Great African Reads discussion

Apologies for the delay in posting a discussion thread for January and February! I can't believe how fast this year is going already. :/

We decided in the thread where we discuss options for books to vote on, that Guinea-Bissau would best be approached as a free-for-all. Please share your thoughts here on the book(s) you've chosen to read!

Revolution in Guinea: Selected Texts:

A selection of political essays and related materials by Amílcar Cabral, architect of the revolution in former Portuguese Guinea. Though dense and somewhat repetitious, it underscores Cabral's contentions about colonialism, neocolonialism, the role of the petty bourgeoisie, the role of the peasantry/working class, and the question of whether a people exists in history if they do not meet Marxist criteria. His arguments are easy to follow, he is a smooth operator, and he manages to get his digs in at Portuguese colonialism as he makes other points to the UN and Tricontinental Conference.

This volume was published in 1969, before the establishment of Guinea-Bissau and four years before Cabral was assassinated. Given the year, he has much to say about colonial conflicts in Vietnam and Cuba as well.

I most appreciated Cabral's emphasis on the importance of understanding the characteristics and history of the culture seeking to liberate itself; he asserts frequently that one size of revolution will not fit all, so different strategies will be needed. Unusually for a set of political essays, there is more than one in which he describes the social and political structure of the local indigenous peoples, using these descriptions as the basis for revolutionary strategies that differ from those of straightforward Marxism.

Not an easy read, but a useful one, providing an intelligent insider perspective that also illuminates struggles in Mozambique, Cape Verde, Angola, and Vietnam. Worth the effort.

Thanks for that, Sho! (you changed your name!)

I have a couple of books at my office, which I'll be bringing home tomorrow. The titles are escaping me at the moment, but I vaguely recall that I was able to get my hands on a similar book, but not the exact same one.

I change it now and then to make it harder for Facebook and its ilk to consolidate my data. I also shift around the email addresses associated with my accounts.

So I'll be reading this addition of Cabral's speeches: Unity and Struggle: Speeches and Writings. It's a 300 page monster at a moment when I'm swamped with other books. I would love suggestions for particularly important, interesting, inspiring, or controversial selections. Any favorites? Thanks!

I have two books in hand: No Fist Is Big Enough to Hide the Sky and Tired of Weeping: Mother Love, Child Death, and Poverty in Guinea-Bissau. I think i'm going to start with No Fist since it matches more closely to what others are reading. :D

I will be reading Fighting Two Colonialisms: Women in Guinea-Bissau.

Diane wrote: "I will be reading Fighting Two Colonialisms: Women in Guinea-Bissau."

interesting! i can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts on what they are reading.

Millicent, the speeches to the UN are clear and typically give an historical overview as well as addressing particulal issues.

I read and learned about Guinea-Bissau when I read Returned to the Source: Selected Speeches of Amilcar Cabral. I like this book because there was additional information besides the speeches which was very informative. This was a BOM selection and the discussion leader was knowdglable about Cabral and Guinea-Bissau.

I read Fighting Two Colonialisms: Women in Guinea-Bissau. I contained a great deal of history about Guinea-Bissau, especially relating to the time surrounding the revolution for independence. A lot was mentioned about Amilcar Cabral and the book portrays him quite favorably. I look forward to reading more about this amazing man. There was probably more about Cabral than about the women indicated in the title (It took over 100 pages before any mention of women was made...)

The book went on to describe many of the country's traditonal cultural practices and beliefs. This was very interesting. The book also described the oppressive conditions imposed by Portuguese colonialism. The main idea of the book was that the women of the country not only had to contend with harsh conditions of colonialism, but the inferior treatment they received from the native men. The book was written in 1979. I certainly hope a lot has changed in that country for the better. At the time the book was written, women were expected to: work in the fields, mind the children, maintain the house, cook the meals (and they did not have any of the conveniences we are accustomed to - plus they could not even eat with the men after doing all that cooking!) while most of the men did little work at all. They had no say who they were to marry and were often married off (very young) to men old much older than they and often were one of several wives.

One thing that stuck with me was the the fact that the illiteracy rate at that time was about 97-98%. Those that did have an education rarely had more than a grade school education. Classrooms during the revolution took place in clearings in the jungle surrounded by trenches. The locations had to be frequently moved so there was little time to make any type of permanent building (schools were considered a legitimate target for enemy soldiers). The first lesson taught to the students was one of survival - at the first sign of invasion, the students had to quickly hide themselves in the trenches surrounding their makeshift school.

As in a lot of research-type books there were many interesting parts, but a great deal of dull parts, as well. Overall, it was better than I anticipated, and I felt I learned a lot.

From the CIA World Factbook:

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.4%
male: 58.1%
female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years (2006)

Osho wrote: "From the CIA World Factbook:

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.4%
male: 58.1%
female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary e..."

It has improved quite a bit since the '70's then, but still a LOT of room for improvement...

I'm not sure they actually have a head of state at the moment.

Osho wrote: "I'm not sure they actually have a head of state at the moment."

They have one, sort of, since the president died in January 2012.

According to the CIA World Fact Book:
chief of state: President Raimundo PEREIRA (Acting), who as Parliamentary Speaker in accordance with the Constitution, succeeds President SANHA following his death on 9 January 2012
head of government: Prime Minister Adiato Diallo Nandigna (since 10 February 2012)

I finally started No Fist is Big Enough to Hide the Sky: The Liberation of Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde. It's surprisingly readable. I was prepared for a dry but interesting book, but it's barely dry. He does a good job of weaving personal experience, anecdotes, cold hard facts, history, and comparisons while keeping chapters relatively short.

Amílcar Cabral: Revolutionary Leadership and People's War by Patrick Chabal is academic and quite heavy but very interesting as a picture of an anti-colonial freedom fighter. Meeting the Invisible Man: Secrets and Magic in West Africa is lighter - it's a travel book - but also fascinating in its descriptions of traditional beliefs.