Angry Wind

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Disappointed - Rated
When this book arrived I was happily looking forward to reading Jeffrey Taylor's adventure and also reviving my own very happy memories of several trips to the Sahel (Mali and Niger). I was unable to read this book properly. The concentration and continued emphasis on the more negative descriptions of the people - such as snot-encrusted, filthy, pock-marked, ill-cut umbilical cords (to name a few)- whilst not untrue - is totally unbalanced with the inner beauty and serenity of the inhabitants of the Sahel, which is the vision that remains in my heart.

The cover credits the author with opening a window on a world which the west only confronts in a crisis - also partly true, but offers no indication of the thousands of tourists who visit these parts to see the vivid beauty and diversity of people who live there.

I have never encountered such courtesy and helpfulness in any other region of the world, nor have I ever experienced such strong spirit in the face of abject poverty - a truly humbling experience which changed my whole outlook on life.

The Harmattan is there for part of the year only. The desert is a place of outstanding beauty! But if I had never been to these countries, this book would encourage me to stay away.

The purpose of the visit is interesting - to investigate the feelings of the people post 9/11 - but, no matter how much this author has travelled in remote regions, he still came across as an American obsessed - someone who cannot see a person as a person.

Very disappointing.

ýHe who does not travel . . . - Rated
. . . 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, 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]