The Africans

I found "The Africans" at a local bookstore - the only book of its kind in the "African/Third World" section. As someone who has visited Africa and talked frequently with those who have I can only say "Amen" to the abominable conditions he describes.Yet, even as he describes the tribal slaughters, the tortures, the theft of entire nations, insane human engineering schemes that moved millions around like chess pieces - he remains not only concerned but profoundly sympathetic. He tries to make us understand how leader after leader chose the pathway of dictatorship and bankrupt economies while preaching freedom and self-determination. The chapter on the OAS is a much-needed humorous interlude. He keeps reminding us that the story of post-colonial Africa is NOT just politicis and raving madmen in control of millions of people. He keeps the story on the people of the continent.The book is dated but the observations are truer now than then. Since then apartheid was abolished but a million people have been slaughtered in Rwanda, 2 million have died in the interminable "Congo" war, hundreds of thousands have been killed in Sudan, Angola and Liberia and whole nations exists in name only. What the author stresses over and over is the potential for greatness on the continent, the mineral wealth, the food potential, the resourcefulness of the people, the determination of ordinary people to thrive in such conditions.Today this is a politically incorrect book in that he casts a wide net of blame - colonial powers, Americans, Soviets, Chinese and, in the end, Africans themselves.

Journalism is sometimes called "the first draft of history", and in David Lamb's "The Africans" we see that to be true. This is a very fine introduction to and overview of Sub-Saharan Africa. Lamb mixes first-hand reporting with an effective presentation of Africa's colonial and independence-era past. The entire book is well written, packed with information, and well worth the time it takes to read its 300-some pages. The original edition was published in 1983, before the AIDS crisis and Nelson Mandela's transformation from prisoner to president, and this is one small problem: what is written in the present tense in the book is nearly as historical as what is presented as prior history; its a bit difficult to keep straight when the various notes and epilogue were written. A quick look at a few websites (like the CIA World Factbook) should provide the most recent information. This sort of thing is sure to be a problem with any book that covers recent history. Nevertheless, this book's strengths far outweigh this small weakness. This is an outstanding and very fair look at Africa's cultures, history, politics, societies, and traditions.Lamb's book starts with an overview of African politics circa the early 1980's and a chapter about the difference between traditional and modern Africa. The next chapter covers some of Africa's "big men" bad and good: Mobutu, Bokassa, Moi, Nyerere, et al. Uganda's Idi Amin gets an entire chapter, as does the OAU. In the next chapter, African coups are discussed. Then the end of the colonial era, Portugal's African colonies, and African relations with the U.S. and U.S.S.R. The contrasts between the Ivory Coast (led by President Houphouet-Boigny) and Guinea (led President Sekou Toure) make an interesting chapter. Westerners' African Culture Shock is the next chapter's subject, followed by a chapter about journalism in Africa. Health and sickness is treated next, then some sense about African money and economies. Finally Nigeria and South Africa each get a chapter. Anyone looking for a relatively short and easy to read book about Africa would do well to read David Lamb's "The Africans".

I read this book more than a decade ago and have to agree with the good reviews this book is still getting.I was at the time pleasantly surprised to find a foreign journalist writing such a balanced account on Africa. When I read the book (in the mid Eighties) South Africa was still very isolated from the rest of Africa. This book gave me a window on Africa north of us and fascinated me. I always judge any media (newspaper, books TV, whatever) on their coverage of that with which I am familiar. If I find that to be well balanced and true, I will trust the rest of the material covering things I might not be familiar with. This book passed with flying colours. For example it pointed out the lunacy of Apartheid, while not hiding the fact that it was the only African country with a well functioning infrastructure, civil service etcThe book is neither left nor right. It gives it as it is. Indeed a very rare talent for a journalist. Lamb for example pointed out the world's hypocrisy regarding South Africa. The country was internationally isolated because of statutory racial discrimination and a lack of democracy. Yet the ethnic cleansing going on all over Africa on a grand scale was (and still is) ignored. There was (and still is) virtually no democracy anywhere, massive corruption, very little human rights etc, etc while nobody batted an eye. That is tragically still the case. Africa is in bigger chaos than when David Lamb wrote his book, but still nobody seems to be willing to take a tougher stand and condemn African governments for what they are - useless.He pointed out this *real* racial discrimination. South Africa was not allowed to run an undemocratic outfit because "white people can't behave like that!" Everybody on the other hand seems to expect the rest of Africa to be in chaos - "after all they are only blacks." I found this form of racism very relevant in the way the world interacts with Africa. Very few writers have this insight in where the political correct pseudo liberals lost the plot.This is why this book is a classic and I still remember most of it, though I read it nearly 15 years ago!

As a European who first arrived in the continent five months ago I have found this book enthralling. The Africans provides one with a thorough grounding on African mentality, on the continents dark past and in some ways of its bright future. It is a must for anyone endeavouring to understand the present failures and successes of this fascinating and highly complex continent. Ideally this book should be complemented with an update...Africans II maybe Mr Lamb?!

A social, cultural and historical view of the issues facing our most diverse continent. This is not a dry history book - Lamb delivers even statistics with relevant stories and profiles of Africans - from the poorest to the most powerful. I read this book in preparation for a safari in Kenya. I had no background on "black Africa" from school - history classes seem to ignore any African country south of Egypt. Lamb's book provided me with insight and understanding of why things are the way the are in Africa - and helped temper my Western way of looking at the world. The book is organized into chapters which are easily read in one sitting. Lamb draws on lessons from history, personal observations (he lived there for four years) and the observences of Africans to weave a story of a continent on the verge of major change. The book emphasizes the beauty of the land while honeslty speaking of the tragedies of the past (and future). My only wish is that The Africans had been updated for the 90's. I am looking forward to reading The Arabs, also by Lamb