Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles

by Richard Dowden

Published 2008 by Portobello Books ISBN 978 1 84627 154 0

Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles is about why Africa is the way it is. It is about differences and diversities. Each one of the African countries is unique and, chapter by chapter, this book lets you get to know them. There are tales of cults and commerce in Senegal and traditional spirituality in Sierra Leone; there is an analysis of the impact of oil and the internet on Nigeria and aid on Sudan; there is a deeper probing into what has gone so badly wrong in Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Burundi and the Congo. And from the individual stories of failure and success comes a surprising portrait of a new Africa emerging: self confident, middle class, professional.

Richard Dowden is Director of the Royal African Society. He first went to Africa as a teacher in 1971, then as a journalist in 1983, working for The Times. In 1986, he became Africa Editor of the Independent, and in 1995 took up the post of Africa Editor for the Economist. He has also made three documentaries on Africa, for the BBC and Channel 4.