African Lives: An Anthology of Memoirs and Autobiographies

Though difficult to believe, until now there has never been a single-volume collection of true-life narratives from Africa's great, historical figures. This fact could explain Wisner's apparent exuberance in trying to cram as many entries as possible into this remarkable book. Organized by geography, the wide variety of selections includes the world travels of 14th-century Moroccan Ibn Battuta, the court testimony of anti-Apartheid activist Steven Biko, the distant memories of a young Algerian boy's first encounter with a foreigner, and a Maasai warrior's initiation into manhood. The stories range from bit-tersweet to violent, wistful to seductive, leaving a deep emotional impression. Wisner (A Basket of Leaves) does not create any artificial hierarchies of relative importance between his entries, whether the "first biography of an Arab woman ever written" or the memoir of a South African Nobel Peace Prize winner. If there's a criticism to be leveled here, it is with the brevity of each selection due the wide net Wisner chose to cast. Nevertheless, this volume is full of memorable anecdotes and images right through the final entry. (Apr.)