Rating: 
Summary: Highly likely and refreshing view of history
Review: To those who oppose this book, I offer: Santa Claus really does slide down a chimney at Christmas, Loc Ness (Scotland) is shacking with BigFoot (California), Little Green Men in a UFO kidnapped Jimmy Hoffa, Elvis lives, etc. I won't go further about the mainstream/European lies which continue to this day. And some are stupid enough to believe and pay good money to read about such subjects.And you dare to speak ill of a humble and kind author such as Van Sertima? Everyone has a story, history, herstory, etc. And since none of us were there thousands of years ago in antiquity, none of us know enough to attack another's theory. Van Sertima has done a good job. Keep your head up. As long as the author gets such negative reactions, that's proof enough that his work is valid and is greatly needed. Keep writing, Van Sertima!!!!!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Check facts please - thankyou!
Review: To the reviewer below: Carthage may well be in North Africa, but as every school kid over four years old knows, it was settled by Phonecians from present-day Lebanon and Syria. It was these Carthagians who had the sailing fleets - doh!! As for ancient Egypt, exactly what amazing sailing fleets did they have? Do you know some "secret" that only you "know"? Somehow I doubt it.... Anyway, the point of Van Sertima's book is to claim that West Africans colonised America. Forget about "opening your mind", "being receptive to new idaes" etc - where is the EVIDENCE?? As a reviewer said below, if sao Tome and Principe was undiscovered until the Portuguese, how are we to believe that west Africans had ocean-going fleets? It simply defies logic and all historical and archaeological evidence.
Rating: 
Summary: unfortunate dismissal
Review: I found this book to be quite refreshing and give much credit to the author for presenting another perspective on history. Its unfortunate that a small number of readers dismiss the book as lacking facts or wild claims. In one case in particular a reader says Africans didn't explore anything else. The commentator forgets that Egypt and Carthage are in Africa. Any student of basic Middle East/European history will tell you that both places were origins of great sailing fleets that rivaled Rome. I suggest you give the book and the ideas a chance.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Scholarship!!!!
Review: This book is, and should go down in history, as a true american classic. The Evindence that Van Sertima uses in these book is not only well thought-out, well-reseached, extreme compelling, but uplifting and exciting as well! Points are made clear and backed by more than enough evindence (including photographs (well, my version had some photographs and maps)). It is a shame therefore that years after the publication of this book many african american studies texts still begin with "The first africans came to america in 1619". No library, (public or private) should be without it!
Rating:
Summary: Good example of wild Afrocentrism
Review: If Africans were ocean-going explorers, how come they never discovered and settled islands off the coast of Africa - doh! And if they had the expertise to cross the Atlantic, why they didn't develop extensive coastal trading routes, or even with Europe for that matter - doh! And if they had the ability to build ships large enough to cross the Atlantic, why this technology (or evidence of it) is not still around on the west African coast - doh! And how come no African legends speak of discovering America, like the Viking accounts of Vinland - doh! A bad book, fit for clowns.
Rating:
Summary: Splendid attempt at the truth by a truth seeker.
Review: The people professionally engaged in discovering the truth are those, psychologically, least capable of accepting the truth if it happens to contradict what they already believe. Mr. Van Sertima's book is clearly iconoclastic, which makes it controversial, because it departs from myopic pedagogy that credits Columbus with discovering a place already inhabited.
Rating:
Summary: Splendid attempt at the truth by a truth seeker.
Review: The people professionally engaged in discovering the truth are those, psychologically least capable of accepting the truth if it happens to contradict what they already believe. Mr. Van Sertima's book is clearly iconoclastic, which makes it controversial, because it departs from myopic pedagogy that credits Columbus with discovering a place already inhabited.
Rating:
Summary: Vicious attack
Review: If I was a native American, I'd be *really* upset by this book and its essential attack on their history. It has no merits simply becaues there is NO, repeat NO evidence to suggest that Africans made oceanic explorations. In fcat, as the reviewer below points out, quite the contrary - as the uninhabited status of Madagascar bears witness. A laughable and ridiculous book. But well-aimed at the moronic element who are so desperate to feel good about themselves at all cost....
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Work.
Review: This is a very well written book. As a Mexican, my people (mestizo, Indian, or white) owe more to the Spanish than any other culture. However, we also owe to our Indian ancestors. After reading Mr. Van Sertima's text, there is very little cause for going against his argument. Now, I'm not saying that Africans developed this continent, but surely they contributed their fair share into this true melting pot we call the Americas. And also, I think people shouldn't dismiss the advances made by the ancient Africans. Credit should be given where it's deserved, but I think that the author can do a better job at this. The FACTS that he presents are well organized and usually very detailed. If one feels that he is not presenting something with accuracy, he or she can always look up each subject independently and see that he is right. This book should go down in history as a classic. This, I believe, is the tip of the iceberg on the subject of African exploration in ancient times. There is so much we don't know, and the thought of future developments on this is very exciting.
Rating:
Summary: Most Excelent
Review: Now the truth of the African peoples is being told. Contrary to popular belief, civilization and technology was not invented by the Europians. While Europe was desolate, the civilations of the African continent flurished through and possibly beyond 5,000 BC. Some theories have placed the construction of the Sphinx and the Giza pyramids to 10,000 BC. It is therefore possible that Africans who had the construction knowledge to build these structures, and align them with the constelations, could eaisly build and navigate the Atlantic ocean. Remember what they forgot to tell you in history class is that Columbus sailed down to Africa to catch the currents to the west. Currents already known to the African continent. It is also fair to postulate that the story of Atlantis could be a tale of the American continents past down through the ages. The story of Atlantis was told to a Greek by an Egyptian priest. The story was then made famous by Plato. Finally the truth is slowly emerging, after being supressed for centuries. I believe half the story has never been told!
|
