Africa

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By: John Reader
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EDITORIAL REVIEW

Thirteen/WNET and National Geographic Television have joined forces to create a television event for Fall 2001 - Africa: Land of the Sun - and 8-hour film series showing the majesty and wonder of this remarkable land. The series will be shot on location by some of the world's best filmmakers, and will be produced in a theatrical style to underscore the epic nature of Africa's history, the splendor of it's landscapes, and the beauty and power inherent in these portraits of places, people, and animals. Scientific evidence suggests that the first humans emerged on the continent of Africa. There, our ancestors learned to stand upright, find food, and survive against predators. They developed languages and cultures and migrated to settle all the habitable land of African and eventually the entire world. Despite this primal connection, Africa remains a mysterious land; a place associated with famine, slavery, frightening diseases, and incomprehensible tribalism. An equally common image is that of a giant safari park. For millions of African-Americans, Africa is a distant homeland, placed beyond the bounds of memory by the breach of slavery. This series and its companion book will capture the geographic life story of Africa - how life evolved and flourished there, adopting a unique and complex vibrancy over time in response to the environment. This is an ecological portrait of Africa, its peoples, flora, and fauna. The series will show, for the first time, a consolidated image of Africa by presenting its diverse regions and complex history within the context of its geography - its natural wonders and ecological challenges. In doing so, the series tells one of the greatest stories on earth: the story of human evolution and human survival against remarkable odds.

PRODUCT DETAILS

Publisher: National Geographic
Pub. Date: 1st September 2001
Catalog: Book
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Pages: 320
Ean: 9780792276814
Isbn: 0792276817

ABOUT THIS BOOK

USER REVIEWS

Forensic Buff
~ Written on Apr 8, 2009. out of 1 users found this review helpful.

I really enjoy this book best of all on Africa.It includes everything and the pictures are terrific. If you want to read a book on Africa, I recommend this one.

A concise yet comprehensive look at a fascinating continent
~ Written on Dec 16, 2001. 21 out of 21 users found this review helpful.

"Africa" is the companion volume to the recent PBS series of the same name, and like the series, is organized into eight parts, each one focusing on a particular geographical region of the continent. In clear, concise language, John Reader gives us the historical and geographical background of each area, the current economic and social structure, and the problems affecting the particular region. The photographs are mind-blowing; they are so gorgeous that they almost dominate the excellent text. The one disappointment, for one who has also seen the PBS series, is that the book doesn't follow the individual stories of people in depth as the PBS production did; however, no one who hasn't seen the TV production will miss it, and it in no way detracts from the overall value of the book. This is one book about the "dark continent" that does the continent, and its people, proud.

Outstanding introduction to Africa
~ Written on Sep 30, 2001. 30 out of 31 users found this review helpful.

This is an excellent book for anyone who might find Reader's earlier book "A Biography of the Continent" too much of a good thing. "Africa" explores many of the same themes and issues, but the information is arranged differently and there are more illustrations; this book is aimed at the educated lay-reader. Still it is an important and outstanding book. Reader is a good writer and his research and grasp of a myriad of disciplines related to his subject is impressive.

The story is told by geography: Savanna, Desert, Rain Forest, Mountains, Sahel, Great Lakes, Coast, Southern Africa. Being a "companion" to the PBS/NGS TV series there is some (but not much) focus on the people who appeared in the television documentaries. Mostly Reader tells the stories behind the story; his history of Africa is as much about the environmental, geographical, and physiological as merely chronological. For example, Reader tells why bananas and plantains are so important in African history; what makes camels so invaluable in the Sahara, how sickle cells and malaria are related, even the advantages and disadvantages of walking upright. Of course there is some in-this-year-such-and-such happened, but that is kept to a minimum. This "Africa" is not only an outstanding introduction to Africa, it should also be of interest to any Africanist.

The photographs by Michael Lewis are good enough to be a book of their own; they combine with Reader's well organized and informative text to make "Africa" an excellent portrait of the continent. Reader's "Biography of the Continent" is also highly recommended.

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