Way To Timbuktu

Travelling in West Africa by public transport, Sihle Khumalo turned a wishlist into an itinerary. His optimism sees him reach almost all his goals.

With the fabled city of Timbuktu as his goal, author Rick Antonson began a month-long trek. His initial plan? To get a haircut. The second edition of this important book outlines the volatile political situations in Timbuktu following the spring 2012 military coup in Mali and the subsequent capture of the city by Islamic extremists.

Retells the story of the authors' travels around the world teaching English, describing their experiences with the different peoples and cultures of such countries as Morocco, China, and Mali.

Describes how a group of Timbuktu librarians enacted a daring plan to smuggle the city's great collection of rare Islamic manuscripts away from the threat of destruction at the hands of Al Qaeda militants to the safety of southern Mali.

Travelling in West Africa by public transport, Sihle Khumalo turned a wish list into an itinerary. The plans for his trip were lean on practical detail, but grand in concept: Visit five World Heritage Sites listed by UNESCO for their historical and cultural significance. Having never set foot in Sénégal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin or Togo, Sihle planned to inform himself about Francophone Africa as he went along. Had he pondered the implications of not speaking French in a part of the world where it is the lingua franca, or what the public transport might be like there, he might have set off less bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. But Sihle is not one to be deterred by setbacks and deadends. His flexibility, irrepressible optimism and robust sense of humour, coupled with an unexpected sensitivity towards his host countries, see him reach all his goals – or almost.

Travel writer Mark Jenkins, three friends, and an African guide set out to attempt the first descent of the Niger River to the legendary city of Timbuktu. Along the way, they are attacked by killer bees, hippos, and crocodiles, find a group of blind men in the bush, and dance with a hundred naked women among other incredible adventures. A daring and dangerous real-life mix of the dramatic and the absurd. 20 color photos.

Meet Mr. Bones, the canine hero of Paul Auster's remarkable new novel, Timbuktu. Mr. Bones is the sidekick and confidant of Willy G. Christmas, the brilliant, troubled, and altogether original poet-saint from Brooklyn. Like Don Quixote and Sancho Panza before them, they sally forth on a last great adventure, heading for Baltimore, Maryland in search of Willy's high school teacher, Bea Swanson. Years have passed since Willy last saw his beloved mentor, who knew him in his previous incarnation as William Gurevitch, the son of Polish war refugees. But is Mrs. Swanson still alive? And if she isn't, what will prevent Willy from vanishing into that other world known as Timbuktu? Mr. Bones is our witness. Although he walks on four legs and cannot speak, he can think, and out of his thoughts Auster has spun one of the richest, most compelling tales in recent American fiction. By turns comic, poignant, and tragic, Timbuktu is above all a love story. Written with a scintillating verbal energy, it takes us into the heart of a singularly pure and passionate character, an unforgettable dog who has much to teach us about our own humanity.