Africa Is Not a Country: Notes on a Bright Continent
Dipo Faloyin
Africa Is Not A Country is a bright portrait of modern Africa that pushes back against harmful stereotypes to tell a more comprehensive story. You already know these stereotypes. So often Africa is depicted simplistically as an arid red landscape of famines and safaris, uniquely plagued by poverty and strife. more
400 pages, Hardcover
First published W. W. Norton & Company
4.44
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4372
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649
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Dipo Faloyin
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Terrific book discussing various facets of Africa. Obviously this is a huge subject, but this book gives a good sense of the breadth by cherry-picking examples from different countries and histories, and focusing on a particular set of topics. It covers colonialism and the scramble for Africa, the mass theft of cultural heritage for museums (it is really embarrassing to read this book as a white Brit), how Hollywood portrays Africa, current issues like strongmen/dictators, success stories, white saviours and unhelpful charity, and behaviour which is somewhere between ignorance and appropriation (jollof rice and the Jamie Oliver nonsense). My knowledge of African history is pathetic--for some reason we don't learn about that at school, can't think why--so this was hugely informative and helped slot a lot of things together. I particularly liked the sections on strongmen and wealth-hoarding grossly privileged leaders that included pieces on Johnson and Trump, written in the style in which people write about African despots. more
This is what I call required reading. I am one of those persons who visibly cringe when I hear Africa being referred to as one thing, when it is so much more than that. I started reading this book during my 70 tour of the African continent and the insights that I got from that book made the experience even better. This book is truly a great way to get a more layered look at the continent- it’s history, the culture and how colonialism impacted the continent to this day. There is so much history, truth and insights is packed into this book. more
I think about Africa like I used to think about the Internet: vast, complex, distant. I want to dive in, but I don't know where to start. This book is a good place to dip your toes. The author acknowledges the stereotypes early on and puts their truths in context:The warfare: Deadly tribal conflicts waged within borders drawn a century ago by colonialists without regard for history. The safari: Great geographical landscapes populated with exotic creatures and vegetation that draw throngs of tourists. more
I have learnt SO. MUCH. from this book. Absolutely mindblown and so so so so happy that I read it. Brilliantly written. more
In eight long-form essays, Dipo Faloyin offers insight and exploration into uniquely African stories, showing the diversity of peoples, languages, customs in various regions of the Continent. One: Lagos - a brief look-around the modern Nigerian city where Faloyin came of ageTwo: By the Power Vested in Me, I Now Pronounce You a Country - The long shadow and ramifications of the Berlin Conference on 15 November 1884, when 14 European nations carved Africa up into pie pieces - and what happened from there, and how this moment and the arbitrary lines continue to cause land disputes, border wars, and struggles. Three: The Birth of White Saviour Imagery or How Not to be a White Saviour While Still Making a Difference - fantastic essay on various aid efforts over the years, from the ubiquitous Ethiopian famine relief in the 1980s, and the birth of worldwide relief campaigns like Live Aid, Band Aid, etc. And more recent campaigns like #Kony2012. What actually makes a difference, and how the people who receive aid think about these efforts. more
Incredible book. This should be taught in US schools. We learn nothing about Africa except for that's where the slave trade got slaves. Africa is so much more than that. . more
Worth it for the section on Jollof rice alone. A powerful, insightful collection of shorter and longer essays on politics, culture, society and family from across Africa, with a particular focus on Nigeria, the author’s own country. Lots of lovely writing and bold connections, grounded in the history of European colonialism on the continent. . more
Ask me to name 15 countries in Europe or Asia, and I can list them off with hardly a thought. But ask me to do the same for Africa and I’d be hard pressed. I picked up this book because I realize that I have badly neglected this entire continent and it was about time I started to fix that. I was a wee bit horrified to discover that my perspective on Africa was still trapped in a bubble of clichés. You know the ones I'm talking about: safari animals roaming wild, eccentric dictators with lavish lifestyles while their countries crumble, and the pervasive images of poverty and starvation that seem to dominate Western media's portrayal of the entire continent. more
Een goed en nuttig boek dat de grote relevantie van eigen identiteit laat zien. Het effect van woorden dient niet onderschat te worden en zeker niet het effect van eeuwen durende generalisatie. 'Afrika is geen land' is een vlot geschreven boek dat voor beginnende Afrika ontdekkers de grootse veelzijdigheid en de potentie van het continent laat zien en daarbij ook veel meer begrip geeft voor de Black Lives Matter beweging en alles waar zij voor vecht. Het hebben van gebalanceerde historische kennis van de verhouding tussen het westen en het Afrikaanse continent is belangrijk om mee te werken aan het voorkomen van een zichzelf herhalende geschiedenis, dit boek draagt daaraan bij. Zeker een aanrader. more
This was an incredible book and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. The writing was accessible, history and politics made easy to understand, and one of the most eye opening books I’ve read in a while. It covers everything from colonization, the effects of decolonization on African nations, how harmful aid and charity is, white savouries, Hollywood representation of Africa and how much the continent was exploited over the years. I would highly recommend this book. . more
Ein Kontinent. Ein Stereotyp. Afrika. Warum wird ein ganzer Kontinent in den Medien dargestellt, als würde es nur aus einer lokalen Region bestehen. Dipo Faloyin rechnet ab. more
An educative collection of essays that unmasks the stereotypes and presumptions the West has in regards to what they refer to as Africa, written in a passionate, forceful way not devoid of humour. Africa is Not A Country portrays modern Africa through addressing misconceptions about it. Through eight essays, Dipo Faloyin offers to correct the image we like to nurture of an Africa consisting of nothing but sunsets, famines and safaris. Both personally and politically, he examines subjects such as urban life, the story of democracy and stereotypes in popular culture. This was surprisingly shocking and entertaining. more
Lots and lots to take in here. I try to be well informed, so I love books that show me I don't know jack shit. Faloyin presents several powerful and at times quite funny stories about modern Africa and the devastating effects of colonialism and cultural stereotypes. I found myself wholeheartedly agreeing with Faloyin's condemnation of poverty porn (ahem, Tom Ahern) and Western Museums' lasting grip on African art and artefacts (preaching to the choir in this case). I learned a lot, particularly the connection between the Royal Niger Company and Unilever, the history of the looting of the Benin Bronzes, the female army of Dahomey, and even quick facts around relative carbon footprints (2 weeks of an average UK resident's emissions is one year that of a resident of Burkino Faso). more
Mir hat das Buch in seiner Gesamtheit gut gefallen, trotzdem es für mich einige Schwächen hatte. Der Autor schreibt locker, flockig und mit Humor bzw. Sarkasmus, was ich in dem Buch nicht ganz erwartet hatte. Ich musste mich daran erst etwas gewöhnen. Am meisten konnte ich aus den Kapiteln im Mittelteil des Buches für mich mitnehmen. more
Awesome book about how the nuance of an entire continent is flattened into a monolith of singular idea. What a great introduction to a topic I hope to learn more about. Challenging and illuminating many dense and uninspired preconceptions with humor and clear writing. Meets the reader where they’re at, with the expectation of low prior knowledge of Africa and it’s disparate parts. Doesn’t condescend or demean despite presenting pretty “oh well duh” concepts in retrospect. more
Osake ajalugu, osake sotsiaalantropoloogiat, osake kultuurikriitikat, osake autobiograafiat. Võimas essee läänes levinud arusaamadest Aafrikast kui suurest monoliitsest õõvaorust ja kirjust tegelikkusest selle taga. Esimene peatükk - ülevaade koloniaalseiklustest 1880datest aastatest Esimese maailmasõjani - ähvardab eluisu ära võtta, nii masendav on lääne kollektiivsete pattude tökatmust loetelu, millele on paraku ehitatud ka tänasegi Euroopa heaolu. Läbivalt pole aga tegemist muserdava, vaid pigem värskendava lugemisega, kuhu mahuvad nii elavad pildid Lagose tegusast tänapäevast, vaimukas ülevaade Aafrikat puudutavatest filmiklišeedest, hävitav kirjeldus Kony 2012 kampaaniast, suurtest heategevuskontserditest ja kõiksugu kohaliku tegelikkuse suhtes taipamatutest maailmapäästmiskatsetest ning muljetavaldav võrdlev analüüs demokraatlike ja diktaatorlike impulsside pidevast rammukatsumisest erinevates riikides. 4. more
Dipo Faloyin covers the many stereotypes (and practices) used to disparage the African Continent and its people, which, unfortunately, are still prevalent in the 21st Century. From the Western Saviour complex and the Aid Industry to the History of Africa and the many looted cultural items found in Western collections and museums. With humour and a certain amount of sarcasm, the author makes the book captivating and one of my recommendations. more
(Note: I received an advanced reader copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley)When I glanced over the table of contents and the various topics that Dipo Faloyin’s Africa is Not a Country was to cover, I initially wasn’t sure what to make of them. Ranging from the carve-up of the continent by European powers, to the jollof rice rivalry that exists between several west African nations, to a brief visit to his native Lagos, it all felt a little disparate to me. But once I was several chapters in, I found myself completely engrossed. Faloyin’s selected subjects work as both a mercilessly fierce multi-pronged attack on the long-standing stereotypes of Africa as a famine/poverty/corruption/war-stricken, rural, backward Lion King-esque monolith of a land and also a fantastic introduction to the continent’s true diversity and complexity. The book almost feels like a must-read for untold many, and not just for those caught in the thrall of a simplistic all-Africa-is-all-just-the-same mindset. more
We zeggen “Afrika” zoals we nooit “Europa” of “Azië” zouden zeggen. Afrika is geen land (2022) is met een duidelijk doel geschreven: afrekenen met de stereotypen over het continent en in plaats daarvan de veelzijdigheid aan culturen en gemeenschappen vieren. Dipo Faloyin heeft zelf een internationale achtergrond: de journalist werd geboren in Chicago, groeide op in Lagos en woont in Londen. Zijn werk heeft inderdaad alles in zich om kortzichtige mainstreambeelden door te prikken. Faloyin behandelt een veelheid aan onderwerpen op basis van verschillende bronnen, zijn eigen ervaringen inbegrepen. more
Falojin (Nigerijac) piše o predrasudama koje postoje vezano za Afriku, pojašnjava njihov uticaj i razbija ih dajući brojne primere iz raznih zemalja širom kontinenta. Deo koji se bavi muzejima je posebno potresan - način na koji zapadni muzeji (čiji kustosi su pratili vojske da lakše poharaju blaga sa leševa) nastavljaju da kradu kulturu i istoriju od afričkih naroda, tako stvarajući navodnu sliku "varvara" (jer Afrika nema mnogo tragova napredne prekolonijalne kulture - zaboravljajući da ih nema jer su ih sve spalile vojske nakon što su kustosi pokupili svoje), koju onda koriste da opravdaju još krađe. Interesantno je iz ugla nekog sa kontinenta pročitati stavove o humanitarnim akcijama, kompleksu belog spasioca, reprezentaciji Afrike u medijima. Falojin piše odmereno, uzima sve strane u obzir, analizirajući i namere i posledice. Jedino što mi fali je što se ne fokusira malo jače na naslov - u uvodu on objašnjava kako nema smisla pričati o Africi kao celini, pa onda pri kraju izvodi zaključke vezane za ceo kontinent. more
Near essential read on the wider world's collective ignorance about Africa, a continent of more than 1. 2 billion people of disparate cultures, faiths and ethnic groups but one the West in particular treats as a monolith of stereotypes. The author neatly skewers the British Museum, Bob Geldof, Kony 2012, Jamie Oliver and Hollywood along the way as he dives deep to demystify the politics, culture and history of many countries in a compact book. . more
Wat een confronterend, urgent en noodzakelijk boek. Vlot geschreven, duidelijk. Een must read voor iedereen die iets over Afrika in al haar diversiteit wilt vertellen. Wel soms wat veel van hetzelfde, door steeds weer te herhalen gaat de boodschap soms wat te belerend overkomen. more
3. 25 stars. I wanted to like this book more but couldn't. I'll first focus on the positives. 1. more
This is a great book that covers the history, culture, people, food, politics, economies, and so much more about Africa. And no, Africa is not a country but a continent of 54 countries, two thousand languages and 1. 4 billion people. It’s a vibrant, varied, and energetic set of communities and people that too often are seen as monolithic and stereotypical. Dipo Filoyin cites one of my favorite authors - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s famous TedTalk - The Danger of a Single Story - in this regard. more
Highly recommend this book for all the reasons: The things you probably don’t know, the pleasure of hearing those things in Faloyin’s sure and winsome voice, and the impact of those things on the way we are programmed to view the 54 countries, 2,000 languages and 1. 4 billion people who, together, are Africa. It’s a book that’s hard to classify, but the subtitle, “Notes on a Bright Continent,” goes a long way to help. To make his argument about the sweeping, and often incorrect, generalizations so frequently used for Africa, Faloyin puts together chapters that could each be stand-alone essays on subjects such as drawing borders, depictions in film, establishing democracy, and the fierce-friendly war over “true” jollof rice. Woven throughout is the theme of assumptions and the vitality and possibility and variety that exist to challenge them. more
4. 5 years. This was an interesting overview of Africa mainly by country or region. The author, who is Nigerian covers stereotypes, history, the varied negative effects by European countries, pillaged artifacts and treasures, etc. It makes one think what would African be like now if there wasn’t so much interference from the rest of world throughout history (Wakanda. more
This is an awesome read. I highly recommend it. A lot of information across a broad range of topics on the countries and people of Africa, all of interest to me. Some heavy topics for sure. I appreciated the moments/asides of dry humor. more
I learnt so much from this book. Everyone should read this book . more
An incredibly well written, exceptional book — one that makes you question what you know and completely changes the way you think. more