A Basket of Leaves explores many of the best-known works on Africa, such as Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Nigeria), All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes by Maya Angelou (Ghana), The Viceroy of Ouidah by Bruce Chatwin (Benin), Age of Iron by J.M. Coetzee (South Africa), Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fossey (Rwanda), and When Rain Clouds Gather by Bessie Head (Botswana).
“The clever and simple idea behind Geoff Wisner's A Basket of Leaves is to give readers a
sense of Africa by introducing them to 99 Books that Capture the Spirit of Africa ... He does a
very good job, and it is what he writes in A Basket of Leaves — and not the ninety-nine excerpts
he offers — that make this a good and useful overview of and introduction to Africa ... he packs an
enormous amount of variety and information into such a manageable book.”
— M. A. Orthofer, The Complete Review
“A Basket of Leaves is an invaluable resource for anyone thinking of visiting Africa,
as well as a practical demonstration of the continent’s astonishing diversity.”
— London Review Bookshop
“All [the books included] are enticingly described and should inspire some
budding Africanists to engage in some fascinating reading.”
— George Eberhart,
American Library Association
Published in 2007 by Jacana Press ISBN: 9781770092068 (1770092064)
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Thoreau often turned to the animal world for insights into the nature of life in the wild, and clues to the hidden impulses of his soul. The cricket was the pulse of the earth, its note beginning deep in the earth in early spring and persisting until the coldest days of November. The wood thrush was a symbol of wildness at the fringes of civilization. The long slow growth of the snapping turtle in its egg, buried beneath the sand all summer, was a lesson in patience and faith in the rhythms of nature.
In keeping with Thoreau’s vision of a “circle of creatures” that mirrors the turns of the seasons, Thoreau’s Ark selects writings on animals and spirit from Thoreau’s Journal and arranges them by day of the year.
Publication Date: TBA
Often funnier and more informal than his more familiar work, Thoreau’s Journal contains some of his most insightful and moving prose, including his unmatched observations of the woods, fields, and wetlands of Concord, Massachusetts. Thoreau wrote about more than 350 creatures, from fireflies to moose, yet until now no one has showcased the full range of his brilliant writing about animals.
Thoreau writes about animals with the exactness of a scientist and the inspiration of a poet and philosopher. Whether flushing a ruffed grouse, chasing a fox across the snow, or holding a sleeping bat in the palm of his hand, he is fully engaged with the natural world around him.
Publication Date: TBA
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