Into Africa: A Journey Through the Ancient Empires

I really enjoyed this book because it was well written history of the African people. The man who wrote this book is an exceptional writter for National Geographic. He seems to have a very good perpective upon the history of the African people. The other great thing is he provides a source for the Pharoah Khufu being an African person. He shows the deepest respect to African people and their culture. He is one of the only white writters on Africa that seem to do this. We have other people like J PHilipe Rushton,John R Baker,and the people behind the bell cruve seem to be on a cultural campain to posion the masses. I wish however the writter would have went more indepth into African spirtuality. He does talk about the Mountains of the Moons being the source of the acient Egyptains.

The major highlight of this book is that it mentions every country on the continent; many books which view Africa as a whole tend to stick with maybe a dozen of the 45 countries that make up Africa, but the authors have touched, albeit briefly, along all modern African states, and attempt to bring them together as a whole, and make cohesive conclusions about the continent. The continent - a real study of the continent in all of its incarnations. As an overview of the continent, as a pair of authors taking the long view, and reaching unique and enlightening conclusions, there is no better book.

This book was extremely entertaining and interesting and most importantly stimulated interest in me for learning more about many of the regions and peoples described. Much in the work, however, seemed a bit over-romanticized. Nevertheless, I highly recommend the book: it was one of the best I read last year. Excellent introduction to the history and current situations in Africa (a little out of date for Zaire, of course)

As a seasoned traveller to Africa (on bicycle and 4wd). I was relieved to find this book both informative and enlightening in its excellent balance of past and present times. The lighthearted approach mingled with the odd tribal poem and sometimes witty dialogue will appeal to those for have an affinity for Africa and wish to delve a little deeper. My only real criticism is that the book doesn't delve deep enough - but should it have, then the lighthearted feel would be lost. The style of writing is a joy considering the breadth of Africa and to have the authors own past thrown in at times, reaqlly does purvue a sense of a 'personal account' of this wondrous continent. If you want to feel Africa in your heart and its culture in veins without the security blanket of a tour operator and a 5* hotel this is the book you have been waiting for!