Africa

Journalist Raymond Bonner criticizes the World Wildlife Fund for what he believes is an unnuanced approach to the protection of endangered species in Africa. He believes that the needs of the people living in impoverished areas need to be taken into consideratio. Later, Terry talks to Ginette Hemley of the WWF for her organization's perspective.

New York Times journalist Jane Perlez has been covering Africa since 1988 and has been credited with recognizing stories before the rest of the media. She was reporting on the trouble in Somalia, and the threat of famine a year ago, long before it became the focus of world attention.

Book critic John Leonard reviews "Monnew," a novel by West African writer Amadou Kourouma. It imagines the history and politics of a fictional country based on Kourouma's native Ivory Coast.

World music critic Milo Miles reviews a new collection of vintage African rumbas on the French label "African." It's part of their "Merveilles du Passe" series.

Writer Eddy L. Harris. Like many African Americans, Harris felt a kinship to the continent of his ancestors. He went to Africa, traveled throughout the continent, and came away feeling disillusioned and feeling that he was not an African at heart after all. He's written about his journey in the new book, "Native Stranger" (published by Simon and Schuster). Harris' earlier book was the critically acclaimed "Mississippi Solo."

Until the mid 1870s, most of Africa remained untouched by slave traders and explorers. And then, in a little over three decades of conquest, Western European countries carved up and colonized all of Africa. Thomas Pakenham ("packin-em") has written "The Scramble for Africa" (Random House), a comprehensive account of this period where the white man invaded the Dark Continent.

One of Africa's greatest novelists, Nuruddin Farah (New-ru-DEAN Fair-ah). He was born in what is now known as the Somalian Republic. He writes in English, and his work has been widely praised for its treatment of women. His books include, "From A Crooked Rib," "A Naked Needle," and a trilogy, "Variations on an African Dictatorship." For a long time Farah was living in exile because of a death sentence placed against him for his writing. It has since been lifted.

World music critic Milo Miles reviews some current books on African music. His big recommendation is "Sweet Mother: Modern African Music," by Wolfgang Bender (published by University of Chicago Press).

Book critic John Leonard reviews two collections of essays about Africa; "African Silences" by Peter Matthiessan and "Maneaters Motel" by Denis Boyles.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead has the first of a two part review of several current saxophone quartets, a configuration that's risen in popularity lately.