you are not ready for a rough adventure, you should seriously consider such options. If you travel using more modest means and eat local street food, it will seem that this guide describes a candy-coated and more tourist friendly Mali than the real place.




5. There is a dearth of material on Mali in English (much more in French) so at least in English, this volume has little competition. I found the information in this book quite accurate, though a bit dated: as of March 2003, a number of new roads have been paved, and, as the book correctly anticipates, a number of hotels etc. were constructed after the book's publication for the Africa's Cup soccer tournament, and, as a consequence, are not included in the descriptions. The material on Pays Dogon is good, but far from comprehensive - some of the most interesting villages I visited were not even mentioned in the book. Like other Bradt guides it shows a good cultural sensitivity to travel in very low income countries, for example providing some useful suggestions on how to constructively handle the frequent requests one gets from village children for candy or pens. (The claim in another review that the book encourages giving such gifts is a flat misrepresentation of the author.) So, the book is quite good though a bit dated - nothing that could not be addressed easily in a new edition.

1 comments about Wildlife of Africa (Gerald & Marc Hoberman Collection).

1. Highly recommended. The photography in this book is outstanding. The photo print is of superior quality and the best I have seen ever published. All books by Gerald & Marc Hoberman are brilliant and you will not be disappointed.