Africa

Home and Exile (2001)

Home and Exile (2001)

by Nafeesah Allen June 29, 2020 Chinua Achebe is known for fiction that is so realistic that it offers a prophetic glimpse into West African cultural expectations and descendant beliefs. Yet, this book is a collection of three essays that are revelatory about the...

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The Call of Bilal (2014)

The Call of Bilal (2014)

Book review written by Marina Davis The purpose of this book is to document Islam in the African diaspora globally and the many ways Islam is expressed by African descendants. The name of the book comes from one of the first converts to Islam, Bilal ibn Rabah, an...

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Dr. Wangari Maathai Plants a Forest (2020)

Dr. Wangari Maathai Plants a Forest (2020)

Book review by Marina Davis This chapter book is a brief biography of Kenyan environmental activist Dr. Wangari Maathai (1 April 1940 - 25 September 2011). The book’s level is recommended for ages 6-9 and includes colorful illustrations throughout. The book chronicles...

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Heroínas de Angola (2010)

Heroínas de Angola (2010)

ENG: Heroines of Angola is a rare find among books about anti-colonial history on the continent of Africa. This author is a Cuban ex-military trainer who came into direct contact with the women featured through her 1966 training with their platoon, Camy Squadron. The...

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Precolonial Black Africa by Cheikh Anta Diop (1988)

Precolonial Black Africa by Cheikh Anta Diop (1988)

Review by Marina Davis/ Translation by Sandrine Jacquot This book looks at different aspects of pre-colonial African life divorced from the popular histories, namely of Egypt. The author chooses instead to focus mainly on west African experience. The book is not...

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Mighty Be Our Powers (2011) 

Mighty Be Our Powers (2011) 

Book Review by Marina Davis This book is the memoir of Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee. Her experiences during the first and second Liberian Civil wars prompted her to lead a female-led nonviolent movement. The book is organized into three sections along the...

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