Customer Reviews

Origins: African Wisdom for Every Day (Offerings for Humanity)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What first attracted me to this book was the shape. It was somewhat long, almost as long as your hand. The picture and title I found intreging. Then as I was going through it I said to myself I had to have it. Living in Africa for two years myself I found myself remenising about the beauty of Africa, it's people, especially it's women. At first I was thrown off about the price, but after really looking through the book its content and quality, I said to myself, it's worth it! As I was browsing through its content I ran unto a quote that really affirmed my decision about the Africa woman, Black Woman, and this book. Beside this quote is the face of a beautiful African woman which I would call the "Original Dred" The quote goes like this:

The African woman is neither a mirror image of man nor slave.
She feels no need to imitate men to express her personality.
Her work, her own genius, her preoccupations, her ways of speaking, and her manners maksk an original civilization.
She has not allowed herself to be colonized by either men or male culture.
-Albertine Tshibilondi Ngoyi-

I hope you enjoy this book the same way I do.
Peace

Each photograph is a treasure. One can get lost for countless minutes in the colors, the landscape, the simplicity, the authenticity of the African way of life. The daily offerings of African wisdom are little pearls that I carry in my heart every day. I find the book beautiful, comforting, inspiring, and I handle it with a reverance which one might reserve for truly awesome documents, like an original score of music handwritten by Mozart or a sketch by daVinci. Having spent some time in Zimbabwe, I find myself irresistably drawn to each and every page. I look forward to starting each new day with the vision and wisdom that this extraordinary book affords me. I will enjoy its pages for many, many years to come.

The West so often sees images of Africa as a poor nation of endless suffering and violence (The establishment media also commonly leave out the role of colonization, CIA machinations, and transnational conglomerates in causing the suffering). This book provides an incredibly beautiful counter-image to the misery we see. In photo after photo, we see the beauty of the land and the people, the flora and the fauna. And each page also offers words of wisdom from an array of African figures like Nelson Mandela who says, "Dialogue is our strongest weapon," and this from Birago Diop:
"Those who are dead are not dead -
They are not under the earth.
They are in the tree that shakes.
They are in the water that flows.
They are in the water that is still.
They are in the hut; they are in the crowd.
The dead are not dead.

My manager at work, an African-American woman, cried when I gave her a copy of this.

This is an excellent book! It gives a person daily inspiration from the Motherland! It is the type of book that keeps on giving. It makes a thoughtful gift for people!

This book is not only stunning and bold in its photos, which is why i bought it, but the quotes are truly an amazing collection. One could teach a mini-course off the quotes in this book. It far exceeded my expectations, and I had to go back to order another copy to keep for myself. Thought-provoking, not hokey at all. Diverse, not all "traditional" or all "warm + fuzzy." It's so beautiful it could go on your coffee table. But it's so rich in messages and imagery it can be the "daily affirmation" you check out each morning as you pour your coffee. Bottom line: Buy one to give and another for yourself.

I saw this in the new book section at Borders yesterday, and it intrigued me. It is a funny shaped book (something I'd expect from Europe), but thick (about half as thick as it is tall). It was shrink wrapped to prevent browsing it, but the subtitle "African Wisdom for Every Day" intrigued me, so I snatched it up as I walked past on the way to the cashier. I started out reading each quote and looking at each picture and reading each caption, but there is too much. So I just looked at pictures. The pictures are worth it. The quotes are nice too, but I've not really had time to read many of them.

It definiately makes me want to buy the other books he has put out. I may get my grandmother a copy of this one for Christmas.

I purchased this book for my husband. He had checked it out of the library and fell in love with it. After renewing it twice I purchased it for him. He was elated,he loves the book. It was in great shape.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS BOOK! IT IS SOOO INSPIRING AND A GOOD DAILY DEVOTION. I FIRST SAW THIS AT A PROFESSOR'S HOUSE AND I HAD TO HAVE IT BUT I COULDN'T PAY ALOT OF MONEY FOR IT AS IT WAS GOING FOR $123.-$155. WHEN I SAW IT ON AMAZON FOR LESS THAN $60. I KNEW I HAD TO PURCHASE IT! IT WAS IN GREAT CONDITION AND I TOTALLY RECOMMEND THIS AMAZING BOOK!

This book is not only visually beautiful but also inspiring with daily positive comments! It's a collector's item!

I look at this book every morning before I leave my house for the day. While the photographs are truly remarkable and can stand on their own because they capture the imagery of beautiful people and places, the quotations and prayers inspire and certainly leave you with something to contemplate each day. This book is a beautiful gift for yourself or someone close to you that can bring joy and peace every day.