Historical essay on Madagascar - covers demographic aspects and geographical aspects, the role of France, living conditions of the indigenous peoples, etc.

The Packet War -- The Children -- Blondes -- Sirens -- Voice -- Noble Rot -- The Rivals -- Guess Who's Coming To Dinner -- Sister Shadow -- Elephants' Graveyard.

Distant Lands and Dodgy Places chronicles the adventures of intrepid traveller Tan Wee Cheng — from witnessing an Eskimo seal hunt in icy Greenland to meeting Chinese stranded in Paraguay and The Amazon, and arriving in chaotic Comoros just as a volcanic eruption threatens to blow the capital apart. Hot on the heels of his runaway success Hot Spots and Dodgy Places, Distant Lands follows Wee Cheng into the heart of Mauritius, Land of the Dodo, and across the exotic Land of Many Waters in Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, where he sidesteps a drug proposition and survives nearly being mobbed at the chaotic French border. From partying in Columbia as the world’s longest civil war rages on in the surrounding countryside, to risking life and limb with Cypriot gangsters and a host of other dangers — Wee Cheng has done it all. Forget the package tour and venture into the unknown from the comfort of your armchair!

Since the 1990s, the Ankarana region of northern Madagascar has developed a reputation among globe-trotting gemstone traders and tourists as a source of some of the world's most precious natural wonders. Although some might see Ankarana's sapphire and ecotourist trades as being at odds with each other, many local people understand these trades to be fundamentally connected, most obviously in how both serve foreign demand for what Madagascar has to offer the world. Walsh explores the tensions and speculations that have come with the parallel emergence of these two trades with sensitivity and a critical eye, allowing for insights into globalization, inequality, and the appeal of the "natural." For more information, and to read a hyperlinked version of the first chapter online, visit https://madeinmadagascar.wordpress.com.

Praise for the previous edition: "Every reference library...should have a copy...Highly recommended." —Book Report "...a useful, dependable, and attractive encyclopedia." —American Reference Books Annual Now in its third edition, this highly acclaimed and comprehensive reference offers a wealth of information on African-American history, politics, and culture. Chronicling more than a millennium of history, the encyclopedia traces the rich and varied tapestry woven by Africans—from those who remained on their ancestral continent to those who were forced to leave their homes and begin again in a new land. Coverage includes: People: scientists, civil rights leaders, artists, explorers, politicians, athletes, and key figures in ancient African history Places: nations and major cities of Africa, as well as former empires and kingdoms Culture: the Harlem Renaissance, jazz, the Negro Baseball League, rhythm and blues, calypso, and rap Politics: key political groups, movements, and events, including the voting rights struggle in the United States and the victory of the African National Congress over apartheid in South Africa History: major events of the African-American past, including slavery and resistance to it, the abolitionist and civil rights movements, Reconstruction, and Pan-Africanism.