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evelikesbooks's review
4.0
This book is a series of interesting vignettes about the author's experiences in various countries in Africa, from the 1960s through the early 2000s (I think). I wish he wouldn't talk to much about "African" ways of life or ways of thinking, since Africa is full of different cultures, but perhaps in all his years as a foreign correspondent he saw some common threads. I need to read more books by actual African people, though.
spaffrackett's review against another edition
3.0
Short chapters on how nasty/beautiful Africa can be.
mirsa's review
5.0
This is really an incredible book. We're given glimpses into the Africa of the late 20th century that Kapuscinski was witness to - and not really “Africa” but rather the dozens of people groups, nomads, wanderers, tribes, of the thousands of unique peoples that exist in the place that we unjustly lump into a meaningless term, “Africa”. Kapuscinski has a gift for painting pictures of the people and places he encountered, many of which were so beautiful and wonderful and sad that multiple times, I was overcome with emotion. Highly, highly recommended.
lovegoodova's review against another edition
4.0
Zaujímavo spracované reportáže z Afriky, plné historických udalostí (o ktorých som predtým vôbec netušila) i drobných momentov vykresľujúci život v jednotlivých afrických krajinách.
Nečítalo sa mi to úplne jednoducho, mnoho ráz som sa musela o niekoľko strán vrátiť a pozrieť si, o ktorej krajine to vlastne čítam, niekedy mi možno ušiel kontext, ale v tomto prípade je chyba nie v Kapuscinskom, ale v tom, že takýchto Kapuscinskych píšucich o Afrike takto konkrétne nie je viac.
Nečítalo sa mi to úplne jednoducho, mnoho ráz som sa musela o niekoľko strán vrátiť a pozrieť si, o ktorej krajine to vlastne čítam, niekedy mi možno ušiel kontext, ale v tomto prípade je chyba nie v Kapuscinskom, ale v tom, že takýchto Kapuscinskych píšucich o Afrike takto konkrétne nie je viac.
yogarshi's review
5.0
Kapuściński's writing shines a bright light on the "heart of darkness", that complex, tormented, troubled, soul, that organism, that is anything but a whole of its parts. He sketches the march ahead of a continent over 3 decades, with first-hand accounts of some of the blackest moments of human history, along with small personal accounts of the people, the culture, the desert and the jungle that make up Africa. 27 revolutions, 40 imprisonments and 4 death-sentences later, this man knows enough about Africa to tell us how much we do not know about it.
The concluding essay, 'In the Shade of a Tree, in Africa', is possibly my most favorite piece of travel writing to date.
The concluding essay, 'In the Shade of a Tree, in Africa', is possibly my most favorite piece of travel writing to date.
chairmanbernanke's review against another edition
3.0
Kapuscinski is evidently a talented journalist, presenting his travels and travails well.
antoibar's review against another edition
5.0
Me gusta que los relatos de Ébano son una aproximación distinta a los libros que he leído sobre África en el sentido de mostrar una perspectiva algo más cotidiana y no sólo basada en los conflictos entre tribus. A veces cae en el paternalismo occidental, pero creo que, entre sumas y restas, aporta más que lo que puede dañar.
raychelllibby's review
5.0
[Paperback]
This is why I read. I learned so much. My small naive brain became a smidge less naive.
Extremely entertaining and educational essays about many countries in Africa as they became independent.
One essay in particular floored me: ‘The Cooling Hell’ about Liberia. It was horrifying, shocking and captivating. I had no idea about these wars… but, then again, I knew next to nothing about any of the contents of this book.
This is why I read. I learned so much. My small naive brain became a smidge less naive.
Extremely entertaining and educational essays about many countries in Africa as they became independent.
One essay in particular floored me: ‘The Cooling Hell’ about Liberia. It was horrifying, shocking and captivating. I had no idea about these wars… but, then again, I knew next to nothing about any of the contents of this book.
ihorbook's review against another edition
4.0
Книжка написана дуже легко і приємно, з уважністю до деталей, вдалими порівняннями і зі щирим співчуттям до Африки та африканців. Як і в попередніх працях Капусцінського, найбільше сподобались ті частини, де він дає слово звичайним людям або розповідає з власного досвіду. Натомість, викликають сумніви узагальнення про споконвічну природу африканців і несумісність африканського та європейського "типів мислення", плюс згадані вже в інших рецензіях хибні факти про "єдину книгарню на всю Ефіопію" тощо. Читати "Гебан" однозначно варто, просто слід мати на увазі неминучу обмеженість репортерського досвіду, навіть якщо це величезний досвід Капусцінського.