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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"He who does not travel . . ., August 7, 2005
This review is from: Angry Wind: Through Muslim Black Africa by Truck, Bus, Boat, and Camel (Hardcover)
. . . will not know the value of men" (Moorish saying)
Jeffrey Tayler must have had this saying in his mind when embarking on his extraordinary journey across the Sahel from Northern Chad to Senegal on the Atlantic Coast. His book follows in the footsteps of famous explorers of the Sahara/Sahel in centuries past, starting with Ibn Battuta and Leo Africanus to Mungo Park and Heinrich Barth. Tayler deserves an honoured place among them.
An experienced traveler in difficult terrains, as described in previous books, he set himself an unusually challenging itinerary. He trekked mainly through remote rural areas at the southern edge of the Sahara, relying on local transport and local people for assistance in his quest. The two-month excursion took place in early 2003 (prior to the invasion of Iraq) but the shadow of 9/11 confronted him everywhere, with varying degrees of vehemence. One of his objectives, in fact, had been to explore the reactions of local people to the conflicts between his home country, USA, and this part of Africa that is predominantly Muslim. He wanted to hear their concerns and how they judged American politics and treated an American in their midst. His fluency in Arabic and French as well as familiarity with Arab and West African Muslim cultures were essential preconditions for this adventure.
And it was an adventure in all respects: threat of bandits, lack of safe food and water, breaking down vehicles, military and border bureaucrats' attempts to block his way. He followed far-flung desert tracks into regions foreigner had rarely ventured to enter. Chad is not on tourist maps, nor is the northern region of Nigeria. Neither is Niger, the second poorest country in the world. Traveling on the Niger River in a local "pinasse" from Gao to Timbuktu presented its own challenges. Arriving finally in Timbuktu he is rewarded with a beautifully conveyed visit to celebrate the "Feast of Tabaski" with a Tuareg family an hour's camel ride away in the desert.
More than once was he worried about survival and safe return. Quite deliberately he immersed himself in the local habitat and routines. He shared many of the hardships of the local people whose poverty, hopelessness and sometimes anger he describes in detail with deep empathy and understanding. His skill of observation brings the villages and the people to life. His portrayal of the beauty of the Sahelian landscape despite the challenges of its harsh climate are superb, his language often lyrical. The "harmattan", the hot and destructive desert wind, made life difficult for animals and humans. His real "saviours", however, were his numerous local travel companions and guides as well as village chiefs and other people encountered. He records political and philosophical discussions with them and reflects on their personalities and surroundings. Sometimes, it is only with a sense of humour and patience that issues get resolved. It became evident to Tayler, that even in the remotest oases of Chad or Niger, the local people were well aware of the major crisis between the United States and Muslim states; they voiced their concerns of the US administration and the impending war with Iraq. "We always liked the Americans before" one chief is quoted, "but not now". Many interlocutors saw a clear distinction between an American among them and his government's politics. "You are safe here", one of them responded as he imagined the wrath of US on his country if anything happened to their visitor.
The book is rich in detail and full of fascinating facts. Tayler touches on diverse tensions and conflicts, whether religious or ethnic, internal to the nations he visited, illustrating the dilemmas of the ill-advised post colonial boundaries. Given the distances he traveled, the places he visited and the people he encountered, the book could easily have been double in length. The expansion would not lose the reader's attention.
What makes this book particularly valuable is Tayler's solid knowledge of the long and complex history underlying the socio-political context of the region. Historical information and relevant current data is brought into the flow of the reporting, adding important background information without overloading the narrative. No doubt this is a captivating read and invaluable for anybody wanting to learn more about this fascinating and least explored African region. [Friederike Knabe]
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Poorest Africa...the Hard Way, March 1, 2005
This review is from: Angry Wind: Through Muslim Black Africa by Truck, Bus, Boat, and Camel (Hardcover)
I'm glad that insightful writers like Jeffrey Tayler suffer through trips such as the one described here. That way, armchair travelers can get an idea of what these far-flung, dangerous and dirt poor places are really like without having to risk life and limb to understand what it's really like out there.
In the best travel-writing tradition, Angry Wind recounts an arduous journey, revealing the hardships of roughing it on the backroads of some of the world's poorest countries. In the region just south of the Sahara, the Sahel, traveling overland from Chad through Nigeria, Niger and Mali, the author provides wonderful insight into this seldom visited and often misunderstood part of the world. In the complicated post 9/11 world, America is often seen as the aggressor, especially in Muslim countries, and Tayler is frequently the target of animosity when the people he meets learn his nationality. My hat is off to him for overlooking some of the harsh words thrown his way and trying to understand the motivation of the inhabitants of this arid region. It helps that Tayler is fluent in French and Arabic, two languages that see him through quite a few sticky situations.
In addition to learning a lot about the Sahel I very much appreciated Tayler's descriptions of the people and the dire situations they struggle to survive in. Many of the towns and cities he visits eke out a hand-to-mouth existence; daily survival is very much a challenge that we in the West can't begin to comprehend. The filth, poverty and malnutrition serve to color the people's view of the world and, according to the author, provide a ripe breeding ground for Islamic extremism.
On numerous occasions the author sticks his investigative nose into situations where I would have backed off at the first sight of the intimidating guards and/or surly local officials. Bravo! That's exactly the attitude we need from someone doing the work for us. Overcoming extreme heat, the never ending desert wind, the filth, guns, lousy food and other extremely trying conditions, Tayler perseveres. Hiring and working with locals, we're given insight that most of us, even if we were to travel through these countries ourselves, wouldn't get. He argues and presses points about barbaric local traditions (female circumcision for one) that demonstrate real courage. I had to admire his willingness to stick up for his alien (Western) viewpoint.
I suppose it's inevitable that Tayler will be compared to Paul Theroux. In some ways his prose reminded me of Theroux...without the curmudgeonly overtone or know-it-all attitude. There were a couple of areas where I thought he got a little preachy, especially when blaming many of Africa's problems on colonialism and continuing dependence on foreign aid, but I chose to overlook it and concentrate on the simple pleasure of enjoying his scholarly prose.
All in all, whether describing a desert sunset or the disgusting filth of an isolated village, Jeffrey Tayler is an outstanding, insightful writer. I didn't want the book to end, the ultimate compliment to an author. This is the first book of Tayler's that I've read. I plan to look into his earlier work.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A peek into the Muslim Africa - post 9/11, June 30, 2006
This review is from: Angry Wind: Through Muslim Black Africa by Truck, Bus, Boat, and Camel (Hardcover)
Tayler is one brave traveller. Being a white American you need guts to travel in a predominantly Muslim Africa. He charts his journey across the Sahel region, following path ravaged by the vicious Haramattan wind. The author describes the poverty and despair, so characteristic of Africa, with compassion. At times he displays righteous anger when provoked, but soon consoles himself when he perceives the abject misery around him. The book is more than a travelogue. It details the political undercurrents and opinions about post 9/11 USA. Also, one understands the history and causes for the ongoing conflict between the Muslims and Christians. Can it get worse: poverty, rising temperatures and being ruled by misinterpreted Sharia ?
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