Continues where a Blessed Child leaves off. A wonderful story filled with plausible characters and great wonder. Both of these books fill the heart with promise and joy vice evil and corruption. The kind of book to recommend and keep on the shelf to loan or to give as gifts.

Caleb & family are finally living a free safe life & then...POW it alls comes back from his childhood. book- BLESSED CHILD,read this one 1st. The desert is such a dangerous place & using events right out of todays news makes this a wonderful exciting read...In the end GOD will prevail over evil, if we are lucky.. Dont want to give too much away.. A GREAT MIX OF DIFFERENT RELIGIONS, and how they view each other s Gods. Ted Dekker is the best in religious fiction...Two thumbs up for ted !!!!!

This book really seemed to unite in teamwork more so than the first(Blessed Child). They deal with many subjects lines and characters and blend them all quite well. "Caleb" is definately matured into a charismatic character. I enjoyed how they explored the "concept" of what could actually happen if a Biblical artifact of that magnitude were discovered. Again Publisher's Weekly seems to be reviewing from a very narrow perspective!

If you are interested in Ethiopia, this book provides a pictured guide to the country, its history and its sites. The photography is amazing.

This is an incredibly lovely book that shows the various groups of people that make up Ethiopia. A must read, that's informative, educational and thoroughly enjoyable.

This work of art in nothing less than excellent!!

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK, IT UNFOLDS THE TRUE HISTORY OF AFRICAN PEOPLE. IT DEALS WITH THE MULTITUDE OF DISTORTION AND HOW AFRICAN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WRITTEN OUT OF HISTORY. CAUSE OF SLAVERY, RACISM AND WHITE SUPREMIST PROPAGANDA. HE DEALS WITH ETHIOPIA AND THE ORIGIN OF CIVILIZATION, SHOWING HOW THE FIRST HUMAN BEING ERECTED FROM AFRICA. SO IF AFRICA GAVE BIRTH TO MANKIND THEN IT IS LOGICAL TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT AFRICA GAVE BIRTH TO CIVILIZATION. HE TALKS ABOUT ETHIOPIA, ANCIENT EGYPT, AND NUBIA, GHANA, MALI, SONGHAY, MONOMOTOPA, AND ECT. HE SYSTEMATICAL SHOWS HOW AFRICANS EVEN ENGAGED IN SEA VOYAGES WITH AMPLE PROOF AND EVIDENCE. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT, OBJECTIVE AND WELL ROUNDED BOOK.

This is the most excellent and comprehensive book dealing with African Civilizations as a whole to date. He spans the entire continent, using a time frame that spans to the beginning of civilization, and completely disembowels the Eurocentric view of the black culture.

A textbook-style study which challenges European historians. Details ancient Ethiopia, Egypt, the Moors, West, Central, and Southern Africa. An occasionally difficult, but excellent and comprehensive study. I consider this the foremost work in African history - it is for the serious student. For somewhat less comprehensive, but easier reads, look for J.A. Rogers, Chancellor Williams, Ivan Van Sertima, all whom have produced excellent works.

I live in Norway, and Africa's Horn is far from my everyday life. I have travelled several times to Eritrea though, and have been searching for guide books from the country. When I went to Eritrea last fall it was with great pleasure I bought the LP book by Frances Linzee Gordon, Ethiopia, Eritrea & Djibouti.

The book is one of the best LP books I've read. The writing is clearly, and it gives us good insight in history, facts, geography, and so on. I have read parts of the book about all three countries, but the Eritrean part is the only one I have actuallu used when travelling.

The books has some very good pictures and maps, and give alot of up to date information. My favorite part is the part about Asmara's architecture, "Asmara, or Piccola Roma, soon came to epitomise the new philosophy: it was not just beautiful, but was well planned, well built and, above all, functiomal. The book is a good guide to use when you plan your travel ahead, and is even better when you actually are there and need or want information.

An extra benefit of the book is the small notes you find alot of, giving interesting information. Reading these notes makes your travel alot more special.

When I travel I use my guidebooks as kind of diaries. I write down restaurants I visit, hotel I stay at, interesting places I see and so on. And this book is filled with my writings almost on all pages. Gordon has seen it all, and gives very useful information about a very interesting, though little known country.

Britt Arnhild Lindland

As a Lonely Planet author, I'd like to echo the words of other reviewers of this book. This is clearly Lonely Planet's best title - the writing is clear, concise and informative, the asides are entertaining, the tone is objective yet engaging, and Frances Linzee Gordon's photos are nothing short of spectacular. Congratulations, Frances - you've produced a winner!

A recent front page article in the New York Times on the Lalibela churches in northern Ethiopia sent me running for my LP copy of this book. I was most pleasantly surprised to find over a dozen pages of detailed information on this incredible center of early Christianity. F. Linzee-Gordon's first hand account of a visit to the churches provided a most informative background lacking in the NY Times article. Well done!

Some time ago, I read QUARTERED SAFE OUT HERE, the wartime memoirs of George MacDonald Fraser concerning the time he spent in the Other Ranks of the British imperial army that recaptured Burma from the Japanese in World War II. In his book, Fraser mentions the high regard the troops had for the army commander, William Slim. I subsequently read DEFEAT INTO VICTORY by Field-Marshal Viscount Slim, a personal account by the man who commanded the Fourteenth Indian Army during its bitter retreat from, and its glorious return march through, Burma. In his volume, Slim mentions the unorthodox British general Orde Wingate's contributions to the Japanese defeat in Southeast Asia. Thus, FIRE IN THE NIGHT, Wingate's biography.

Co-authored by John Bierman and Colin Smith, FIRE IN THE NIGHT is the immensely readable life story of an incredibly complex man. In a nutshell, after several brief chapters on Wingate's early life, the narrative sequentially covers his postings in Palestine, Ethiopia and, finally, India/Burma, during which time (1936-1944) he rose in rank from Lieutenant to Major General. In the British Mandate of Palestine, Orde became an ardent Zionist while fighting Arab "gangs" with Special Night Squads, the armed detachments of British regulars and Jews which he himself brought into being. In Ethiopia, his was a key role in the British victorious military effort to drive the Italians from the country and return Haile Selassie to the thrown. In India, Wingate's ultimate triumph before an untimely death was to conceive, form, train and deploy the Third Indian Division, the "Chindits", as a Special Force to insert behind Japanese lines in Northern Burma to destroy the enemy's means of communication and supply.

To my mind, the strength of this book is that it gives the reader an excellent overview of Wingate the man and soldier without getting bogged down in an overabundance of detail. Certainly, the subject of Wingate's character, obsessions and eccentricities could fill volumes. He was admired and loved by the men he literally led into battle. (He drove them hard, but he drove himself even harder.) Conversely, he was loathed by many of his officer peers and superiors for his arrogance, outspokenness, rudeness and personal slovenliness. (He was on record as calling some of his more Blimpish superiors "military apes".) But, he also had his admirers in high places, most notably Winston Churchill and Lord Louis Mountbatten, the Supreme Commander of all allied forces in Southeast Asia.

Perhaps the most endearing of Wingate's traits were his eccentricities. For example, he carried a wind-up alarm clock on his person because he considered watches unreliable. And then there was his attitude to personal nudity best illustrated by an incident during the wide press acclaim following his first Chindit campaign. An Australian correspondent invited to the general's hotel room in Delhi wrote:

"I found him sitting naked on his bed, eyes buried deep in a book. He hardly glanced up as I entered and rather gruffly asked what I wanted. ... He wasn't interested in me or my requirements, but seemed most excited about the book he was reading ... a critical commentary of Emily Bronte and her work."

Can you imagine those media hogs of the Second World War - Patton, Montgomery and MacArthur - doing that?

This is a lucid, penetrating, balanced and entertaining analysis of one of the 2nd World War's underestimated and controversial personality---a latter day T.E. Lawrence without the romantic riddle and enigma. The authors skillfully grabs the reader's attention from the start, eliminating extraneous details.(e.g., initial statement: "Orde Charles Wingate entered the world as he left it, amid a flurry of urgent telegrams.")

The book makes one wonder what the outcome would have been if he was given far more timely attention for his, at that time, unconventional theories of long range penetration and supply. On the other hand, it makes one wonder if he would have amounted much in today's athmosphere of the 'politically correct society' with his "amazing success in his getting himself disliked by people who are only too ready to be on his side", with his abrasive way of getting things done. It may well be a classic example of the adage that 'genius is never appreciated in one's time.' But many exalted figures in history considered him a military genius--the authors made it plain and clear there were many detractors too, from the ordinary soldier to Field Marshall Slim's unjust inferences in his post war memoirs.

My only complaint: the maps in the book--one gets the impression they were done in a hurry; the places mentioned which are crucial to the events described cannot be found, and I found myself having to use different atlases.

In retelling this story, the authors proved once more the truth in the saying that two heads working together are better than one.

Bierman and Smith have done a fine job of portraying Wingate. And, what a great read!

Wingate has finally been given his due in this book. His true worth as an Army officer is finally exposed: As great as Lawrence but lacking the literary gifts.

A must-read for the professional Army or Marine Corps officer!

I thought this story was very intresting,It used a lot of adjectives,which would help children a lot with thier school work.I liked the part when the rich man was insulted and was shouting"How dare any-one in my village isult me!".But I didn't like the beging because it didn't catch my attention that much!

I think Mamo on the mountain was a good story because the rich man learned his lesson and there were lots of detail in it and finally it was a happy ending and I love happy endings. In school we have been doing some work on Mamo on the mountain and I have enjoyed it. We have been writing stories and been doing differences and similarities. Example in Ethiopia they have the same animals that we do like cows and sheep. Ethiopia is the place where they lived. Well anyway the story is brilliant.

We thought this book was very good and we enjoyed it . It also helped us with our classwork.We worked on what is similar and what is different to us.We are now writing from another character's point of view.

Caputo' Horn of Africa is a well-written novel in a style that emulates or aspires to Graham Greene or Joseph Conrad. I enjoyed the book, and admired the writer but the story never completely 'clicked' for me.
Horn of Africa is a psychological/military thrill that takes place in a fictional province of Ethiopia, Bejaya, that closely resembles Eritrea but is not really supposed to be anyplace. The story is told through a first person narrative of one of the characters, Charlie Gage. Gage is a burnt out journalist hanging around Cairo. He's recruited by a simultaneously creepy, pompous and shadowy CIA character to go along on a clandestine mission to Bejaya to assist local rebels against the Ethiopians. Gage is joined on his mission by an uptight, by the book Britain with local experience and a larger than life American, Jeremy Nordstrand, with a borderline psychotic sociopathic philosophy about life and their mission. Nordstrand is both philosopher (in a base way) and soldier, with obvious capabilities despite his slightly unbalanced philosophy. Soon enough, he becomes the group's real leader. Nordstrand first willingly descends into violence, testing both himself and his idea of society, and then slowly descends into madness.
Caputo has Gage set the tone of the novel in the first two pages: the reader knows that this is not a story with a happy ending, and that ugly things happen. This is both good an bad: I thought it simultaneously gave a great sense of foreboding throughout the novel, but when the dark events occur they were anti-climatic.
Also, Nordstrand wore his psychosis on his sleeve, as did the British character. I had a hard time believing that they would be put in a position of power on an important mission, rogue or not. The story was interesting but the base premise, in my mind, was a little hard to believe.
Anyway, I don't think you will be disappointed by Horn of Africa. Its extremely well written with deep characterizations, and an interesting story. Is it quite up to Conrad or Greene? Maybe on one of the formers' worst days... but its still a good novel and a worthwhile read.

Mind you, I said "novel" rather than "book" or "story." Caputo's best book, of course, is his memoir "A Rumor of War." His best story (actually, novella) is that incredibly haunting piece "Standing In" from the collection "Exiles."

As far as novels go--and I hate to say this, because I like very much what this writer stands for--Caputo has certainly written some stinkers. "Indian Country" is truly awful, "Equation for Evil" reads like a Grisham-type potboiler, and "DelCorso's Gallery" has a lot of clumsy writing and emotional posturing that mars a potentially good story. I haven't read "The Voyage" yet, but I have noticed that there are a considerable number of negative reviews.

If you read any of Caputo's fiction, read "Horn of Africa." It is a good "second-rate" novel. Edmund Wilson once called Jean-Paul Sartre a "first-rate second-rate novelist." If Caputo's work was as consistently good as "Horn of Africa" he might merit that title himself.

Caputo, like his contemporary Robert Stone (whose work, although superior, bears a great deal of similarity to Caputo's), is going for the Graham Greene-Joseph Conrad approach; dignifying the novel of adventure and action with philosophical depth and resonance. This novel is an exploration of the old "heart of darkness" theme (the idea that man, unfettered by civilization, tends toward brutality and atrocity), set in the deserts of eastern Africa (in a fictional country called Bejaya, which seems to be a composite of Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, etc.) No doubt, Caputo is no Conrad, but "Horn of Africa" at least comes close to the caliber of one of Greene's lesser novels.

The story, narrated by a troubled Vietnam veteran, Charlie Gage, concerns a group of mercenaries/thrill seekers who are hired to run guns to an Islamic mujahideen group fighting against the Ethiopians. Eventually they become involved in the actual fighting themselves.

The main character, who emerges as the real leader of the group, is Jeremy Nordstrand, a Nietschze-reading Great Blonde Beast who seems to be modeled after Jack London's Wolf Larsen (from "The Sea Wolf"). Nordstrand, having misread "Beyond Good and Evil", seeks self-liberation or self-definition through the violent imposition of his will upon those weaker than him--those fit only to be "slaves." Nordstrand views his adventure in Africa, far from the reach of laws and police forces, as an oppportunity to explore his darkest impulses with impunity. Charlie Gage, the Marlow-like character, watches horrified as Nordstrand plunges to the bottom of the moral abyss, and then lives to tell us about it.

This is a tightly-woven narrative with solid, rich characterization.

Caputo here gives us Conrad in a modern context--and in a way we of the Pepsi generation can understand. Herein we find supposedly civilized men thrust into a primitive situation; but then, what is war, anyway? Who are the savages? Lines drawn by rationalism are blown away by the winds of the moment. The story will grab you by the neck, and you will see man as he naturally is.

This is a book that should be on Oprah's list! Simply and beautifully written from the heart and deserves as much publicity as possible. Would make an incredible movie too!

I write this review on behalf of many who lived a good part of their lives in the heart of Africa and who share my views. Ethiopia has left a print in our hearts and now after almost 25 years, Lukas and Mellina Fanouris have managed, with their book 'Meskel', to bring to life some of the happy times and, albeit, some of the sad and painful days that spoilt a once beautiful country. Through some painful but very accurate descriptions, this couple have managed to record an era that will go down in history. For those of us that were fortunate enough to have 'escaped' in time, this is a true testimony of what happened when the leadership of a country fell into ruthless hands.

This is a remarkable effort from unknown authors who not only put their heart and soul in writing this heart-rending story about my country, but were brave enough to have it published at a time when their lives could have been at risk. Mengistu Haile Mariam's brutal military revolution destroyed the lives of innocent people causing great suffering and humiliation. This is an excellent, well written tear-jerker that touched the core of my heart. A great read that keeps you glued until the very end.

Tananarive Due is a wonderfully exciting author. I don't think I could write a review that would do her justice or adequately display my joy in reading this book. I have recommended her books and bought them for friends and family. The characters jump off the page. The descriptions of the settings are so vivid. Ms. Due takes the reader through a series of twist and turns without being confusing or neglectful of character development, writing this story so well, that you ask yourself if what she's writing about is real. I not only enjoyed this exploration of the unknown, I am intrigued by it. The depth and intelligence with which it is written makes it believable! You stop reading only to wonder whether or not these events could have actually taken place. I could not put the book down. Although 500 plus pages, the ease in which Due writes makes for a voraciously fast-paced read. The writing style keeps you turning the pages with more and more interest.

The Living Blood is some of the very best storytelling I've ever experienced. It is truly an exceptional book and definitely a must have on every book shelf. I recommend it to all readers.

I could not wait to get my hands on a copy of the sequel to My Soul to Keep...The Living Blood. When I finally got it, I waited a couple of hours to read it (took me about a day and a half). Anyway, I really enjoyed reading the Living Blood, though I wish the author had spent more time on Jessica and Dawit/David than the other characters. I'm not sure I liked the way the book ended, but I hope there will be another sequel...with Fana as a young woman. I'd really like to see how she turns out. Why does this book deserve five stars? At times it was heartwrenching and I really, really felt for the characters, especially Dr. Shepard. The story was well-told and quick-paced, though at times I wanted to skip over parts that had nothing to do with Jessica, David, or Fana. The book also scared me, and I like nothing more than a good scare. Overall, it was a very, very good read...my high expectations were met for the sequel. Ms. Due , I look forward to reading more

One word: Engaging. After the success of her second novel, My Soul To Keep, Tananarive Due fans have been waiting for the continued story of Jessica, her family and Dawit and the Immortals. However, The Living Blood has surpassed all high expectations. First of all, The Living Blood is a self-contained story and one needs not to have read My Soul To Keep to follow the fast paced action and addictive plot line. I read most of this book in one weekend and I feel that others will have the same experience. There is something to be said for good "page turners" and I believe it is an art within itself to keep readers so glued to the page that they miss appointments, bus stops and much needed sleep. The Living Blood takes us on a journey over a massive landscape, touching down on different countries within Africa, Europe and landing within the United States. Ms. Due's narrative descriptions are so powerful that I often felt if I were to look out my own window I would see the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela or the greying skies of a coming tropic storm. The Living Blood takes you to these places through the eyes of several memorable characters. Jessica and her sister's tenacity continue into this novel from the previous, however, we are also introduced to Lucas Shepherd and experience his one-man quest to find a cure for his son's leukemia. Each character is distinct in their system of beliefs and Ms. Due has done a wonderful job in showing what ethical and moral questions might arise if the world were to become aware of the existence of a blood so powerful that it can heal most diseases and even cause immortality. By far one of the most interesting characters is Fana, the first child born of two immortals. Tananarive Due takes us inside the mind of this unprecedented girl as she discovers the full range of her powers over time. Truthfully, I couldn't put this book down until I hit the last page, and even after that I read the book jacket, the notes, and scanned the back cover looking for more!

Tananarive Due is a wonderful author. At every opportunity, I have recommended her books to friends and family. There is one thing that I enjoy in particular about her books, The Living Blood and My Soul To Keep, and that is how Ms. Due's landscape of characters demonstrate the different faces of Americans and the rest of the world. While most of the main characters are African-American there are also prominent Caucasian and African characters, Latino characters, and Italian and Irish characters. All of these people are in roles of doctors, families, soldiers, scholars, lawyers and corporate heads. What is exciting is that while all of these characters interact with one another, the focus of the novel is not the _fact_ that they are interacting. I am so happy to see an author writing books that demonstrate the richness of the world we live in. We are all influenced by one another and Ms. Due's books let that be known through the character's likes/dislikes and experiences. Furthermore, while all of these ethnic and racial groups are interacting, there is little sense of the "other" or outcasts and stereotypes. In fact, the division is not between races but a dichotomy of mortals and immortals, and by the end of The Living Blood even those lines are blurred. Congratulations to Tananarive Due she is a wonderful and innovative author. I wish her much continued success.

Dr. Johanson shows both his strengths and weaknesses in this largely enthralling look at risks and rewards of paleoanthropology. His expertise in hominid development comes well-wrapped in the role of storyteller. And his experiences in the field are a story worth telling. Johanson disappoints when he steps outside his field of expertise. For instance, his chapter on radiometric dating is riddled with inaccuracies. And "Is It A Matter Of Sex?" is intrinsically flawed in its discussion of evolutionary "strategies." Overall a great book and a good read!

Johanson has a writing style that instantly draws the reader into the book. He gives a good history of paleoanthropology before heading into the real story about his own fossil finds. Three quarters of the book is narritive on the years he was in the field interlaced with short stories about other paleoanthropologists. He writes with an unbiased, pleasent style that is lacking in most scientists. The book is written so well that most people even if they are not interested in the topic could get enjoyment from it. Its a gripping work that blends the history of paleoanthropology with modern techniques and Johanson's enlightening insight into a remarkably enjoyable scientific work.

As a reader who has a sparse knowledge of anthropology, I can say this book was a pleasurable and informative read.

Dr. Johanson divided the book into a prologue and five parts. The prologue describes the events of November 30, 1974, the day Lucy was discovered. The first part covers a brief background to the earliest fossil finds and is invaluable to any reader who is interested in who's who among some of the earliest scientists working on human origins. Part two covers his actual field expeditions to East Africa. During his first field season, Johanson became concerned about financing when his original grant of $43,000 was dwindling away. It is interesting to note, as Johanson describes about anthropology, that science is more than just field work and analysis. There is political, financial, and human relation issues that need to be mastered for the mission to succeed.

I found part three, the analysis of Lucy, to be the most compelling. Johanson includes Le Gros Clark's paper and accompanying illustrations to highlight eight differences between chimpanzee jaws and human jaws. Knowledge of these differences were of immeasurable value in the analysis of an australopithecine jaw. Part four delivers a brief account of how our ancestors began to walk upright. I found this to be interesting but highly speculative. The final section includes drawings of how australopithecus afarensis may have appeared.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone with a desire to know more about human ancestors and how a paleoanthropologist proceeds in uncovering our past.