The Shadow of the Sun

Starred review from April 9, 2001
Colorful writing and a deep intelligence highlight these essays' graceful exploration of postcolonial Africa. A Polish journalist who has written about the continent for more than three decades, Kapuscinski provides glimpses into African life far beyond what has been covered in headlines—or in most previous books on the subject. The dispatches focus on the awkward relationship between Europe and Africa. Kapuscinski, whose books have been translated into 19 languages (they include The Emperor
and The Soccer War), makes this clear through his own personal struggle with malaria soon after he first arrived on the continent. This emphasis also comes through in his dispatches on African nations such as Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania and Rwanda, which detail how the giddy optimism of the immediate postcolonial era disintegrated into corruption, poverty and conflict. But even as he describes a familiar story, his keen observations make it fresh. Writing about the provincialism of Rwanda, he says, "A trip round the world is a journey from backwater to backwater, each of which considers itself... a shining star." But political observations are just one of the strengths of this book. Kapuscinski's seemingly effortless writing style makes daily life come alive—whether he's covering an Arab vendor making coffee or the efforts made at night by lizards to catch their mosquito prey. (The lizards' "eyes are capable of 180-degree rotation within their sockets, like the telescopes of astronomers....") Ultimately, this book is a personal and political travelogue of one man's rocky love affair with a continent of nations. Those looking for an engaging, literary introduction to Africa—or even for some additional knowledge—should look no further. (Apr.) Forecast: Kapuscinski is a very popular writer in Europe but has never broken out here. With a cluster of books on Africa coming out this season, this will get some media attention and may sell better than his previous books.

May 15, 2001
Internationally renowned Polish foreign correspondent Kapuscinski has covered the Third World for more than four decades. During much of this time, he has lived and worked in Africa, establishing a reverential bond with a continent that continues to defy classification. In this enthralling memoir, he chronicles his remarkable 40-year odyssey through various African countries poised on the brink of massive social, political, and cultural revolutions. In an effort to capture and communicate the essentially unpredictable and ephemeral nature of Africa, he often traveled off the beaten path, encountering a wide variety of ordinary Africans willing to share their unique views and stories. This lyrically evocative patchwork quilt of memories, experiences, and adventures provides an intimate portrait of the dazzling mystery that is Africa.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)