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China's Second Continent
- How a Million Migrants Are Building a New Empire in Africa
- Narrated by: Don Hagen
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
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Publisher's summary
An exciting, hugely revealing account of China’s burgeoning presence in Africa - a developing empire already shaping - and reshaping - the future of millions of people. A prizewinning foreign correspondent and former New York Times bureau chief in Shanghai and in West and Central Africa, Howard French is uniquely positioned to tell the story of China in Africa. Through meticulous on-the-ground reporting - conducted in Mandarin, French, and Portuguese, among other languages - French crafts a layered investigation of astonishing depth and breadth as he engages not only with policy-shaping moguls and diplomats, but also with the ordinary men and women navigating the street-level realities of cooperation, prejudice, corruption, and opportunity forged by this seismic geopolitical development. With incisiveness and empathy, French reveals the human face of China’s economic, political, and human presence across the African continent - and in doing so reveals what is at stake for everyone involved. Part intrepid travelogue, part cultural census, part industrial and political exposé, French’s keenly observed account ultimately offers a fresh perspective on the most pressing unknowns of modern Sino-African relations: Why China is making the incursions it is, just how extensive its cultural and economic inroads are, what Africa’s role in the equation is, and just what the ramifications for both parties - and the watching world - will be in the foreseeable future.
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- Malick Tchakpedeou
- 12-01-16
He knows Both Africa and China
What did you love best about China's Second Continent?
What caught me off guard from the beginning and kept me curious till the end was the way the author went straight to the people he was writing about, and he did so at a very personal level. Sitting with them (both africans and chinese living in Africa), interviewing them, travelling with them, eating with them, observing them, relating with chinese culture and places which he happens to know very well, not to mention the languages that he speaks, English French, Chinese, and who knows what else. I mean, Howard French is good.We africans like to complain about non-africans writing books about Africa, but Howard French has immersed himself in our politics and culture well enough to teach us a whole lot about ourselves.
Which scene was your favorite?
Rather than one single scene, I was particularly moved ( and "moved" is probably not the right word here) by the fact that every single chinese that the author spoke with agreed on one general fact: "Africans are lazy and/or dishonest beyond normal ". This is not easy to digest, and every young african need to hear it.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
"This is what our helpers think about us."
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11 people found this helpful
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- S. Huang
- 04-30-15
Empire? Or global village?
It's a great story about an important new trend in a less known part of the world, as the author takes us to Mozambique, Liberia, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Ghana, and Namibia, among others. French, with his unique combination of American journalist and understanding of Chinese language, offered us a unparalleled and multifaceted view of Chinese immigrants in Africa. I liked every story in every chapter, until the epilogue, where he attempted to drive the point home about "empire-building" that all his stories have failed to convince readers. His comparison to early days of European colonialism is especially a self-defeating argument, as he failed to mention that, since the first contact of Iberian conquistadors with indigenous population, European colonization was characterized by bloodbaths with the intent to kill, as known from Cusco to Tenochtitlan. There's no doubt the million Chinese in Africa is going to make an impact on Africa and China's trade, but with little resemblance to the conquistadors, even during their "benign" early days as the author portrayed. If the million Chinese among a billion African is building an empire, then I'd be more concerned about Paris, New York City, Vancouver, and Sidney where integration in the global brought a lot more Chinese, with much higher socioeconomic status than the typically poor and undereducated Chinese in Africa.
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8 people found this helpful
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- gail foster
- 11-17-14
IMPORTANT READING
If you could sum up China's Second Continent in three words, what would they be?
Anyone African or American wishing to prepare for the new world order will want to read this. Very well done. Great narration. As devastating as it is inspiring. Should also be read by students of history and those fascinated by Achebe's Things Fall Apart.
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8 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 06-19-16
Boring Travel Book
Is there anything you would change about this book?
This book feels like nothing more than a travel book, I don't feel any wiser on Chinese involvement in Africa, the author spends an incredible amount of time on his personal life. I went here to get a coffee and met this person...... then I took a long bumpy ride to here and met with these people..... on and on and on. The author probably has insight into Chinese influence in the African continent, However it gets completely drowned out by his extremely irrelevant story.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Molemo
- 12-25-15
Brilliant
The book is extremely well written by Howard French. Being an African, I can relate to a lot of the facts in the book despite being from a country that isn't mentioned in the book. The book is very well read by Don Hagen. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading and listening to this book.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Douglas G Luccio
- 08-29-16
Fantastic insight of Chinese influence in Africa
Author traveled through Africa, interviewing Chinese ex-pats and the locals that interacted with them. Cogitating African development through the eyes of Chinese is a fascinating lenses of African development. Soft-power, construction, influence and employment practices are each articulated through several individuals stories. Great listen if you want to know more about the dynamics of African/ Chinese cooperation.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Al
- 10-30-18
Outstanding
So much insight to be gained from this book. The stories feel very real and raw. They both illustrate the Chinese entrepreneurial approach and the complexity of the relationships of Chinese migrants with local populations in several African countries. Loved this.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Zen Traveler
- 11-08-17
Great story about the Chinese takeover of Africa
Great book for anyone interested in China. More of a funny story than research driven.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Joyce U. Olewe
- 10-08-17
Eating bitter, while living high on the hog.
Loved it. Very informative. Gave a very candid reporting of perceptions of the players in this dance between two continents.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Daffodil
- 09-17-23
Good
Down to earth, little bit repetitive, but definitely eye opener. Useful insight into a new development in geopolitics.
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- Nick Branson
- 03-08-15
Woeful pronunciation spoils an interesting text
The narrator, Don Hagan, murdered the pronunciation of a plethora of terms in English, French and Portuguese. I cannot attest for his ability to correctly pronounce Chinese phrases or places (which one other reviewer critiques) but to my surprise he managed a few Wolof terms more eloquently than many in his native tongue.
As for the book, its journalistic and largely narrative style resembled a series of New York Times long reads. French doesn't contribute much new analysis, or indeed provide any fresh data, but he does provide an intriguing snapshot of life among Chinese emigrants in Africa, and paints some vivid characters.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Darren W
- 05-26-23
Interesting listen
Not what I expected having listened to other books by this author but very interesting nonetheless.
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- Cassio Lacerda
- 07-16-22
very good
the book present clear evidences that China is colonizing Africa and in few years everything going to be dominated by China
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- Taj
- 02-05-19
Amazing Insight
The emotions I felt were poignant and it goes to show how self interests, will always trump fairness.
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- Hamish
- 02-18-21
an incredible audiobook
The narrator does an excellent job, and the story is superb. French makes the topic accessible and uncovers the human element of this historic event. I finished this book in a few days because I struggled to put it down (turn off my Bluetooth speaker). I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to understand China's activities in Africa.
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- Jackson K Maina
- 02-08-18
Eye opener
This book reveals exactly what's involved with Chinese businesses in Africa, what they really think of Africans and how their presence is only benefiting their own bottom line and increasing the wealth of despots through bribery. The poor Africans will remain that way due to the shoddy loan terms reached between their leaders and the Chinese.
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-
Story
Born in Blackness vitally reframes the story of medieval and emerging Africa, demonstrating how the economic ascendancy of Europe, the anchoring of democracy in the West, and the fulfillment of so-called Enlightenment ideals all grew out of Europe's dehumanizing engagement with the "dark" continent. In fact, French reveals, the first impetus for the Age of Discovery was not—as we are so often told, even today—Europe's yearning for ties with Asia, but rather its centuries-old desire to forge a trade in gold with legendarily rich Black societies in the heart of West Africa.
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American History World History Our History
- By Bill on 06-13-22
By: Howard W. French
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White Malice
- The CIA and the Covert Recolonization of Africa
- By: Susan Williams
- Narrated by: Chanté McCormick
- Length: 21 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In White Malice, Susan Williams unearths the covert operations pursued by the CIA from Ghana to the Congo to the UN in an effort to frustrate and deny Africa’s new generation of nationalist leaders. This dramatically upends the conventional belief that the African nations failed to establish effective, democratic states on their own accord. As the old European powers moved out, the US moved in.
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A very good read.
- By Amazon Customer on 11-20-22
By: Susan Williams
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The Fate of Africa
- A History of the Continent Since Independence
- By: Martin Meredith
- Narrated by: Fleet Cooper
- Length: 29 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Martin Meredith has revised this classic history to incorporate important recent developments, including the Darfur crisis in Sudan, Robert Mugabe’s continued destructive rule in Zimbabwe, controversies over Western aid and exploitation of Africa’s resources, the growing importance and influence of China, and the democratic movement roiling the North African countries of Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan.
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Africa: Land of Hope and Horror
- By Jeff on 03-08-14
By: Martin Meredith
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Everything Under the Heavens
- How the Past Helps Shape China's Push for Global Power
- By: Howard W. French
- Narrated by: Nicholas Hormann
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
For many years after its reform and opening in 1978, China maintained an attitude of false modesty about its ambitions. That role, reports Howard French, has been set aside. China has asserted its place among the global heavyweights, revealing its plans for pan-Asian dominance by building its navy, increasing territorial claims to areas like the South China Sea, and diplomatically bullying smaller players.
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Unique Concept
- By John on 02-24-20
By: Howard W. French
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The Dragon's Gift
- The Real Story of China in Africa
- By: Deborah Brautigam
- Narrated by: Pam Ward
- Length: 14 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In the last few years, China's aid program has leapt out of the shadows. But China's tradition of secrecy about its aid fueled rumors and speculation, making it difficult to gauge the risks and opportunities provided by China's growing embrace. This well-timed book, by one of the world's leading experts, provides the first comprehensive account of China's aid and economic cooperation overseas. Deborah Brautigam tackles the myths and realities, explaining what the Chinese are doing, how they do it, how much aid they give, and how it all fits into their "going global" strategy.
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The Book Is Too Much To Digest
- By DING MING YING 丁明英 on 05-15-20
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A Continent for the Taking
- The Tragedy and Hope of Africa
- By: Howard W. French
- Narrated by: Mirron E. Willis
- Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In A Continent for the Taking, Howard W. French, a veteran correspondent for The New York Times, gives a compelling firsthand account of some of Africa's most devastating recent history. While he captures the tragedies that have repeatedly befallen Africa's peoples, French also opens our eyes to the immense possibility that lies in Africa's complexity, diversity, and myriad cultural strengths.
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A story to pay your attention to
- By George on 04-30-13
By: Howard W. French
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Born in Blackness
- Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War
- By: Howard W. French
- Narrated by: James Fouhey
- Length: 16 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born in Blackness vitally reframes the story of medieval and emerging Africa, demonstrating how the economic ascendancy of Europe, the anchoring of democracy in the West, and the fulfillment of so-called Enlightenment ideals all grew out of Europe's dehumanizing engagement with the "dark" continent. In fact, French reveals, the first impetus for the Age of Discovery was not—as we are so often told, even today—Europe's yearning for ties with Asia, but rather its centuries-old desire to forge a trade in gold with legendarily rich Black societies in the heart of West Africa.
-
-
American History World History Our History
- By Bill on 06-13-22
By: Howard W. French
-
White Malice
- The CIA and the Covert Recolonization of Africa
- By: Susan Williams
- Narrated by: Chanté McCormick
- Length: 21 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In White Malice, Susan Williams unearths the covert operations pursued by the CIA from Ghana to the Congo to the UN in an effort to frustrate and deny Africa’s new generation of nationalist leaders. This dramatically upends the conventional belief that the African nations failed to establish effective, democratic states on their own accord. As the old European powers moved out, the US moved in.
-
-
A very good read.
- By Amazon Customer on 11-20-22
By: Susan Williams
-
The Fate of Africa
- A History of the Continent Since Independence
- By: Martin Meredith
- Narrated by: Fleet Cooper
- Length: 29 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Martin Meredith has revised this classic history to incorporate important recent developments, including the Darfur crisis in Sudan, Robert Mugabe’s continued destructive rule in Zimbabwe, controversies over Western aid and exploitation of Africa’s resources, the growing importance and influence of China, and the democratic movement roiling the North African countries of Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan.
-
-
Africa: Land of Hope and Horror
- By Jeff on 03-08-14
By: Martin Meredith
-
Everything Under the Heavens
- How the Past Helps Shape China's Push for Global Power
- By: Howard W. French
- Narrated by: Nicholas Hormann
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For many years after its reform and opening in 1978, China maintained an attitude of false modesty about its ambitions. That role, reports Howard French, has been set aside. China has asserted its place among the global heavyweights, revealing its plans for pan-Asian dominance by building its navy, increasing territorial claims to areas like the South China Sea, and diplomatically bullying smaller players.
-
-
Unique Concept
- By John on 02-24-20
By: Howard W. French