I just got through reading this book by Keith Richburg
called "Out of America: A Black Man Confronts Africa".
Keith did a three year stint in Africa as a journalist,
hitting the hot spots at the time - Somalia, Rwanda, etc.
~
He comes away with a very depressed feeling about Africa -
a place with lots of violence and little hope. In the final
chapters he comes up with reasons why so many other areas
of the world have progressed, while Africa continues to
decay - one of which, he believes, is a lack of discipline
among the people as a whole. Finally, the author concludes
by saying that he is glad that his ancestors long ago had
been taken from Africa as he is happy to be an American (he
does not, of course, condone slavery, but admits that he
has a better life in America than he could have enjoyed in
Africa).
~
It is a controversial book, but a fascinating look at
Africa through the eyes of a black American man. Well
written and intelligent throughout, I would highly
recommend the book for anyone with an interest in this
region.
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Interesting book....BUT: It's written by an AMERICAN.
Ok...he might be a black yank. Personally, I prefer PJ
O'Rourke: "Holidays in Hell". Oh..I forgot...he's a EURO-
American.AND a republican! Personally, I think he(KR) is an
idiot, suffering from an overdose of intellectual
mastubation, which causes overdoses of angst.
I withdraw my last remark. He's just clueless.
..'Native Stranger' by Eddie L Harris? he reaches many of
the same conclusions you mention. He also discovers very
strong feelings of anger amongst some black Africans at
black Americans shouting about Afrocentricity whilst
enjoying all the trappings of American life. If they love
Africa so much what are they doing in America?
What I found most startling were his feelings that he had
more in common with White Africans; both he and they were
native strangers.
...O'Rourke cracks me up.
I read the book in Rwanda, and my overall impression was
similar to yours: I found his writing fabulous, and his
perspective interesting, but disagreed strongly with his
conclusions. Perhaps I am simply not the pessimist he is.
However, I do think that KR really saw the worst of the
worst, and I'm not sure if he ever saw anything that WASN'T
newsbreakingly horrifying or tragic. The Afrikan continent
is ridiculously impossible to stereotype, and for KR to try
to do so having seen ONLY the most horrific events of the
past 10 years is disturbing.
~
The book is a good insight into the black american
experience of realizing the difference that nationality and
class make -- I so often find americans to be
overly-obsessed with race (meaning black/white color
definition, not the european nationality/race definition) --
and for KR to address the black american experience as other
in Afrika was rich. His is a controversial opinion in this
country; it would be interesting to hear more about it.
~
Have you found The Poisonwood Bible yet? Couldn't stop
reading it after I started -- PHENOMENAL. Let me know what
you think!
~
ag
We have read Native Stranger and found it excellent. So
we'll read this one. Thanks for the tip.
But we have a sneaking regard for that ignoramus PJ
O'Rourke.
I haven't read 'Native Stranger', but now I am planning to
pick it up. I love reading all kinds of books on Africa
(travel and otherwise). I have 'Poisonwood Bible' on my
desk but haven't got beyond the first couple chapters, so
I'm not into it just yet.
~
Others that I recommend include 'Dispatches from a Fragile
Continent' (I'm forgetting the author just now, Blaine
someone) - written by a journalist and is like a series of
long feature articles about people he met and places he
visited. Loved a book by Mike Tidwell called 'The Ponds of
Kalambayi' about his 2 yr stint in the peace corp in remote
Zaire. A last favorite is 'The Ends of the Earth' by Robert
Kaplan which doesn't not focus exclusively on Africa but is
a fascinating look at issues in various third world places.
~
Finally, as for the conclusions reached in KR's book 'Out
of America', I agree that he is overwhelmingly negative as
a result of his experiences. He also admits that as a
journalist in Africa at the time, he didn't have many
positive experiences. I haven't spent enough time in Africa
to figure out if his conclusions are correct, but I suspect
that they are in part. I love Africa and feel very drawn to
the continent, but I do wonder why they haven't progressed
the way much of, say, Asia, has.
What with all the misguided aid workers (white) vying for a
piece of the povery pie in Africa, the people haven't got a
refugee-convoy's chance in Kosovo. Although I am white
(what's that?) and as African as Amin or Mandela, I have
come to the conclusion that Africa works best where there
are no interfering outsiders. The communities are dirt
poor, disease-ridden and largely illiterate but retain
something that so-called development takes away - their
PRIDE. Wait for my book: 'Memories of a White Kaffir'
I was looking through the posts, and I thought I would
mention some of the books for Mags and others that I have
found interesting. I have traveled to Africa twice and I
hope to go back before long. I found the continent and the
people to be fascinating, as a result, I enjoy reading
anything about Africa (fiction and non-fiction). I have
read Native Stranger, The Poisonwood Bible, and The Ends of
the Earth by Robert Kaplan. I enjoyed all three. Here are
some others that I have read that you may enjoy.
Non-fiction: No Mercy by Redmond O'Hanlon (a journey up the
Congo to look for a dinosaur) To Timbuktu by Mark Jenkins
(four guys kayak down the Niger river) We Wish to Inform
You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families by
Phillip Gourevitch (about the genocide in Rwanda) The
Harmless People by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas (about the
Bushmen) Malaria Dreams by Stuart Stevens (a guy and girl
are supposed to drive a Land Rover out of the CAR to the
coast)
Fiction: White Mans Grave by Richard Dooling (a peace corps
volunteer goes "native" and his best friend from Indiana
travels to Sierra Leone to find him. I thought this book
was extremly funny.) The Last King of Scotland by Giles
Foden (a doctor becomes personal physician to Idi Amin) The
Power of One by Bryce Courtenay (about an English boy
growing up in South Africa during WWII)
Well, I have read all of these, and I recommend them highly.
Some are better than others but all are good. Hope you
enjoy them and let me know what you think.
Riaan Malan's book : "My Traitors' Heart" is one of the
more insightful books about South Africa. For those of you
who don't know, the Malans were among the original
settlers, and eventually,architects of Apartheid. A bit
dated now, in political terms, because it's pre-democracy,
but still a brilliant book.
Wasn't The Power of One by Wilbur Smith? I thought it was.
Thank you all so much for the book recommendations - always
looking for a good read!
These ones are travelogue type books, but were enjoyable
reads.
- East Along the Equator: about a man and woman who travel
on the big & chaotic river boat in Zaire.
- Malaria Dreams: as mentioned above, was an amusing look
about travel from Central Africa to the Mediterranean by
two Americans.
- Africa Solo: recently released, although about a trip
that took place ten years ago about a guy who travels on
his own thru Africa.
just 'cause you're all listing ... William, Rian Malan's is
excellent. Also add Nadine Gordimer (basically any of her
books but especially Jump and other stories and none to
accompany me) and Alistair Sparks. Then there's Mukiwa...I
forget the author's name ... and the host of colonialist
lit. I have not, however, heard of anything new out of the
west. Any suggestions, anyone? And has anyone ever heard of
a blonde in Afrika? I heard about it from my aunt, but no
one else.
~
as for mike, can't wait to check out yours. (I mean your
BOOK, really!) and how do you feel about white afrikans? I
mean, besides being one. More or less damaging than aid
workers? Government funds? Corporations? do tell.
Yes, I have read this book - found it in a bookstore in
Singapore. It is about a thirty year old American woman,
yes blond, who travels on one of the overland trucks thru
Africa. I think she was travelling with Guerba or Dragoman.
Laura did the tran-Saharan crossing to West Africa and then
on to Central, Eastern and Southern Africa. I can't say the
book was well written, but it was a good story and if
anyone is thinking of a long overland trip, this will
probably provide some insights. I especially liked the part
about Zaire - such adventure there!
~
And another book is something like "On Foot Thru Africa" by
F. Campbell about a woman who apparently walked the length
of Africa from Capetown to Morocco. Again, the bits about
Zaire were fascinating!
by Bernard Magneauloux (wrong spelling I'm sure), who is a
chap who cycled through Africa about ten years ago, and
wrote the most refreshing stuff about Africa I have ever
read. Afrikagirl (is that your real name?), 'White
Africans' were born here and have prospered and suffered
here and will stay regardless as the prospect of living
amongst the pale-faces is too ghastly to contemplate. And
all this from one who lives in the most violent place on
earth (Joburg)?
...is written by Peter Godwin about his upbringing in rural
Rhodesia (as it was then) and his return to Zimbabwe after
he was banished by the white goverment. I've read this book
4/5 times. It really is excellent.
Thanks for all the suggestions on reading material folks.
Mike, I hear what you're saying, you echo my girlfriends
feelings exactly-she's a white Zimbo, born and raised in
Africa and fiercely proud of Zimbabwe and Africa.
I was so sick of the excess shit mail I've given up posting
my eddress as well...
~
First point: heard that the woman who wrote the walk across
Africa book was later found to have cheated and made bits of
it up - there's a book about that episode in addition to her
walking book, which when read together reveal a really
strange side of humanity.
~
Anyway, Mike, what I meant by my question was, what makes an
"outsider"? Being born elsewhere? Skin color? Wealth?
Ability to return elsewhere? Desire to do so? Not suggesting
that white africans aren't african, but asking how many
generations it takes to call one "African" as opposed to an
"outsider"?
~
I would hope that if one emmigrates (or tries to emigrate)
to a country with the desire to become part of a
culture/life/nation (meaning, not working for a northern
corp., and just living abroad) would not be told that they
are interfering outsiders, but it happens all the time.
~
Another point, a lot of the aid workers I know are of
color...is it color or status that matter to you, or both?
~
I suppose I am reading your criticism of aid workers and
thinking it applies a lot more to corporations and the WB,
which (in my view, anyway) have raped and pillaged a whole
hell of a lot more than the aid establishment. Frankly, the
construction of societies with excessively disparate levels
of wealth seems incredibly damaging, too -- and I see that
more promoted by colonialism, neo-colonialism, and
capitalism via Euro-American Corporations -- than by the aid
workers themselves. (Not ruling out the wealth disparities
all over, either, y'all.) That's just a more structural and
less ad hominim critique than yours, I suppose. But that's
also only my (academic) opinion - what are your thoughts?
~
cheers -
ag
... of development are: urbanizantion, industrialization,
marginalization, pollution, social decay and huge disparity
between rich and poor. This was Europe and America's
experience during their Industrial Revolution. In Africa
multi-national companies are precipitating an Industrial
Revolution by exploiting the cheap labour and commodities
and some governments have learned a harsh lesson in
managing their resources as a result. Aid agencies present
a far more benign picture of the western way of life
(compete or die), and in this way are even more insidious
as they soften up the rulers and people into believing it's
for their own good. I do not question motives, only
results - read 'Mozambique - Who Calls the Shots' where the
author (forgot his name) points out that the aid agencies
employed all the educated people, had more money than the
govt and effectively ran Mozambique for 15 years. Was it
in their interest that the war end asap? I wonder.
Any other suggestions for Moz reads? And how many lifetimes
before one can be "african"? (pet obsession question)
~
cheers for your other help,
~
ag