Customer Reviews

South From Barbary: Along the Slave Routes of the Libyan Sahara

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This book is an account of the author's remarkable two month-long trek, via camel, across the old slave routes of the Sahara. The problem is that the very vastness of the desert, which makes it romantic, arduous, and forbidding, also makes it difficult to translate into prose. As a result there is a certain sameness to the ramshackle procession of now dilapidated desert towns though which the Marozzi and his companion travel - the dramatic highpoints, like the hovels, are few and far between, such as when one of the camels falls into a trench and nearly dies. With little social interest material to work with, Marozzi contrasts his own experiences with the diaries and travelogues of mostly 19th century explorers and abolitionists. The result is interesting, but more understated and less obviously accessible than say the books of Redmond O'Hanlon. Nevertheless, it is quite a tale, and it is apparent that with the dying out of the camel culture embodied by one of their guides, the 76 year old Tubbu nomad, Mohammed Othman, the depiction of an experience that will soon be impossible to relive, if it is even now.

Justin Marozzi's introduction is undoubtedly the best introduction of any book I have ever read. Most introductions just give a tepid overview of the book, but Mr. Marozzi's introduction is an exciting, lucid, and extremely frank story just by itself! Very enjoyable...and refreshing!