The Shadow of the Sun

Enlightening, beautifully written, this description of Africa by a European traveler and journalist greatly deepened my understanding of how separate countries fit into the entire jigsaw puzzle of the continent called Africa. After having lived in Africa for two years, Kapuscinski’s work clarified so many themes for me. I remain in greater awe then ever of this continent. A must-read for all those travelers who seek not just to explore, but to understand.

I don’t know where I got this book. Someone must have gifted it to me. Perhaps it fell into my backpack. However I acquired it it has been a joy to read. The stories themselves are not joyful, but the descriptions of life from dawn to dusk, heat and darkness, thirst and hunger, war and friendly relations, makes it a wonderful and fascinating read. I have traveled to East Africa 12 times since 2012. I have fallen in love with the people, their extended families, the simplicity and difficulty of their lives. This book, more than anything I’ve ever read, captures the essence of life in Africa in brilliant prose.

Ryszard Kapuscinski is a Polish reporter who has been covering Africa since 1957. Through the years, he's written six books about his experiences. This, his latest, is a collection of essays spanning more than four decades. Each can stand alone, and yet, together they form a unique portrait of Africa, its peoples, and the writer himself. From the initial enthusiasm in the 1950s when colonial power began to wane to the destruction of that dream and war and starvation, Mr. Kapuscinski sees it all. He keeps the reader right there with him too, and we share the heat and the dryness and the insects and even the malaria and tuberculosis that attack his body.We all know that Africa is very different from the world we know, and in this book we learn just how different it is. We learn about the African's identity with his clan, we get a feeling of his sense of time and distance, and understand the joy of something as simple as a sip of water or a small shady spot under a tree. Always, there is heat, so oppressive that people walk slowly to conserve energy and do nothing but lie quietly during the hot burning heat of the day. It's the keenly observed details that bring it all to life. For example, the introduction of plastic containers for carrying water improved the lives of the people. Plastic containers are lighter and come in various sizes. Children can carry water now, thus freeing adult women from hours of work. Reading about this makes me thankful for the clean running water I take for granted. I also learned a lot about some of the raging wars. For the first time, I really understood what exactly the war was about in Rwanda and why so many people died. And his descriptions of the various governments in Liberia and the horrible in-fighting was very clear. I shuddered to read about so many murders in the places he came to know so well. And there were tears in my eyes reading about the starvation and the reasons for it. I'm deeply saddened too, because I see no easy answers.The episodic nature of the book was both its strength and its weakness. It's true that I got an excellent overview. But the chapters skipped around, from place to place and covered a span of more than forty years. I would have preferred a more in-depth look at any one area. I understand though, that his other books are more focused in this way and I look forward to reading more of his work. I also wish he had included some maps as well as a few photographs. In spite of this, however, I do recommend this book. It really did deepen my understanding of this very complex continent.

Such a well written book. I know Africa a little better, though it can never really be known. We humans are such a sad species. What we do with what we're given is shameful though our hearts hold love.

Dawn and dusk. The only bearable times in equatorial Africa. The Mango tree. If it dies, a village dies with it.The time frame is post-Colonial Africa through the 1990's, reported by Poland's most celebrated foreign correspondent. Each chapter describes a different culture he visited, and extreme danger is inherent in every one. Determined to see the diversity of life, he risks his own life to get the story.The idea put forth is that Colonialism reduced Africa from ten thousand cultures to fifty countries. Before foreign countries ruled and borders were drawn, tribes that wandered were able to. Tribes that were rooted to the earth stayed put. The occupation of Europeans destroyed the many different native cultures of Africa, and millions survive with only shade and water.The stories are almost too much to take in. Man's inhumanity to man is shown in so many settings, in so many different ways, that the reader is left bereft.

We have been to Africa on numerous occasions. Our only regret is that we did not read The Shadow of the Sun first. If we had, we would have understood and appreciated so much more about Africa and the African people. This book is wonderfully written and expertly translated. Even if you do not plan to visit Africa, the book is a fascinating and informative read. We highly recommend it!

Interestingly, I originally became aware of this author through a review of this particular book and then proceeded to read his earlier five books...which are all available in paperback and tend to be far more narrow in scope than The Shadow of Sun and therfore I found somewhat more intersting and focussed. I must say that I was slightly disappointed (but not nearly as much as some of the other reviewers who apparently were rather displeased and quite critical of the book) In any event, it is, like all of Mr. Kapuscinski's books, an involving ande engrossing read but is is somewhat inconsistent and does meander at times. In short, I think this author has done a better job when he has taken a more specifc issue or period of time --like the fall of one particular nation or it's ruler and here he has tried to capture the complexities and enormity of a whole continent..and at times he does go off the path --but still and all a very interesting and fascinating read. Interestingly, like Colin Thurbon who has studied Central Asia and Siberia in similar depth --neither author really shares much of their personal life which I think would be equally interesting to read about.

Libro muy explicativo de la vida de África en los años 70-80

The first and great book I read of Ryszard Kapuscinki . Liked it very much.Although he calls these chapters as some of the few encounters with the continent, for me it was a continuous journey expecting never to come to an end. Living among the natives and giving us the ground zero reporting of Vivid and poignant tales of the people, spirits, ongoing wars , the climate destruction, resultant churning out of refugees and importantly the Land which is collectively called as Africa. A narration of a ceaseless struggle a battle a fight to the finish. A place where even cool breeze is a luxury.Luring me that I should visit the place.

Consigliato!

Afrika gilt als einer der vielfältigsten Kontinente der Welt mit mehr als 920 verschiedenen Sprachen und Ethnien. Uns Europäern wird oft ein pauschalisierender Umgang mit Afikas Geist nachgesagt. Ärmlich und zurückgeblieben, ein Kontinent voller ethnischer Spannungen aus dem Kriege resultieren. Ein Kontinent der Dürren und weiterer Naturkatastrophen, die oft auch menschengemacht ist. Ein Kontinent, der von der Weltwirtschaft als Rohstofflieferant betrachtet wird, aber seine Bewohner oft nur sporadisch versorgen kann. Der Geist des Kolonialismus hängt vielerorts noch wie ein Damoklesspieß über vielen Ländern.Doch Afrika ist vielmehr als das. Dieser Roman ist herzergreifend und sehnsüchtig zugleich. Zeigt die enorme Vielfalt und Herzlichkeit des Kontinents ohne ihn unter wirtschaftlichen Aspekten, wie wir es aus eurozentrischer Sicht gerne tun, zu bewerten. Er zeigt, wie sich Afrika von innen heraus befreien kann.

I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT THE VILLAGE AFRICAN. The history is written in prose style. The author's chapters are titled by picture or notes. He smoothly tells his story magically from the title AND all is connected. I could feel the dangerous heat and feared the snakes. What fascinated me also was their understanding of TIME. Village living and need of neighbours and constant movement shed light and understanding on their way of life. I strongly suggest to read his SHAH of SHAHS. With this author history reading is a treat.