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Africa Is Not a Country

Breaking Stereotypes of Modern Africa

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Africa Is Not a Country

By: Dipo Faloyin
Narrated by: Dipo Faloyin
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Africa Is Not a Country is a kaleidoscopic portrait of modern Africa that pushes back against harmful stereotypes to tell a more comprehensive story.

You already know these stereotypes. So often Africa is depicted simplistically as an arid red landscape of famines and safaris, uniquely plagued by poverty and strife. In this funny and insightful book, Dipo Faloyin offers a much-needed corrective, creating a fresh and multifaceted view of this vast continent.

To unspool this inaccurate narrative, Africa Is Not a Country looks to a wide range of subjects, from chronicling urban life in Lagos and the lively West African rivalry over who makes the best Jollof rice, to the story of democracy in seven dictatorships and the dangers of white saviourism and harmful stereotypes in popular culture.

It examines how each African country was formed, by white European explorers who turned up with loose maps and even looser morals, how 90 per cent of Africa's material cultural legacy was stolen during the colonial era, and the fight to get those artefacts back.

By turns intimate and political, Africa Is Not a Country brings the story of the continent towards reality, celebrating the energy and fabric of its different cultures and communities in a way that has never been done before.

©2022 Dipo Faloyin (P)2022 Penguin Audio Africa Sociology Urban Funny Thought-Provoking
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I am a young Zimbabwean, who grew up in South Africa, now lives in London and whose work, research and passions are focused on Africa. I started the book with a scepticism at how Dipo would approach engaging with the continent and was quickly eased by well researched amd personal this work is. It feels like a tight mix of my best politics and IR lectures and the wealth of information and banter among africans on the continent and in the diaspora on twitter and social media. The writing is beautoful, poetic even, which makes for a soothing listen. Thank you for this work in which I felt seen. I hope similar books will be written for successive generations of young Africans to both engage with their histories and feel grounded in their present.

So much more than I could have known.

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I learned much about Africa which as a homo sapiens is where my ancestors evolved. I want to move to Botswana a country I love which was favourably and accurately described.
The book added to my knowledge of the colonial borders that are a cause of so much conflict. it is a major pity the divide and conquer borders were not redrawn when countries gained independence. I guess the continued meddling of colonial powers can be blamed.
Western powers continue to meddle in Africa by imposing woke ideas of the climate scam and various infectious disease scams on the continent.
The author"s belief in climate change which may stop African countries building enough REAL power stations and his delight at the death of Tanzanian president John Magufuli, one of the few world leaders who stood up to big pharma's covid scam, took a bit from the book.
Africa did well by ignoring Covid_19 for most part and would do well to also ignore western advice on AIDS, malaria and various other supposedly infectious diseases.
As a continent it has a great future unlike here in western Europe where woke politicians are doing their best to ruin our children's future.

informative, but a pity about its wokeness

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An amazing telling of Africa’s history and strive to thrive and exist. This is a must read for everyone, young and old. It is such an important book and conversation so we understand who we are, why we are and how we can become the best version a people can be.

Well done Dipo!

I felt every word

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This history book is great to start learning a non- Western narrative of many countries in Africa. I think that the author chose good examples from all over the continent to give me a taste of how many things I don't know and how many stereotypes I have absorbed.
I would have preferred to read it rather than listen to it. It's packed with new information, and personally spoken words are too volatile to retain properly.

A great read for a first dive in modern Africa

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Educational - I learnt so much that is omitted from British schooling, This book is also beautifully well written and read - making it so easy to listen to. I devoured it rapidly and it has left me eager to look for more. What else was purposely 'missed' from our curriculum?

Eye Opening

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