The Shadow of the Sun

Ryszard Kapuscinski, the first African reporter of Poland's national newspaper, came in Africa in 1957 to see the beginning of the end of colonial control. In pursuit of the quick, and sometimes brutal, events that followed emancipation, Kapuscinski has traveled great distances, from Ghana's early days of independence to the continuing ethnic slaughter in Rwanda. Kapuscinski travels the Sahara with nomads, hitches rides with caravans, and makes his home in the impoverished slums of Nigeria. He battles a king cobra to the death while also enduring a malaria attack. What comes out is a remarkable representation of Africa, not as a collection of states or regions, but rather as a colorful and sometimes happy montage of peoples, cultures, and experiences. Capuscinski's sharp insights, sardonic critique, and unwavering compassion provide a fascinating picture of the continent and its people. His unconventional methods and deep regard for the people he encounters cast doubt on accepted notions of the contemporary issues facing Africa at the start of the twenty-first century.