Moon and Henna Tree


Book Description

Set in the High Atlas in pre-modern Morocco, Moon and Henna Tree chronicles the rise and fall of a local potentate, Hmmu. Not content with the territory left to him upon his father’s death, Hmmu, under the influence of his scheming advisor, Ibn al-Zara, begins a campaign to acquire those lands that adjoin his, either through marriage or physical force. Ahmed Toufiq’s subtle investigation of the abuse of power and its effects on those who suffer under its tyranny also provides a unique look at Amazigh (Berber) culture. While most of Toufiq’s contemporaries focus on modern urban Morocco, he provides a fascinating, and accurate, account of the customs and traditions of a large, yet often ignored, segment of the population. Moon and Henna Tree (in the original Arabic) won the Moroccan Book Prize in 1989.




Children of the Moon


Book Description

Glen Chapman is a Canadian anthropologist, living as a househusband in Dar es Salaam. His wife Pam works full time for the United Nations. Life for Glen is sun-soaked and pleasant enough as he looks after his two young children. Things however are about to change when he is asked to perform background research into a spate of killing of albino children. Glen travels across the country to meet with Doctor Crystal Mpiri in the heartland of superstition and sacrifice in Tanzania. Once there, he crosses paths with a Shaman who puts his whole family at risk.




To the Moon and Timbuktu


Book Description

Documents the author's journeys through Mali, Mauritania, and Niger, discussing the inspiration for her travels, the women who adopted her into their ranks, and her discoveries about the region's forgotten areas and future promise.




Making the New Middle East


Book Description

Demands for freedom, justice, and dignity have animated protests and revolutions across the Middle East in recent years, from the Iranian Green Movement and the Arab Spring uprisings to Turkey’s March for Justice and the ongoing struggle in Palestine. Although expectations raised by the Arab Spring were largely disappointed and protests that toppled entrenched rulers unleashed vicious counterrevolutionary forces, there is no doubt that the landscape of the Middle East has changed. Drawing from diverse disciplines, this volume offers critical perspectives on these changes, covering politics, religion, gender dynamics, human rights, media, literature, and music. What ultimately has changed in "the new Middle East"? Who are the actors pushing the direction of change? How are aspirations for change being expressed through media and the arts? With extensive analysis and thoughtful reflection, this book gives readers an in-depth portrayal of a modernizing Middle East.




Encyclopedia of African Literature


Book Description

The most comprehensive reference work on African literature to date, this book covers all the key historical and cultural issues in the field. The Encyclopedia contains over 600 entries covering criticism and theory, African literature's development as a field of scholarship, and studies of established and lesser-known writers and their texts. While the greatest proportion of literary work in Africa has been a product of the twentieth century, the Encyclopedia also covers the literature back to the earliest eras of story-telling and oral transmission, making this a unique and valuable resource for those studying social sciences as well as humanities. This work includes cross-references, suggestions for further reading, and a comprehensive index.




The Complete Language of Trees - Pocket Edition


Book Description

The Complete Language of Trees is a comprehensive encyclopedia providing the meanings, powers, facts, and folklore for over 400 types of trees--now in a pocket-size edition for easy, on-the-go reference. Along with a stunning visual depiction, each entry provides the tree's scientific and common name, characteristics, and historic and hidden properties from mythology, legends, and folklore. Discover the lore of trees, including: Hackberry Tree - encourages someone to continuously do their best Manchineel Tree - it is so toxic that the smoke from a burning tree can cause blindness, and it is not even advised to inhale the air around the tree Bark from the Bird Cherry Tree was placed on doors during medieval times to ward off plague Washi paper is created from the inner bark of the Paper Mulberry Tree. Pando is a Quaking Aspen colony that is 108 acres wide (about the size of 83 football fields!). It is technically one tree. Imagine developing a spiritual connection with a tree in a way that exceeds visual perception; where learning its meaning and value simultaneously improves your own mental and physical wellness. Throughout history, floriographies--flower dictionaries--have gained notoriety for regulating human emotions and giving depth, symbolism, and meaning to extremely delicate aspects of nature. Following the success of The Complete Language of Herbs and its predecessor The Complete Language of Flowers, author S. Theresa Dietz continues this custom with The Complete Language of Trees. Coupled with two indexes, one for searching by common tree name and the other organized by meaning, Dietz cleverly connects quality time in nature with the overall improvement of mental health by developing a stunningly depicted dictionary for gardeners, environmentalists, and nature lovers alike.







Henna's Secret History


Book Description

Lawsonia inermis ver. alba... "henna". How much do you know about this incredible botanical? Was it sensual Mehndi body adornment or Cleopatra's favorite perfume? An aphrodisiac or a treatment for leprosy? An ancient Roman currency or a last right for the dead? This book takes a fascinating look at one of the most popular botanicals of all time. Never before has a book been devoted to henna as a whole. Drawing on botany, archeology, phytomedicine and folkloric history to define the many ambiguities and misconceptions surrounding it, thus presenting for the first time an accurate and complete history of henna. A portion of the proceeds from this book goes to charity and preservation of henna's history. - In extreme depth, henna's medicinal past is revealed. From the papyrus Ebers to the writings of Galen, discover henna's uses in all of the major Old World medicines. -Did you know henna has some of the most fragrant flowers on earth? Learn why women became addicted to them and the shocking basis for their allure. - Think you know the full story concerning henna body art? Think again. Find out how its history was manufactured in the 19th and 20th century to cover its true origins.




Indian Trees


Book Description