A real funny ground work diary. From shock to shock, the author discovers that services and activities considered as granted are not so in other places. Bureaucracy to the most absurd limits, supposed to be modern culture imposed to a tribal mood (as a beauty miss election almost in the forest) and even the return to the civilization are oportunities for amazing and funny histories.

It is a real way to discover "the others" that are, at bottom, so close to us (as when the boss of the tribe excused for not accompanying him back to U.K. because as every one knows it is afreezing weather, there are dangerous animals as the dogs in the catholic mision and cannibals abound (exactly the same told by his mother in U.K.)

All in all, I was expecting for some conclusions on the disaster of imposing our way of development on tribal and undeveloped countries and other way of doing it but maybe this was not the book for such kind of thoughts.

While I enjoyed this book very much, and found it both humorous and enlightening, I was left with some curiosity and concern about the female tribespeople. Barley never delves into the lives of the women, nor comments on the fact that the women are treated as commodities and excluded from most ceremonies and celebrations. I couldn't help but think that a female anthropologist would have come away with an entirely different view of the Dowayo. Barley's hilarious description of Cameroonian dentistry, however, was enjoyable enough to outweigh the whiff of sexism which put a slight damper on my enjoyment of the book.

An entertaining serious book. Mr. Barley's understated tone is a powerful tool in the rendition of amazement and humor. Those of us who have had the pleasure of an African sojourn can relate to his continuous sense of wonder and surprise which rightfully and at every turn challenge our daily assumptions. This is a very humorous often hilarious book, whose last chapter, Mr. Barley's return to England, is a must read for anyone trying to understand the fascination foreign travel and foreign experiences can exert. The clash of cultures on the reverse is as powerful a discovery as his entire life in the bush was. A great book on all accounts!

This book is about a business that, for the most part, no longer exists - the business of collecting animals for display in zoos. Wildlife conservation has changed a lot since then so the kind of expedition that Gerald Durrell and his companion, John, undertook in 1953, described in this book, just could not happen now.

Gerald describes how he and John spent several months in Cameroon collecting a variety of animals, birds and reptiles and some of the adventures they had, including the triumphs and disappointments. He acknowledges right at the beginning that the expedition may seem more exciting than it really was, because all the boring aspects have been omitted. Even so, there were enough exciting moments to fill this book.

He describes some of the local people, who he mostly got on well with - but of course he did have some problems and we are told about these. He describes some of the creatures he collected, and the disappointment when some died or escaped.

My favorite (both at school and now) was a chimpanzee that had already been domesticated. Gerald was asked to look after him before he could be shipped to London. This was no ordinary chimpanzee, as he not only enjoyed smoking cigarettes but was able to light his own using either matches or lighter, and also displayed other characteristics more normally associated with people than with chimpanzees. Always remember that this was 1953.

This is a highly entertaining book, which I first read at school, where it was compulsory reading - and it was the only such book that I enjoyed. I still enjoyed it when I read it again recently, after discovering (to my surprise) that it is still available in the UK.

Gerald Durrell spent most of his life collecting interesting animal specimens and Durrell is an interesting human specimen himself. His well chronicled life (mostly chronicled by Durrell) begins with the hilarious, and very succesfull, "My family and Other Animals". It is ably followed up with the equally hilarious "Birds, Beasts and Relatives". Both books are full of tales from the Durrell family's years on the Greek Island of Corfu, pre WWII. Little Gerry dives right into the flora and fauna of the island, including its human fauna. I own very few nonfiction books with such a plethora of memorable characters. Now, of course, we get to the volume in question. It is plenty good, and worth multiple readings over years, as is "A Zoo In My Luggage" and several other books detailing trips to collect animals. A word of warning, don't go nuts and buy all the zillion Durrell titles. Some of them are out of print for a reason and were most likely dashed off by Durrell to finance a collecting trip or two. If you read a sampling of Amazon.com reviews you will sniff these out and avoid wasting you hard earned lucre. And please, get "My Familiy and Other Animals and "Birds, Beasts and Relatives" right now, if you dont have them already.

Durrell's descriptions are so enthralling, I actually read the entire book in one night. If you like books about animals, such as the All Creatures series, you must read this book. I first read this book when I was 10, and this was probably the first adult book I read. The way Durrell describes the catching of animals and the way he captures each character's essence is incredible. You will fall in love with this book. I strongly recommend it.

We enjoyed the story within the story of this book. It tells why some huts are round and some are square to this day in a small African village. This story is of men's & women's strengths & differences, the celebration of family and of the tradition of storytelling. The artwork adds to the quality of this book.

The Village of Round and Square Houses, is a story told byalittle girl, Osa, about how the people in her Central African villageof Tos ended up having the men live in square houses and the women in round ones. Osa's story begins with vivid descriptions and pictures of day to day life including their eating rituals in which the men come to eat with the women and children in the round house. Grifalconi uses bright, beautiful colors and illustrations, which help set the happy and peaceful mood. As Osa's grandmother tells her the story of how the great Naka Mountain burst open sending lava, ashes and smoke everywhere, Grifalconi does a good job of depicting the eruption. She contrasts the color orange on black and later shows the village and people all covered with ashes, with only two houses left standing. Since Naka had spared them and these two houses, the men and women split up and have been living this way ever since. The language and descriptions that she uses to tell the story are unique and informative; she keeps the reader wanting to know more. Grifalconi also does a good job of portraying the culture and tradition in the small village. In a note to the reader at the beginning of the book, she states that this village of Tos really does exist but that it is almost entirely isolated which makes its culture unique with different traditions from other African villages. The story, The Village of the Round and Square Houses, tells of the importance of family and the respect given to the elders. For the eldest in this family has the wooden stool to sit on and the next eldest has the grass mat. The children help the women cook, and everyone eats supper taking turns in order, starting with the eldest right down to the youngest child. Osa's grandmother tells the story of how their village ended up the way it is now. All members of the village respect her grandmother, and she is known as the best storyteller in the village. By telling stories she is able to pass on the culture of their village. In their 1988 Children's Literature Association Quarterly article, "Sharon Bell Mathis: Features of a Culture," Darwin L. Henderson and Arlene Harris Mitchell examine Mathis's work. Sharon Bell Mathis's works and Grifalconi's, The Village of Round and Square Houses, are similar because they both deal with celebrating life, children, family, survival, spiritual strength and culture. The oral tradition of story-telling is important to Mathis, and Grifalconi has the grandmother orally pass on the story of Naka. For me, this story by the grandmother is one of the most important things in the book because it gives the reason for having the women live in round houses and the men live in square ones, and it gives insight into part of their culture. This shows that oral tradition and culture are important aspects to both authors when writing children's books. I found this book stimulating to look at and interesting to read. The illustrations are great and add a lot to the story though it was a great story in itself. I definitely want to check out more of Ann Grifalconi's work.

This is a wonderful book to share with children. Children need to know that different cultures do things differently. Culture is a big part of people and how they live their lives. This book was awarded a Caldecott Honor in 1987 for the wonderful pastel pictures. I, myself, loved this book and so did my children in the classroom.

Anyone who is interested in having a well rounded collection of books of African Art should really try to track this wonderful "Handbook" down! It is really more than a handbook. It is the work of the late Dr. Paul Gebauer, who lived in Cameroon, and was a major collector of it's art. Dr Gebaur just doesn't give you a book of pictures. He Knew the artists and saw the actual pieces used in various ceremonies. His passion leaps off the page. The pieces in this book are from his collection, and are considered to be some of the finest examples of Cameroon Art. Of particular interest was the combining of traditional artistic styles with modern applications, such as the entrance doors to Nkwen Chapel. This is a splendid book!

A superb reference book for collectors, galleries, and africanists scholars for african tribal art of Cameroon ! http://home.att.ne.jp/red/koroli

I had to read this for an anthropology class prior to visiting Cameroon, little did I know how accurate it would be, I don't even think I grasped the whole story the first time because I had never been in that culture. This is an excellent work, fast reading and very informative. Good for anyone who wants to learn about Cameroonian culture or just another view of the world in general.

Your Madness, Not Mine - A Review. "We're the matches that will light the gunpowder that has been lying cold like ash. If we don't take a step who will . . . ?" This definitive assertion and rhetorical question, posed by an enterprising Beba woman in Juliana Makuchi Nfah Abbenyi's collection of short stories,Your Madness, Not Mine,is evocative of the author's own project which in many ways is as potent and innovative as the above metaphor. To read Makuchi, a Cameroonian woman writer, and postcolonial intelligentsia in the West, is to land at once in a rich, complex and contradictory world, bubbling with tensions ensuing from gender conflicts, polyglossia and constant shiftings of center / periphery, self / other dichotomies. In a span of nine short stories, Makuchi guides us through the contours of her native African land which shares the patriarchal history with the rest of the world, while exposing its own unique gender quarrels, compromises, and victories. The first story, "The Healer", for instance, plays upon the myth of motherhood that is upheld as the major or sole criterion of womanhood in most cases. It shows how a society that sees barren women as a curse, can end up shoving them into the hands of wicked charlatans who cheat them ruthlessly and drive them insane. The title story also has a woman domesticated and deprived of individual freedom by her typically patriarchal husband despite being educated and capable of making financial contributions to the household. But if these are stories of women's biological pathology and gender vulnerability, then in "Election Fever" we have a story of women's manipulative and conniving powers. The grandmother in this story takes her entire family by surprise when she secretively joins many (opposition)political parties and accepts bribery in the shape of cash and Pakistani rice. She also instills a lesson on flippancy and exploitation that leaders and followers mutually play as part of the political game, in her young granddaughter who accompanies her to party meetings. "Bayam Sellam" however, is the story that presents the traditional strength and entrepreneurship of Camaroonian women in the shape of market women. Descendants of strong willed mothers and grandmothers, these market whizzes possess the solidarity and business acumen required to call up a strike and force the government into declaring a state of emergency. If the women in Makuchi's world are economically and politically aware and active, than her men are by no means lacking behind in this arena. They have their own share of pondering and debating over the postcolonial scramble that Camaroon has become since independence in 1960. Hailing from that part of central Africa which has been thrice colonized (Germans, Britishers and French, all had their share of plunder of this land) and is still struggling to wrench free from the clutches of the neocolonial beast gnawing in the shape of capitalist America, the men in these narratives are often concerned about the grim socio-economic fate that awaits them. "American Lottery" and "The Forest Will Claim You Too" are two such stories which delineate the myriad of home grown as well as imposed problems that jitter the heart of this country. Government corruption in particular, and elitist callousness in general, French aggression and racism, in addition to the economic exploitation by next door neighbors like Nigeria, deforestation or "environmental genocide" by both French and Asians, leading to other social hazards like "timber babies", and loss of ancient herbal medicinal provisions are some of the ailments that contribute towards breaking the backbone of Camaroonian economy, and falsifying its persistent efforts towards modernization. No wonder Makuchi blatantly points at the devaluation of the CFA (the Camaroonian currency) and the escalating inflation scenario to be the root cause behind the brain drain that America is enjoying today. The implicit question that lingers right under the narrative surface seems to be: If the "Third World" youth is often eager to have a way out of this labyrinthian hole and aspires for that alluring land of promises, who is to blame? Nonetheless, it is relieving to find that not all Camaroonian youth are attracted to the West. Peter and his friends in "American Lottery", for instance, are well aware of the dilemmas of identity loss, alienation and frustration that are quick to follow the fate of those who turn their face away from the poverty and confusion of motherland in the hope of totally adopting and assimilating a foreign culture. The same densely packed story depicts local riots, curfews and rebellions to be amongst other things that keep Camaroonians perpetually involved in their country's future. Like her themes, Makuchi's images and metaphors are often drawn from both indigenous and foreign sources. So we have palm and plantain, wrappa and nsaa, juxtaposed with the image of the Marlboro man with his will - o'- the - wisp pose and foreign embassies with their whining twining queue of locals. Her stories, with both rural and urban settings also often break into poetic strings of thought and are embellished with sprinklings of the Beba language, some pidgin, Anglophone as well as Francophone diction. Reading these superb pieces of fiction has definitely been a very enriching experience for me. If you are looking for thought provoking yet lucid, and passionately written fictionalized theory, or theorized fiction, then this is the text for you.

Ms. Goheen adroitly locates her work in the grassfields of Cameroon within a rich theoretical framework. Fascinating reading for the anthropologist and layman alike.

C. S. Lewis said that by talking incessantly about it, our age has managed the unimaginable feat of making sex boring. One would add that by making sex casual, we have made the the central act of communion between a man and a woman emotionally barren and spiritually empty. The two young Africans whose letters shape this book have a lesson about love and hope for us, medicine for a cynical, aimless, and jaded people.

Walter and Ingrid Trobisch were a missionary couple in Cameroon (a former German and then French colony in West Africa) in the 1960s. Francois, a young African man they had known from the mission school, writes to Pastor Trobisch for advice on what to do after being fired from his job.

Along the way, he meets and falls in love with Cecile, a clever and courageous young Christian woman whose family demands a bride price of $400--an impossible fortune for an unemployed youth.

"I Loved a Girl" consists of excerpts from the private letters of Francois, Cecile, and the Trobisches, which tell better than any description the struggles they had in overcoming their situation and the way in which their submission to Christ's will in their lives led them to joy.

This is a profoundly moving book, and an inspiration to all of us not to lose the mystery of Eros, in its right place at the heart of Christian marriage, and not to settle for less than the best God has for us.

C. S. Lewis said that by talking incessantly about it, our age has managed the unimaginable feat of making sex boring. One would add that by making sex casual, we have made the the central act of communion between a man and a woman emotionally barren and spiritually empty. The two young Africans whose letters shape this book have a lesson about love and hope for us, medicine for a cynical, aimless, and jaded people.

Walter and Ingrid Trobisch were a missionary couple in Cameroon (a former German and then French colony in West Africa) in the 1960s. Francois, a young African man they had known from the mission school, writes to Pastor Trobisch for advice on what to do after being fired from his job.

Along the way, he meets and falls in love with Cecile, a clever and courageous young Christian woman whose family demands a bride price of $400--an impossible fortune for an unemployed youth.

"I Loved a Girl" consists of excerpts from the private letters of Francois, Cecile, and the Trobisches, which tell better than any description the struggles they had in overcoming their situation and the way in which their submission to Christ's will in their lives led them to joy.

This is a profoundly moving book, and an inspiration to all of us not to lose the mystery of Eros, in its right place at the heart of Christian marriage, and not to settle for less than the best God has for us.

this book... is a treasure. a wealth of inspiration for persons who are waiting for real love. i wish every teenager in the world could read this book-- i think premarital sex would become almost rare. Trobisch paints a picture of what a loving relationship should be, and what it can be when it is held together by God. he gives the best arguements, in humble, simple, but poignant examples, of why waiting until marriage is the only way that sex can be enjoyed as it was meant to be. this book always reminds me that love is so precious because it takes such commitment, patience, and sacrifice. the very opposite of what society today will tell you. hopefully this Christian classic will again find its way to the hands and hearts of people young and old.

This book has adventure! An inspiring read for any medical student. Dr. Lemke shares riveting case histories that could only occur in the bush. The use of tupperware implant to treat a paralyzed eye -- the need to argue with natives in sign language not to leave the operating table while cut open mid-surgery -- the dilemma of providing treatment to a culture with unique but life-threatening traditions. As a medical student, I appreciated reading through Dr. Lemke's thought processes while having to ethically and medically navigate the need for unusual treatments. Dr. Lemke also makes astute observations about how African tribal lifestyles prevent many diseases common in western countries such as tooth decay and appendicitis. In addition to the medical aspect, Dr. Lemke shares an incredibly open-minded portrait of Cameroon's somewhat unknown native tribes.

This book is a classic depiction of what is really going on in Cameroon to the eyes of a foreigner who has never been there before. Being a native of that country, I think that the author himself is very explicit as to what he truely experienced while living and mingling with people from a different culture and ethnicity. If you have never been to Cameroon let alone Africa, I would PERSONALLY reccomend this book. To the author of this book, I would say GOOD JOB and more power to your elbow.

REVIEW
Man No Be God
Bushdoctor in Cameroon

I have read this book and reread many parts many times. It is always a delight and brings back many wonderful memories. I smile and relive precious times. The people, places and predicaments come alive with the author's clear details and compassionate descriptions. Although I lived in Cameroon and was a coworker of Dr. Lemke's, the huge number of precise details cited here about the culture, the country and the medical conditions amaze me. Now we see the value of the little notebook kept in the author's breast pocket and all the notations he put in it. This book contains a wealth of factual information as well as a fascinating account of hundreds of people and their problems. Since Dr. Lemke's years of work spanned more than 30 years, he includes the follow-up and feedback of many interesting cases plus the growth in the development of the country.

I highly recommend this book to anyone planning to live or work in Cameroon, or other developing countries. Certainly, it is a "must" for medical people. Both the technical and emotional challenges of facing unknown or untreatable illness one after the other become real. The cultural insights presented are enlightening; the humor, constant and comforting; and the people, real and loveable. When you meet them, you will enjoy them more if you have read this book.

For those who want to experience Africa from the armchair, you will have more than you can imagine here. A little medical background will increase your understanding but is not necessary. Explanations of the life and culture are interesting and well done. This is a true account of life in developing Cameroon.

Thank you, Dieter, for writing this book and sharing your life and your heart with us - again. You shared while you were in Cameroon, and here you continue to do so. This is another good example of your pace setting.