the quality of written language that makes it easy to read and understand
Further praise for the State of Africa:
‘The value of Meredith’s towering history of modern Africa rests not so much in its incisive analysis, or its original insights; it is the sheer readability of the project, combined with a notable lack of pedantry, that makes it one of the decade’s most important works on Africa.
characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
United States civil rights leader whose college registration caused riots in traditionally segregated Mississippi (born in 1933)
Further praise for the State of Africa:
‘The value of Meredith’s towering history of modern Africa rests not so much in its incisive analysis, or its original insights; it is the sheer readability of the project, combined with a notable lack of pedantry, that makes it one of the decade’s most important works on Africa.
In an early chapter dealing with Biafra and the Nigerian civil war, Meredith paints a truly horrifying picture, where opportunities are invariably squandered, and ethnically motivated killings and predatory opportunism combine to create an infernal downward spiral of suffering and mayhem (which Western intervention only serves to aggravate).
memorial consisting of a structure or natural landmark of historic interest; set aside by national government for preservation and public enjoyment
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
In an early chapter dealing with Biafra and the Nigerian civil war, Meredith paints a truly horrifying picture, where opportunities are invariably squandered, and ethnically motivated killings and predatory opportunism combine to create an infernal downward spiral of suffering and mayhem (which Western intervention only serves to aggravate).
taking advantage of opportunities without regard for the consequences for others
In an early chapter dealing with Biafra and the Nigerian civil war, Meredith paints a truly horrifying picture, where opportunities are invariably squandered, and ethnically motivated killings and predatory opportunism combine to create an infernal downward spiral of suffering and mayhem (which Western intervention only serves to aggravate).
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
emperor of Ethiopia; worshipped by Rastafarians (1892-1975)
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Haile S...
Whether or not his pessimism about the continent’s future is fully warranted, Meredith’s history provides a gripping digest of the endemic woes confronting the cradle of humanity’
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Haile Sela...
In an early chapter dealing with Biafra and the Nigerian civil war, Meredith paints a truly horrifying picture, where opportunities are invariably squandered, and ethnically motivated killings and predatory opportunism combine to create an infernal downward spiral of suffering and mayhem (which Western intervention only serves to aggravate).
In an early chapter dealing with Biafra and the Nigerian civil war, Meredith paints a truly horrifying picture, where opportunities are invariably squandered, and ethnically motivated killings and predatory opportunism combine to create an infernal downward spiral of suffering and mayhem (which Western intervention only serves to aggravate).
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
In an early chapter dealing with Biafra and the Nigerian civil war, Meredith paints a truly horrifying picture, where opportunities are invariably squandered, and ethnically motivated killings and predatory opportunism combine to create an infernal downward spiral of suffering and mayhem (which Western intervention only serves to aggravate).
a landlocked republic in central Africa; formerly a German colony
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
Further praise for the State of Africa:
‘The value of Meredith’s towering history of modern Africa rests not so much in its incisive analysis, or its original insights; it is the sheer readability of the project, combined with a notable lack of pedantry, that makes it one of the decade’s most important works on Africa.
an ostentatious and inappropriate display of learning
Further praise for the State of Africa:
‘The value of Meredith’s towering history of modern Africa rests not so much in its incisive analysis, or its original insights; it is the sheer readability of the project, combined with a notable lack of pedantry, that makes it one of the decade’s most important works on Africa.
a republic in West Africa; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1961
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
a landlocked republic in south central Africa formerly called Rhodesia; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1980
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
South African statesman who was released from prison to become the nation's first democratically elected president in 1994 (born in 1918)
His point is simply that power corrupts, and absoulte power corrupts absolutely – which is why the rare exceptions to that rule (Senghor and Mandela chief among them) are all the more remarkable.
In an early chapter dealing with Biafra and the Nigerian civil war, Meredith paints a truly horrifying picture, where opportunities are invariably squandered, and ethnically motivated killings and predatory opportunism combine to create an infernal downward spiral of suffering and mayhem (which Western intervention only serves to aggravate).
provided with a motive or given incentive for action
In an early chapter dealing with Biafra and the Nigerian civil war, Meredith paints a truly horrifying picture, where opportunities are invariably squandered, and ethnically motivated killings and predatory opportunism combine to create an infernal downward spiral of suffering and mayhem (which Western intervention only serves to aggravate).
In an early chapter dealing with Biafra and the Nigerian civil war, Meredith paints a truly horrifying picture, where opportunities are invariably squandered, and ethnically motivated killings and predatory opportunism combine to create an infernal downward spiral of suffering and mayhem (which Western intervention only serves to aggravate).
a general disposition to look on the dark side and to expect the worst in all things
Whether or not his pessimism about the continent’s future is fully warranted, Meredith’s history provides a gripping digest of the endemic woes confronting the cradle of humanity’
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
the basic unit of money in Sierra Leone; equal to 100 cents
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
a republic in West Africa; established in 1822 by Americans as a way to free negro slaves
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
living by preying on other animals especially by catching living prey
In an early chapter dealing with Biafra and the Nigerian civil war, Meredith paints a truly horrifying picture, where opportunities are invariably squandered, and ethnically motivated killings and predatory opportunism combine to create an infernal downward spiral of suffering and mayhem (which Western intervention only serves to aggravate).
Whether or not his pessimism about the continent’s future is fully warranted, Meredith’s history provides a gripping digest of the endemic woes confronting the cradle of humanity’
‘The value of Meredith’s towering history of modern Africa rests not so much in its incisive analysis, or its original insights; it is the sheer readability of the project, combined with a notable lack of pedantry, that makes it one of the decade’s most important works on Africa.
based on or told of in traditional stories; lacking factual basis or historical validity
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Haile Sela...
tending to increase knowledge or dissipate ignorance
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
In an early chapter dealing with Biafra and the Nigerian civil war, Meredith paints a truly horrifying picture, where opportunities are invariably squandered, and ethnically motivated killings and predatory opportunism combine to create an infernal downward spiral of suffering and mayhem (which Western intervention only serves to aggravate).
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
His point is simply that power corrupts, and absoulte power corrupts absolutely – which is why the rare exceptions to that rule (Senghor and Mandela chief among them) are all the more remarkable.
lake in Egypt formed by dams built on the Nile River at Aswan
Spanning the entire continent, and covering the major upheavals more or less chronologically – from the promising era of independence to the most recent spate of infamies (Rwanda, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone) – Meredith brings us on a journey that is as illuminating as it is gruelling…Nowhere is Meredith more effective than when he gives free rein to his biographer’s instincts, carefully building up the heroic foundations of national monuments like Nasser, Nkrumah, and Hai...
motivate
