Best Central Africa History
It was during those endless hours of unspeakable terror that Immaculee discovered the power of prayer, eventually shedding her fear of death and forging a profound and lasting relationship with God. In 1994, Rwandan native Ilibagiza was 22 years old and home from college to spend Easter with her devout Catholic family, when the death of Rwanda's Hutu president sparked a three-month slaughter of nearly one million ethnic Tutsis in the country. This searing firsthand account of Ilibagiza's experience cuts two ways: her description of the evil that was perpetrated, including the brutal murders of her family members, is soul-numbingly devastating, yet the story of her unquenchable faith and connection to God throughout the ordeal uplifts and inspires. This book is a precious addition to the literature that tries to make sense of humankind's seemingly bottomless depravity and counterbalancing hope in an all-powerful, loving God.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Immaculee Ilibagiza's "Left to Tell" is a powerful book detailing the miracle of Ilibagiza's survival during the Hutus led Rwandan genocide (over one million Tutsi slaughtered) of the early 1990s. For three months, Ilibagiza and five other Tutsi women were protected by a Christian pastor, a Hutus, who, at great personal risk, allowed the women to stay hidden in a small bathroom in his home four feet long and three feet wide."
"Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza is an insightful and heartfelt look at the trials and tribulations of being a hunted Tutsi in a Hutu ruled Rwanda."
"Insightful and scary what our world is like and should never be."
"Prayer, as she practices and teaches it, is a combination of meditation, trust in God, positive thinking, envisioning the desired outcome, and acknowledging every "small" (and large!)."
"This is the most incredible story I have ever read."
"The story is terrifying and gruesome in depicting the things that human beings are capable of carrying out (or ignoring); but at the same time shows humanity's better side - its' capacity for love and forgiveness in the face of some of the worst atrocities ever perpetrated."
"The reader will be in awe as he or she progresses through the details of the story, but will emerge with a sense of hope from Ilibagiza’s ability to forgive and love."
With keen dramatic intensity, Gourevitch frames the genesis and horror of Rwanda's "genocidal logic" in the anguish of its aftermath: the mass displacements, the temptations of revenge and the quest for justice, the impossibly crowded prisons and refugee camps. These include a Tutsi doctor who has seen much of her family killed over decades of Tutsi oppression, a Schindleresque hotel manager who hid hundreds of refugees from certain death, and a Rwandan bishop who has been accused of supporting the slaughter of Tutsi schoolchildren, and can only answer these charges by saying, "What could I do?" He discovered a few admirable characters, including hotelier Paul Rusesabagina, who, "armed with nothing but a liquor cabinet, a phone line, an internationally famous address, and his spirit of resistance," managed to save refugees in his Hotel des Milles Collines in Kigali. Gourevitch excoriates the French for supporting the Hutus for essentially racist reasons; the international relief agencies, which he characterizes as largely devoid of moral courage; and the surrounding countries that preyed on the millions of refugees?many fleeing the consequences of their part in the killings.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The authors insight into the colonial history shows how ethnic differences were effectively manufactured first by Germany than by Belgium as their obsession with dividing and classifying the population to preserve power would culminate into this Genocide that would claim more than one million babies, children, grandparents, mothers, and fathers. Gourevitch’s also carefully writes about how one day teachers, priests, colleagues, family and neighbors that had lived together would, the very next day, slaughter their students, congregation, family members, and people they had worked with for a long time. Moreover, having multiple conversations with the very same people that were either victims of dead family members, or the perpetrators of the senseless massacre left me somehow hopeful in humanity as not only was I warmly accepted by all that I met, but I could not sense a desire for revenge."
"Fortunately the country seems to have recovered well, and people seem quite happy today. He tells the story from the point of view of the people - and he talked to lots of people."
"The best book available to help westerners come to an understanding of the history behind and the events surrounding the genocide in Rwanda."
""We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our Families" by Phillip Gourevitch shares several personal stories from the survivors of the Rwandan genocide and should be required reading for students of political conflict."
"However, if you are seeking some quantitative research oriented academic format this book is not for you, but if you can break out of that norm this will most definitely assist you in understanding and respecting such a significant event in the history of international conflict and relations ."
"This willfull ignorance is ironic because, as Gourevitch makes clear, the massacre was a direct result of Western imperialist policies and interference in the indigenous tribal system of Rwanda."
Published to rave reviews in the United Kingdom and named a Richard & Judy Book Club selectionthe only work of nonfiction on the 2008 list Blood River is the harrowing and audacious story of Tim Butcher’s journey in the Congo and his retracing of legendary explorer H. M. Stanley’s famous 1874 expedition in which he mapped the Congo River. For me terror manifests itself through clear physical symptoms, an ache that grows behind my knees and a choking dryness in my throat, writes British journalist Butcher in the preface of this devastating yet strangely exhilarating account of his six-week ordeal retracing the steps of 19th-century explorer H.M. Stanley's Victorian-era travels through the present-day hell that is the Republic of Congo. Setting out into the war-torn, disease-infested backcountry of Congo in 2000 against the wishes of just about everyone in his life—family, friends, editors and a wild assortment of government officials (the corrupt and the more corrupt)—Butcher quickly finds more horror than he'd previously experienced in his 10 years as a war correspondent (With my own eyes I had peered into a hidden African world where human bones too numerous to bury were left lying on the ground).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In it, Tim Butcher attempts to retrace Henry Morton Stanley's portentous journey through the Congo over a century before. And just when I would begin to categorize him as a sort of straight-forward, no-frills writer, he would sideswipe me with a beautifully written description of something or someone he found compelling in the Congo, like a rusted piece of Belgian railroad track overtaken by the bush, or the frenetic Congolese priest lamenting the absence of law and order, or the man who was willing to give his four-year-old child to a complete stranger to save him from the Congo."
"One of the best books you could read to give you an insight into African countries today & how colonialism impacted on them."
"As an armchair reader of a variety of fiction and non-fiction about Africa, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel, without thoroughly enjoying the stories being told and the picture painted."
"Tim Butcher followed Stanley's footsteps across Africa and down the Congo in a riveting adventure."
"A page turner, filled with humor, pathos, fear, and inspiration."
"A well told tale of a resource rich but law and order poor region."
"Blood River gives the reader a graphic view of life on and by the 3000 mile Congo River."
"Following in the footsteps of Henry Morton Stanley, British journalist Tim Butcher traverses the DRC - one of the wildest and most lawless countries on earth, and presents an almost unimaginable vision of despair and deprivation."
Best Central Africa History
Already a classic of war reporting and now reissued as a Grove Press paperback, Black Hawk Down is Mark Bowden’s brilliant account of the longest sustained firefight involving American troops since the Vietnam War.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"On page 363 of the "Notes" Bowden writes: "To me, the communications mix-up that left five soldiers dead and dozens badly injured was the single biggest snafu of the battle," ( re: from the section "Black Hawk Down," Chapter 17, pp. And remember the incredible bravery of Delta snipers Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart, who both received posthumous Medals of Honor; and every member of "Task Force Ranger," and that Specialist John Stebbins "would receive a Silver Star for his part in the fight ..." (p.324), as would Navy SEAL Howard E. Wasdin (see his book below). effort in Somalia and is a classic exercise in summing up policy mistakes in retrospect, rife with 'flagrant misreadings' and 'precisely wrong' approaches, which is the easiest of all academic sports. He tells a story of clan warfare in Somalia where teenagers have grown up in the midst of gunfire; how 18 and 25 year olds are battle hardened soldiers. The failure of the U.S. to understand these elements of Somali society culture led to many mistakes during the tenure of Operation Restore Hope. Stevenson writes that one of the realities of the Post Cold War era is that "terrorists become statesmen" and the U.S. only strengthened Aidid by casting him as the villain and blaming for all of Somalia's problems. U.S. helicopters flew the same routes and used the same formulas for their "snatch and grab" missions everyday-fly in and have Delta Force sweep the target areas while ringed by Rangers for protection. American planners also did a poor job with translations on leaflet drops, provided little historical or cultural knowledge for the soldier on the ground, and did not comprehend the role khat played in lives of the gun-toting young men. Other fractured communications structures meant delays in reinforcements and wrong turns made by the convoy during the October 3 firefight. He prescribes using small, mobile, technological units engaging in aggressive actions that stress agility, diversion, and the element of surprise. Gradually phasing out U.S. soldiers and replacing them with a multilateral U.N. peacekeeping force would "allow the beneficiary population to be weaned of its dependence.""
"Exactly as advertised: Historical, but reads like a novel."
"With so much action going on and so many perspectives to tell the story from, "Black Hawk Down" give a truly in-depth look at what happened over the course of less than a day, but just like the fog of war confuses those within it, the mashing of multiple story lines challenges the reader to do lots of work on keeping up with who is where and doing what."
"If you want the inside scoop on the Battle of Mogadishu, look no further than this book."
"I am so sad that the soldiers who fought feel as though it is not remembered, and that this fight that was important enough for their friends to die for was called off so soon after the battle."
Best East Africa History
Already a classic of war reporting and now reissued as a Grove Press paperback, Black Hawk Down is Mark Bowden’s brilliant account of the longest sustained firefight involving American troops since the Vietnam War. His gritty narrative tells of how Rangers and elite Delta Force troops embarked on a mission to capture a pair of high-ranking deputies to warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid only to find themselves surrounded in a hostile African city. He makes full use of the defense bureaucracy's extensive paper trail--which includes official reports, investigations, and even radio transcripts--to describe the combat with great accuracy, right down to the actual dialogue. But Bowden's gripping narrative of the fighting is only a framework for an examination of the internal dynamics of America's elite forces and a critique of the philosophy of sending such high-tech units into combat with minimal support. That's one of the key questions Bowden raises in a gripping account of combat that merits thoughtful reading by anyone concerned with the future course of the country's military strategy and its relationship to foreign policy.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"On page 363 of the "Notes" Bowden writes: "To me, the communications mix-up that left five soldiers dead and dozens badly injured was the single biggest snafu of the battle," ( re: from the section "Black Hawk Down," Chapter 17, pp. And remember the incredible bravery of Delta snipers Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart, who both received posthumous Medals of Honor; and every member of "Task Force Ranger," and that Specialist John Stebbins "would receive a Silver Star for his part in the fight ..." (p.324), as would Navy SEAL Howard E. Wasdin (see his book below). effort in Somalia and is a classic exercise in summing up policy mistakes in retrospect, rife with 'flagrant misreadings' and 'precisely wrong' approaches, which is the easiest of all academic sports. He tells a story of clan warfare in Somalia where teenagers have grown up in the midst of gunfire; how 18 and 25 year olds are battle hardened soldiers. Stevenson writes that one of the realities of the Post Cold War era is that "terrorists become statesmen" and the U.S. only strengthened Aidid by casting him as the villain and blaming for all of Somalia's problems. U.S. helicopters flew the same routes and used the same formulas for their "snatch and grab" missions everyday-fly in and have Delta Force sweep the target areas while ringed by Rangers for protection. American planners also did a poor job with translations on leaflet drops, provided little historical or cultural knowledge for the soldier on the ground, and did not comprehend the role khat played in lives of the gun-toting young men. Other fractured communications structures meant delays in reinforcements and wrong turns made by the convoy during the October 3 firefight. He prescribes using small, mobile, technological units engaging in aggressive actions that stress agility, diversion, and the element of surprise. Gradually phasing out U.S. soldiers and replacing them with a multilateral U.N. peacekeeping force would "allow the beneficiary population to be weaned of its dependence." See also: "The Battle of Mogadishu," (2004), Edited by Matt Eversmann and Dan Schilling and. "Seal Team Six, Memoirs of an Elite Navy Seal Sniper" (2011), by Howard E. Wasdin and Stephen Templin. For general reference: "O2S4 MEC:". Objective (Simplicity); Offensive, Sprit of; Superiority at Point of Contact (Economy of Force); Surprise (Security); Security (Surprise); Simplicity (Objective); Movement (Mobility); Economy of Force (Superiority at Point of Contact); Cooperation (Unity of Command)."
"This should be required reading for anyone in the U.S. government, about what can go wrong when the U.S. gets involved in places that can't be fixed."
"being an ex-soldier i admire great stories of the bravery and camaraderie of our elite warriors, cause i know i'm a big wuss and could never be one."
"Exactly as advertised: Historical, but reads like a novel."
"Such an account reminds me of why I avoided military service, because of messed up politics and risking lives on pointless or soon to be abandoned missions."
"With so much action going on and so many perspectives to tell the story from, "Black Hawk Down" give a truly in-depth look at what happened over the course of less than a day, but just like the fog of war confuses those within it, the mashing of multiple story lines challenges the reader to do lots of work on keeping up with who is where and doing what."
"If you want the inside scoop on the Battle of Mogadishu, look no further than this book."
"I am so sad that the soldiers who fought feel as though it is not remembered, and that this fight that was important enough for their friends to die for was called off so soon after the battle."
Best North Africa History
Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates reads like an edge-of-your-seat, page-turning thriller. No one captures the danger, intrigue, and drama of the American Revolution and its aftermath like Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger.” —Brad Thor This is the little-known story of how a newly independent nation was challenged by four Muslim powers and what happened when America’s third president decided to stand up to intimidation. Few today remember these men and other heroes who inspired the Marine Corps hymn: “From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli, we fight our country’s battles in the air, on land and sea.” Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates recaptures this forgotten war that changed American history with a real-life drama of intrigue, bravery, and battle on the high seas. ), author of Team of Teams “A riveting book of history that reads as though it were ripped from today’s headlines, and a must read for anyone seeking an understanding of the roots of U.S. foreign policy.” —ADMIRAL JAMES STAVRIDIS (Ret. I thoroughly enjoyed this must read that brings to life a critical period in our nation’s history and shows the importance of a navy in our nation’s security.” —KIRK S. LIPPOLD, former commander of the USS Cole; author of Front Burner: Al Qaeda’s Attack on the USS Cole “No one captures the danger, intrigue, and drama of the American Revolution and its aftermath like Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger.” —BRAD THOR, bestselling author of Code of Conduct “A colorful, exciting, and historic account of an overlooked portion of American military history, and a wonderful tribute to the brave sailors and Marines who set a high standard for U.S. maritime operations.” —GENERAL JACK KEANE (Ret. Count on Kilmeade and Yaeger to remind us of it with this swashbuckling adventure.” —MARCUS LUTTRELL, former Navy SEAL; author of Lone Survivor and Service “If you want to understand the deep historic roots of the 9/11 attacks and what it will take to win the war against today’s jihadists, you must read this book.” —DR.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Enjoyed reading and learning the history."
"Loved the book."
"A GREAT HISTORY LESSON.WHAT THE GREAT PRESIDENTS DID TO MAKE AMERICA WHAT IT IS TODAY.IT SHOULD SHOW ALL AMERICANS WHAT WE MUST DO TODAY TO KEEP OUR COUNTRY STRONG."
"Very interesting to read about the history of early merchant shipping in the Mediterranean and the sort of piracy that continues along the west African Coast (Somalia)."
"Amazing story."
"HE SAID HE THOUGHT HE KNEW A LOT ABOUT THAT TIME IN OUR HISTORY, BUT BRIAN CAME IN WITH A LOT MORE."
"This book is very readable and details America's encounters with Islam in the early days of this country."
"I'm reading it for the second time to concentrate on the events in history that I find so interesting."
Best Southern Africa History
Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time: an international hero whose lifelong dedication to the fight against racial oppression in South Africa won him the Nobel Peace Prize and the presidency of his country. Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and the first democratically elected president of South Africa, Mandela began his autobiography during the course of his 27 years in prison.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book was probably the fastest/easiest read I have had because it was so easy to just keep on reading."
"This is an excellent read."
"Most of the time I picked that up through the name or context, but occasionally I read for several chapters before discovering that a trusted person was white. This book should be read slowly, over several months, in order to absorb a multitude of facts, and the growth of the man who wrote it."
"AThis is a stunning book."
"I think this a must read for those you need insight the importance of undertaking the struggle to gain freedom and independence for a deprived and discriminated majority."
"I am planning to visit south Africa it has been my dream for years , what a great man he was chosen by God I will always have respect for him."
"His personal freedom and rights were curtailed and he saw it happening to all his people."
"I knew the basics of Mandela's life--his exceptional intelligence, his fight against apartheid, his long incarceration, his Nobel Prize for Peace. He studied the philosophical underpinnings of all sorts of governments, particularly those of the National Party that ruled South Africa during his years of prison."
Best West African History
Child soldiers have been profiled by journalists, and novelists have struggled to imagine their lives. In A Long Way Gone , Beah, now twenty-five years old, tells a riveting story: how at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he'd been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts. This is a rare and mesmerizing account, told with real literary force and heartbreaking honesty. His monotone works particularly well when he is recounting his dreams, for he cannot distinguish his nightmares from his waking life. But rebel forces destroyed his childhood innocence when they hit his village, driving him to leave his home and travel the arid deserts and jungles of Africa. Told in a conversational, accessible style, this powerful record of war ends as a beacon to all teens experiencing violence around them by showing them that there are other ways to survive than by adding to the chaos.— Matthew L. Moffett, Pohick Regional Library, Burke, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This kid was born in a shack on a muddy floor, with no bathroom, with a roof leaking under his moms head. The country was underdeveloped, bullets flying and bombs falling over their heads."
"To give a brief overview, the novel is about a young boy who is on the run from war his whole life and he deals with the death of many people in his family and many of his friends."
"This book was a great read and an eye opener to what others are facing in the world around us. Many can read these kinds of books that share such a powerful and personal story but without learning from them or taking away something they truly do not share their messages."
"Amazing story about very difficult experience of a young boy."
"I think history would stick with us better if we read more personal, individual-driven books like this one and less flavorless, distant history books."
"Captivating, sad, frightening reality should interest all who breathe common air and are warmed but the same sun."
"A very well written, engaging book but the subject and the author's life was truly horrific!"
"Young girls being forced into sexual situations which aside from be completely involuntary are also concepts way beyond their capacity of understanding at their young ages. Though Ishmael survived the struggle there are plenty of other people just as young that are going through this painful lifestyle and that inevitably results in addiction, emotional trauma and death. The infection is a struggle that will take more than one organization of to cure. It is a change in structure that these countries need; and deconstruction of the corruption may be successful if fought consistently...but we know that doing such a thing is a difficult task that to this date, there have been limited numbers of people/movements that have been successful. Aside from the desensitization, we must also battle the mentalities that certain peoples have established in their minds depending on their culture."