I was wondering if some of our history buffs could share with me about,,,

The COLONIAL history of African countries like Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), Tanzania, Namibia (S.West Africa), Botswana and South Africa???

I would be very interested in whatever facts or opinions you could share...

I am mesmerized with Africa after my safari in June 2008

I long to go back with each passing day. Her land is so beautiful and her wildlife like no other!

There is a mystique to Africa that intrigues me and she has captured my heart ever since.

But she is a land of great contrast and bloody turmoil and utter chaos which besets her even today!

She is so RICH and yet so POOR in many ways that I had no idea of before she captured my heart.

And in order for me to comprehend her present afflictions I am seeking to understand some of her past!!!

Thank you and if you could recommend a few books on the subject I would appreciate it too!

Eloquently put.

There's no end of good books and authors on the subject and I know you're gonna get lots of suggestions.

But you might like to look here: http://www.shakariconnection.com/bookshelf.html where you'll find most of 'em for prices from just a dollar or two.

You might start with Michener's "The Covenant" with a mix of fiction and historical fact describing the history of South Africa. While not exactly focusing on Colonial history, I am now reading Africa: A Biography of the Continent by John Reader that is a very good history of all facets of Africa, geographical, economic, geopolitical, and the people.

Safari by Bartle Bull. Fantastic book from early Africa through the era of Hemingway and closing with the present time.

A couple that I have read a few times, and will certainly read a few times more, are "White Hunters" by Brian Herne and "Africa: a Biography of a Continent" (author's name escapes me and I don't have it here at work.) The first is a good history of safari hunting in East Africa from the early days. The other is an excellent survey history of the continent from geologic formation to the time of writing (about ten years ago.)

Thanks for recommending these books

As much as I am excited about the game I hunt,

I am equally fascinated about where I hunt!

It is much about the LAND and to all those who call her, HOME.

Although they are fiction, Ruark's Something of Value and Uhuru are good reads. Sam Njoma's autobiography Where Others Waivered (I think that's the title) is an interesting perspective on Namibia's independence. Stigand's book on elephant hunting contains some now very politically incorrect views that help put history in perspective.

The books of H. Rider Haggard featuring his Novel character Alan Quatarmain are outstanding. Although fiction, they have enough real characters and history to make them some of the most enjoyable books one can ever read on SouthEast Africa of the 1800's.

There are so many books on Africa, but here are three that I like. They cover a lot of time span, but are very entertaining.
1. The White Nile - Alan Morehead
2. The Blue Nile - Alan Morehead
3. A Certain Curve of Horn, the Hundred Year Quest for the Giant Sable - John Frederick Walker
4. The End of the Game -Peter Beard

I could go on, but that would keep you entertained for awhile along with all the others mentioned.

Enjoy

Brian Herne's "White Hunter" is a great book that I've read and re-read many times over. Flush with East African hunting history.

Namibia was under German control until after WW2 I believe. I hunted at Farm Felseneck several years ago. It was owned by a German. Several farms are still owned (and lived on) by people of German descent.
Peter.

I am half way through The Covenant. It is a very enjoyable book and you learn a good bit about the history of South Africa too, from the early days of the Dutch, to the Huguenots, to the British, the rise of the Zulus, etc. Good book.

If you can listen rather than read, you might like to do a Google search on "day of the dead moon" which tells the history of the Zulu wars.

It's a stunner!

The best book on colonial africa is "Scramble for Africa" by Thomas Pakenham. A modern historian who wrote a full account of the colonisation of the entire african continent by european powers. It is written as a narative so it is easy going.

A good short history of each country is found in the Lonely Planet Guide for a country. They usually cover the history of the country and the peoples of the country, as well as an intro to the languages. I always get a copy a few months before I go to any country.
They often include a listing of fiction and nonfiction that make good additional reading. I was surprised that I had read more about the history of Namibia than the good family I stayed with. They had some frustration that, while they had been well educated, what they had been taught in school was less than complete. Both my PH and his wife were decended from Boers who had trekked north, yet they knew little of the early days, the Dutch/English issues and German interventions, let alone the tribal conflicts that shaped the beautiful land that they live in. Funny how we sometimes know the history of the world, but don't know how our families shaped it.
Bfly

quote:

They had some frustration that, while they had been well educated, what they had been taught in school was less than complete.

Perhaps deliberately? Witness the recent Texas school board decisions.
Peter.

Try "Washing of the Spears" and anything by Martin Meredith. These should give you an inkling about the history of the continent

The Zanzibar Chest by Aiden Hartley

It's very enlightening, unpleasant in parts, but it's a wonderful insight to where Africa was, and is now.

Thank you for sharing folks I appreciate it

The Covenant, by Mitchner It is a 2 volume set about the making of Southern Africa. It is historical fiction I read it more then 20yrs ago.
I really enjoyed it and think I will reread it.

Mike

If you want some darn good reading, this will keep you busy for the next year or two. Starting with Wilbur Smith; his Courtney and Ballantyne series of fiction will take you from gold mining in Joburg, the Boer Wars, the history of Rhodesia and the Matabele and Shona people, and lots of wars. Then check out some of Stuart Cloete's books, my favorite is "Turning Wheels". And if you just want to read a history of African hunting - get Tony Sanchez-Arino's 8 volume "African Country Series" by Safari Press. It has all the hunting stories you could want from the first elephant hunters on up to current day safaries.

I think I have read about 90 books and Africa and Safari at this point and I still can't get enough. Personally I like:

Anything by JA Hunter
Loved all of Robert Ruarks books
White Hunter by Herne
Finn Aagards books
Anything by John Taylor
Months of the Sun
The hunting Blackbeards of Botswana
Karamojo Bells books
Selous books were a bit more dry but interesting
Life on Safari by Geoff Broom
Capstick books on other people like Taylor etc.

For non-safari specific, non-fiction books...

Two good ones about the Congo:
"King Leopold's Ghost"
"In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz"
"Station Chief, Congo"

"Shake Hands with the Devil" Great book on the Rwanda genocide by the Canadian general who was the UN Commander.

"I Didn't Do It For You" - interesting read about Eritrea and its war with Ethiopia.
Second the above mentions of John Reader and Martin Meredith. Not sure of the title, but Meredith has a great general book that covers individual countries in Chapters that I have re-read several times...a friend is borrowing it so I don't have it at hand. He also wrote a dense book about the history of South Africa.

Somebody mentioned "The Scramble for Africa", also a great one. The same author wrote a detailed history of the Boer War.

I was lucky enough to get a Master's degree in African Studies on the Army's nickel and got to spend a year and a half reading, writing and thinking about Africa...not to mention four years (so far)living there.

Thank you for all the recommendations...I'm looking forward to it!

quote:

The COLONIAL history of African countries like Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), Tanzania, Namibia (S.West Africa), Botswana and South Africa???

Each of those would keep you busy for years if you were interesed in depth!

Scramble for Africa is good, as are Pakenham's others apparently (Boer War)
Richard Dowden's 'Africa' is very good.
Certain curve of Horn by John Frederic is good for recent Angolan history, with wildlife conservation as a shared central theme.
I really liked 'White Tribe Dreaming' by Marc de Villiers.

There is an endless list of good books on the places you mentioned...

Ask your PH for a recommendation.

Mine was 3rd generation in Namibia and very quick to tell you that he was Dutch, NOT German.

I'm suprised that no one has mentioned Wilbur Smith books. I haven't read them all, but most of them. They are fiction but do give an historical perspective on Africa and all it's trials and troubles. To me they are simular to Louis L'Amore books, fictional characters but real places and situations......Tom

There is a great book I read, which is a country by country analysis of its history, colonization (or not) and current situation. I'll dig up the title and post, but it is excellent.

Thanks gang I appreciate it!