Reviews (1)

Madagascar & Comoros Lonely Planet Guide
Great book - detailed and very informative.
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Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Comoros    5. Madagascar    6. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (2)

the fountains of the nile
In fact the is a misconception of the reality of the Nile.
This is a biography
This is an interesting book, with many quotations from the great explorer, including 100 or so pages of his last journal entries (with minimal and helpful editorial comments).Read more

Subjects:  1. 1813-1873    2. Adventurers & Explorers    3. Africa, Central    4. Africa, Southern    5. Biography    6. Biography & Autobiography    7. Biography / Autobiography    8. Biography/Autobiography    9. Explorers    10. Historical - General    11. Literary    12. Livingstone, David,    13. Scotland    14. Africa    15. Biography & Autobiography / General    16. Biography: general    17. Geographical discovery & exploration    18. Livingstone, David   

Reviews (4)

sometimes it's too much
I've loved all the Capstick books and own and have loaned the ones I own many times, mostly to husbands of friends. But I must admit that I can only read one or two and then I have to stop for a while. Times were different then and there were lots of animals. No talk of endangered species. Today when I read about macho men slaughtering beautiful animals for sport it can get to be sickening. But, again, he is an excellent author and the books keep you on the edge of your chair. When you see the movie based on the Lions of Tsavo and have read the book - the book is soooo much more exciting.And - no love interest.

What a book, What an author!
I could not put this book down.What a sad world we live in today when there is no dark continent to explore the way that the professional hunters and wardens described in this book had to experience around the year 1900.What a sad world and what a bunch of counterfeits the Croc Hunter and Croc Dundee are.Author Capstick puts you there a hundred years ago, where prides of lions manage to devour 450 villagers before being shot, or where 30,000 elephants are shot in one country alone just to limit crop damage!These examples give you an idea of the world the hunters profiled by Capstick in this anthology of sorts walked into circa 1900 to 1940.Lions walking into huts populated with 100 sleeping people, only to leave without molesting a soul, only leaving their footprints around the myriads of sleeping African tribesman.Big cats jumping through windows to snatch infants in bassonets, toddlers grabbed off porches, the head being found a day later in the grass, Cheetahs killing humans just for the fun of it.Guns jamming and cartridges failing in the face of wounded lions.Deadly snakes, Puff adders, Black Mambas, no antidote, one example of these snakes even dropping out of trees to bite a human victim. A MAN THAT PUTS YOU THERE
I know Peter personaly and have hunted with him. I am in his book Sands of Silence. I highly recommend all of his books. They draw from real experiences and actively bring the reader into the wild. He loved the outdoors and his work helps preserve memories and times of people and activity that is passing away. Each book is a treasure of adventure. BL Melrose, MD ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adventure and adventurers    2. Africa    3. Big game hunting    4. Biography    5. General    6. Hunters    7. Hunting Sports    8. Travel    9. Travel - General    10. Field sports: fishing, hunting, shooting    11. Nature / Wildlife    12. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Namibia    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Africa   

Reviews (1)

For travelers in Mali
For those who are interested in traveling in Mali, this book is a great choice.The text is clear and comprehensive--covering all regions of the country.It also gives leads to further resources, for anyone interested in pursuing this in depth. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Mali    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Africa   

Reviews (1)

An Eyeful of African Beauty!
This book is packed with stunning shots of aerial views of the countryside, the wildlife parks, the mountains, (e.g. the Mt Longonot crater) and the lakes & islands. Even for one like me who was bornand bred in Kenya, the clarity, angle and panoramic view of the shots issimply stunning and taught me that there is amazing beauty all aroundme...I'm just not tall enough to see it all! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Photo Techniques    2. Africa    3. Kenya    4. Photographs: collections    5. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY   

Editorial Review

One of the most beautifully crafted books I have ever read, with some of the most poetic prose passages I could imagine, such as the following, resonating with a stately and timeless quality so absent in our modern life: Read more

Reviews (97)

FEMALE AFRICAN BUSH PILOT IN THE 30's GIVES INSIDE VIEW
Beryl Markham's book West with the Night is a true story of how she lived and worked in Africa as a push pilot back in the 1930's -- almost amazing for a woman...what an experience alone-- what an adventure-- but her writing -- ahhh that's something amazing in itself....from dealing with the Blackwater Die to the lion who almost ate her to search for a Libyan port and a fallen colleague-- a beautiful book...each chapter is written almost like a true short story....she's a beautiful writer and to think this is a piece of our women's past that is here to still cherish-- belongs on the shelf of every women's studies office...great for a young woman to read....especially great gift to a chick going off to college.

Beautifully Written
West With the night is Beryl Markham's memoir of life as a bush pilot in 1930s Africa. The beautifully written prose paints evocative pictures of the Serengeti in the reader's brain, and each paragraph is dense and satisfying. A wonderful read, especially for fans of Out of Africa - and some of the same people are mentioned in this book.
Probably the most beautifully written book I have ever read.
The exceptional wordcrafting in West With The Night brings Africa alive and makes it almost a personal experience. Beryl Markham was a most interesting individual and her life growing up in Africa is the beautiful background for this book. I have only reread one book in my sixty-some years and this is it. I enjoyed it at least as much the second time around.
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Subjects:  1. Africa - Kenya    2. Africa, East    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Description And Travel    7. Historical    8. Horse breeders    9. Markham, Beryl Clutterbuck    10. Women    11. Women air pilots   

Reviews (5)

SureShot
Lana Wong has done a great job of putting together a remarkable collection of some of the best adolescent photography the world has seen. Not only are the photos an accurate portrayal of the desperate lives thesechildren and thier families lead, but they are full of expression. The MYSA Shootback project has helped these children find talemts they never expected they had, or never had the opportuniy to nurture. Lana Wong has done a beautiful thing for so many people, if you are interested in africa and photography, this book is a must.

SureShot
Lana Wong has done a great job of putting together a remarkable collection of some of the best adolescent photography the world has seen. Not only are the photos an accurate portrayal of the desperate lives thesechildren and thier families lead, but they are full of expression. The MYSA Shootback project has helped these children find talemts they never expected they had, or never had the opportuniy to nurture. Lana Wong has done a beautiful thing for so many people, if you are interested in africa and photography, this book is a must.

good pictures, not the same as going there
This book is a great collection of pictures from Mathare, but it is no replacement for going there.I just returned from spending the last five weeks in Mathare and neighboring Eastleigh, where some of the worst povertyin the world exists.The book portrays graphic images and does a wonderfuljob of trying to capture the stark reality of the plight of these kids. Read more

Subjects:  1. Kenya    2. Nairobi    3. Photo Essays    4. Photoessays & Documentaries    5. Photography    6. Photojournalism    7. Pictorial works    8. Poverty    9. Slums    10. Squatter settlements    11. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/Africa    12. Youth    13. Photographic reportage    14. Photography / General    15. The Arts: General Issues   

Reviews (12)

VERY interesting journey through Mali, Africa by kayak
This book was very interesting and hard to put down because I was anxious to see what adventures lie ahead on the Niger River.The only thing I was disappointed in is that the author continued to hand out money perpetuating the problem of the locals thinking they can beg for money from anyone white.I just returned from South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe and, after reading this book, I can say I am EXTREMELY glad I did not travel to Mali!The hostilities, extreme poverty, slavery, and human mutilation she witnessed in Mali would've been depressing but at the same time I think it's something we should all learn about.I enjoyed the book so much I'm ordering her "Four Corners" book today.There are no photos in the book except for a small one of the author on the book cover.If you want to see the photos of her journey, you'll have to go onto the National Geographic site or do an internet search for Kira Salak.

I Couldn't Put It Down,
This book is many things. It's an adventure story. It's a geography lesson. It's a study in anthropology. It's an exposition on the mindset of an explorer.
In a kayak!
Salak not only takes the reader on a journey into the interior of Africa, but also into the jungles of the mind as she deals with her own feelings and impressions of what she sees and experiences during these many miles.Such writing - and sharing - is what makes for a travelogue more revealing and pleasurable than just words and pictures.
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Subjects:  1. 1971-    2. Africa    3. Africa - General    4. Africa, West    5. Description and travel    6. Essays & Travelogues    7. History    8. History: World    9. Niger River    10. Salak, Kira,    11. Travel    12. Travel - General    13. Sports & Recreation / General    14. Travel writing    15. West Africa   

Reviews (2)

Must know French...
This bk was written in 1953. The author uses many French and Moroccan arabic phrases in his writing which makes the experiences & people he encounters feel more authentic but if you aren't familiar with those languages it'd be a frustrating read. Mayne's vignettes are quirky...I never felt as though I got to know him or like him but it was a fairly quick read so I didn't care that much.
A book that makes me jealous
Oh to be able to relocate to an exotic city and write for an occupation! That's what occurs in "A Year in Marrakesh". While other English citizens are touring Morocco, Peter Mayne relocated there, to become a part of the city of Marrakesh and to come to know it. There are many lively characters here, painted with a comprehensive brush that shows them to be, if not real people, than so realistic seeming that you never find yourself saying, "Yeah, right, like you'd actually meet someone like that."
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Subjects:  1. 1908-    2. Africa    3. Asia - Southeast    4. Description and travel    5. History - General History    6. Marrakesh    7. Marrakesh (Morocco)    8. Mayne, Peter,    9. Morocco    10. Personal Memoirs    11. Social life and customs    12. Travel    13. Travelers    14. North Africa    15. Travel writing   

Editorial Review

When Ann Jones decided to travel overland from Tangier to the southern tip of Africa with an Englishman she barely knew, she lived firsthand the worst and best of travel. Muggleton, at 28 half Jones's age and twice her size, turns out to be a road warrior with a foul temper who insists on charging headlong across a continent with practically no roads. Seen this way, Africa becomes little more than a drive-by history lesson (Jones injects encapsulated summaries for each country they pass but fail to truly visit). With his mantra, "We can do it on our own," Muggleton insists on crossing the Sahara alone with no map, bearings, or road, and takes the more treacherous road across Zaire simply to be rid of a convoy of jeeps (and, of course, to prove himself). The chasms of mud and water that cover the "roads" of Zaire cause the duo innumerable hardships and frustrations. Muggleton comes down with malaria, Jones's feet turn gray and her toenails fall off, the jeep falls to pieces--all to cover in five days what passing Africans walk in two. It's those same potholes, however, that ultimately save the journey and the book, for the creeping pace forces them to interact with their surroundings, and ultimately to split up. After that, Jones hooks up with two women, a Brit and a Kenyan, and the remainder of the journey takes a decidedly opposite approach. With the slower and more receptive pace, Jones begins to experience Africa, and to learn from the African inside her own car.Read more

Reviews (9)

Mired in the mud for 200 pages
The author agreed to traverse Africa with a man she didn't know very well. Turned out they had differnt priorities - he was into Simplified Africa for the Politically Correct
Ann Jones is a terrific writer.I enjoyed this book, and anyone who goes the length of Africa to satisfy a curiosity inspired by a museum label is definitely enjoying life. TOURING AFRICA THE HARD WAY
From the first page of Ann Jones'LOOKING FOR LOVEDU, I knew I was in for a literary treat. As the book unfolded, with writing that can only be described as beauteous, direct, and as well painted as any author I have read in the past twenty years, I was never disappointed. It starts as a sheer adventure story as Ann and her co-traveler, Muggleton, a rugged,macho Englishman half her age, plot their Odyssey from one tip of Africa to the other in a second-hand Land Rover. The early part of the story demonstrates Ms Jones'ingenuity in attracting sponsors and dealing with the practical preparations. But it also interjects a "mission" to the effort: seeking out the Queen of the Lovedu tribe, a remote cluster of persons who live on old territory now within the borders of South Africa. The tribe, largely ingnored in athropological circles, is one of the few (or only) matriarchal groups in Africa, with an heriditary female leader and tribal values that are more compromising, cooperative, and conciliatory than the confrontational societies that surround them. This is the setting, but we have only just begun. The day to day adventures, as the Land Rover plods from Morocco, through the Sahara, sub-Sahara and Central Africa, and ultimately to South Africa, are vividly described. We move on with incredible driving feats by Muggleton and his uncanny car repair skills, complemented by Ms. Jones'ability to cope with everything else, including the endless, archaic paperwork required by bribe-seeking border officials. Danger, discomfort, and beauty lurk around them as we are also introduced to new themes. Male/female roles, practically derived and otherwise, are touched on with subtle, and sometimes comical, insight. We are also exposed to digestible, non-technical, doses of African history: pre-Colonial,Colonial, post-Colonial. No sugar coating here. The author tacks into some of the leaders of post-Colonial Africa as heartily as the 19th and 20th century European exploiters, reserving her admiration for the bulk of Africans who have been buffeted in the process. Together with the harrowing adventure scenes, the reader is treated to a consistently amusing rendition of people observations, including Ms. Jones'own reflections on self and purpose. The beauty of Africa hovers like a helicopter above its challenging problems. We do meet the Queen of Lovedu, but each reader must decide what it means. Ms Jones deals with it factually, but I sense she leaves it as a parable. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1937-    2. Africa    3. Description And Travel    4. Essays & Travelogues    5. Jones, Ann,    6. Travel    7. Travel - Foreign    8. Jones, Ann    9. Travel / Africa   

Reviews (2)

Senegal and Gambia
I had to do a project on Senegal. And this book helped me a lot, even though I'd like most of the information to be on Senegal instead of Gambia. The book will really help you if you are a traveller going to one of the countries. The part about pickpockets was very interesting as it tells me about the best way to be robbed in Senegal. Overall, this book covers everything, from local slangs to foods eaten. It deserves a four star!

Excellent: condensed, useful, and great reading
In many cases, the coverage offered by Lonely Planet guidebooks may be hampered by the magnitude of the region they try and cover. This is why for example, in "Lonely Planet West Africa" (a bulky book which also covers Senegal and the Gambia), coverage of each single country is brief and not always perfect, and the reader is often lost among facts and information she or he does not need. Instead, in this much smaller and far more condensed guidebook, the author and editors have managed to put as much information and data as possible into it, about Senegal and the tiny Gambia. Coverage of both countries is excellent, providing up-to-date, accurate information and sensible advice, on anything from places to stay and eat, things to do and see, things to buy, and basically anything the traveller may wish to know. The coverage on culture, society, arts, music, and other information, is also excellent and wide, written in great prose and style. This is probably one of the best Lonely Planet guidebooks I have come across, and I would strongly recommend it to anyone travelling to those two countries. It will be an extremely useful tool, and will also provide great reading about the places being visited. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Gambia    6. Senegal    7. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (8)

The best book if you want something a little deeper.
If you want a guide book with more than the basic superficial run of the mill tourist info this book is for you. Enhanced with maps, diagrams, and photos
Now in a updated and expanded new edition, John West's The Traveler's Key To Ancient Egypt continues to be the definitive guide to all of the sacred places of ancient Egypt. The ideal traveler's guidebook is enhanced with maps, diagrams, and photos to accompany the history and spiritual significance of Egypt's art, architecture, mythology, religion, and ritual practices. From the Pyramids of Giza to the Valley of the Kings, this traveler's guide reveals the hidden meaning of monuments, ancient city sites, as well as new research on the dating of the Sphinx. Travel tips include tour information, Nile cruises, what to bring and what to wear, shopping advice, as well as information on money, hotels, and restaurants. If you are planning a trip to the Land of the Pharaohs, beginning with a thorough perusal of John West's The Traveler's Key To Ancient Egypt!

For any mind that is even slightly ajar, let alone open...
This book is essential for any traveller to Egypt with a mind that is even slightly ajar, let alone open.Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Antiquities    3. Egypt    4. Guidebooks    5. Middle East - Egypt    6. Travel    7. Travel - Foreign    8. Travel & holiday guides    9. Travel / General   

Reviews (5)

Don't Leave Home Without It
We had five travel books going into a one week trip to Cairo last month.After one day we realized the quality of this guide and tossed the others back in the bag.We stayed in the heart of Islamic Cairo, so the detailed information on that part of the city was especially helpful.There are even several walking paths that the author maps out to help you make the most out of your sight seeing.Other guides might have a lot of colorful pictures, but the quality of information is not even comparable.Several pages started falling out of the guide by the end of our trip because of overuse! Great guide
This guide is excellent. I lived in Cairo for a year and this book gives you a lot of "inside" information for anyone who wants to thoroughly explore the city.

Good to have, but not as your only guide
During our recent trip to Egypt, we found this guide to be extremely helpful.Its information on lodgings, restaurants, and sights is unmatched by other guides.We found it had slightly more information than LonelyPlanet Egypt, but we could easily have gotten by with the latter.It *is*nice to have the smaller volume to carry around in Cario, though.Read more

Subjects:  1. Middle East - Egypt    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Egypt    5. Travel & holiday guides   

Editorial Review

As a Peace Corp volunteer, Mr. Tidwell spent two years in the grasslands of south central Zaire trying to teach the benefits of fish farming in some of the poorest villages on the continent. His task was not easy. One villager was convinced that fish would stock the ponds naturally, since they come to earth in raindrops. Others suspected that the ponds were just another way for whites to exploit black labor. When he finally made headway, the fish farmers gave away nearly half their harvest to relatives, and Tidwell learned one of many powerful lessons: tradition takes precedence over profits. While the tragic poverty and disease faced by the villagers was daunting, Tidwell found that their adherence to heritage and their celebration of tiny triumphs and daily satisfactions revealed a life richer than he had ever known. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great Book
As a returned Peace Corps volunteer who served in francophone Africa (Gabon - 89-91), Mike Tidwell captures the experience better than any other Peace Corps writer I've read.Contrast this book with the Village of Waiting (George Packer) and you'll see what I mean.He also is a master story teller and offers a lot for anyone interested in Africa.

Great Memoir for Any Westerner Going to Live in Africa!
Mike Tidwell's memoir of his two years of Peace Corp work teaching villagers to build fish ponds is about so much more than that. He writes so honestly about what he learned from working closely with his African neighbors and how he came to understand their generosity from an African perspective as opposed to his American perspective. He has so many adventures with the men the Kalambayi region that each chapter taught me something new. Mike shares his doubts about himself and those he works with. He confesses his errors and shares his times of despondency. But all in all I think he feels the way that I do...living in Africa as an American is the best education because you are forever changed...your world of thought is so much larger. I wanted the story to go on and on because every evening I looked forward to being with Mike's world in Zaire.

Surprisingly Good
After deciding that I wanted to apply to the Peace Corps, I began doing online and literary research on the experience as a whole.I bought this book, totally uninterested in how a Caucasion man in Africa would learn to adapt to the local culture and thus be successful at showing the (willing) villagers how to raise "fish farms."Needless to say, this book never has a dull moment, which is a major shock for me.Although he doesn't talk much about the Peace Corps (if at all), he does constantly touch on the topics of attempting to shed his American normalities/viewpoints and just plain adapting to life in his African villages.His cultural adaptation and the frustrations that come along with teaching the locals about fish farming are just two things that make this book a page turner. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th Century Description And Travel    2. Africa    3. Congo (Democratic Republic)    4. Essays & Travelogues    5. Fish-culture    6. Kalambaye    7. Kalambaye (Congo)    8. Luba (African people)    9. Peace Corps (U.S.)    10. Social life and customs    11. Sociology    12. Travel    13. Travel - General    14. Travel / Africa   

Reviews (2)

Book good. Some info outdated
Worst place I ever went to was Heaven Lodge in Chimanimana. Abysmal experience - how on earth can you recoment it. fantastically impressed with the bushwalking company. Give them a plug, they deserve it. ChimanimaniBushwalking Co. The only reason to go there

You Just Can't Get Lost With This One...
Swaney's guide to Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia is the best on the bookstore shelf. The level of detail is superb, from major cities to rural villages. She should consider herself more a regional geographer, as herdetail concerning things like history, climate, people, and place are akinto that of one! All this and she manages to fit in the best deals onlodging, food, and travel sites, not to mention important info concerningsafety and hazards associated with travel. I used this book extensivelyduring my travels throughout last year, when I lived in Windhoek. Indeed,you can find no better than this- and the information is as good or betterthan what the locals give! I once had the opportunity to meet her at ahostel in Windhoek, when I was doing some academic research there, andnever had the chance to tell her how much I praise this guide! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign   

Reviews (1)

Northern Tanzania: The Bradt Safari Guide
This was an excellent book for anyone going to Tanzania.It included customs, what to wear, weather information, safari guide, etc.Very informative. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Tanzania    5. Travel & holiday guides    6. Travel / Africa   

Reviews (11)

a-Nile-hilating a once in a lifetime opportunity

Interesting, but a bit odd
This is one of those books where you read it, and while it's about what you think it's about, it's also about something that's really surprising. The main part of the book is predictably about what the title and introduction says it's about: an account of an expedition into the heart of Ethiopia, to travel down the length of the river known as the Blue Nile, which spans the Northern portion of that country. They left the river at the border with the neighboring nation of Sudan.
I agree with A Reader
... when he expressed disappointment about Morrell's constant complaints about the tour guide, Mike Speakes. The book-long litany of criticism for Speakes is what stands out for me - more than the scenery, the people, the history, etc. Morrell suggests that she chose not to address her concerns with Speakes directly out of deference to others in her group. Instead, with the exception of one instance late in the game, she saved all of her venom to share with thousands of readers. I don't know Speakes; I never heard of him before reading this book. I don't know Morrell; I never heard of her before reading her book. I did not read any of the Amazon reviews of the book until after I read the book. What I do know is that Morrell's mean-spirited jibes at Speakes so permeated the story that my opinion of Morrell's character is perhaps as low as she wanted the reader's opinion to be of Speakes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa - General    2. Blue Nile River (Ethiopia and    3. Blue Nile River (Ethiopia and Sudan)    4. Description And Travel    5. Ethiopia    6. General    7. History - General History    8. Morell, Virginia    9. Special Interest - Adventure    10. Travel    11. Africa    12. Journeys    13. Travel / Adventure    14. Travel writing   

Reviews (8)

Very informative
Having gone through the preparation to climb Kili, I found this book to be very informative ... especially the sections on traveling through Tanzania and Kenya.Much thanks to the other reviewers for warnings on the use of Diamox and the need for conditioning.

An essential guide!
Cameron Burns has filled a void with the publication of this climbing and trekking guide for Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. While much is probably written about Kili, there is very little practical literature about Mount Kenya. The introductory pages are full of useful hints for traveling in Kenya that, from my recent experience there, all ring true. The route descriptions on Mount Kenya, while lacking in some detail, certainly convey the necessary information for a successful climb. It is already time for a new edition, however, since some of the features have changed. Kami Camp, for instance, no longer exists.

Agree with Keith Kendall - Caution advised
As others have noted Mr. Burn's book is well written, and informative. But as Keith D. Kendall correctly observes in a review elsewhere on this page, the notion that a trek to the summit of a 19,000 foot peak may be accomplished without achieving a high level of cardiovascular fitness is not only misleading and potentially dangerous, but frankly absurd. Ditto for Mr. Burn's comments on the use of Diamox, which he either doesn't understand(his comments in the book indicate little experience with its correct use), or again, dismisses out of hand as he has never had to use it. You may. The information in the book is valuable, but as with everything else, it is only a single point of view. I liked the book a great deal, but take some pause when obvious misinformation is attributed to an `expert' source. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Guidebooks    3. Hiking    4. Kenya    5. Kenya, Mount    6. Kilimanjaro, Mount    7. Mountaineering    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Tanzania    11. Travel    12. Climbing & mountaineering   

Editorial Review

A little over 100 years ago, East Africa was terra incognita to most whites: a land largely unmapped, sparsely settled by Europeans, and teeming with wildlife--from elephants to wildebeest, bongos to rhinos, and all manner of scarifying beasts in between. It was the hunter-adventurer's paradise, and by the early 20th century, a small, lionhearted clan of explorers and big-game hunters began leading safaris there for money. They became the legendary White Hunters of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, men who led manifold adventurers--including royalty, film stars, writers, and millionaires--in pursuit of the world's biggest, most dangerous, and most sought-after game.Read more

Reviews (11)

A Non - Hunter Review
I loved this book and I've never even hunted in my life. It is a fascinating picture of a time which is now gone forever. It's not just a list of hunters and how many animals they killed, although that is a big part of it. There is also a lot of interesting background on the society of the East African colonies at that time. Ironically, after initial excessive hunting, it was the White Hunters who did most to protect the wildlife of East Africa. After independence, rapacious governments made short work of what had been carefully nurtured wildlife populations. If you liked this book I'd also recommend "A Certain Curve of Horn: The Hundred Year Quest for the Giant Sable Antelope of Angola" and Martin Meredith's "The Fate of Africa".
Loaded with action and interesting characters
White Hunters is an engaging and interesting read for anyone interested in the history of the safari trade. From cover to cover Brian Herne has assembled tales that enlighten the reader on subjects ranging from the colorful characters of a bygone era to wildlife lore and insights into the life of the African tribesmen.
An Interesting History of the Great White Hunters
I found this book to be a fun read. Lots of details about the African White Hunters of the past and some exciting stories of things that happended during their huntsand careers. Some parts that recounted some hunting events with clients were pretty comical! Laid out in a chronologocal manner. Some sections seemed too long. I would recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn more about the characters and some insight on how they went about their hunting business in Africa. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Africa - General    3. History    4. Hunting - General    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. Sports & Recreation    8. Wildlife    9. 20th century    10. African history: from c 1900 -    11. Hunting or shooting animals & game