Timbuktu

Few names conjure up the idea of exotic isolation like Timbuktu. Perched on the edge of the Sahara, it was a flourishing center of trade between north and west Africa. Gold, ivory, salt and slaves were traded and much wealth was accumulated in the city, which was then used to found libraries, mosques and schools. But what of the famous city now? Marq de Villiers and Sheila Hirtle take readers into the deserts of Africa to meet the modern residents in Timbuktu: the Sahara's fabled city of gold. Using historic documents and interviews with current residents and scholars, the authors present a biography of a city that is a thousand years old. The history of Timbuktu is also the history of Islam, European colonization, African Independence and globalization. This book is a nice mix of history, anthropology and travel, and the interviews with the local people are just fascinating. They accept their almost mythical status in the world's mind just as they accept the difficulties inherent in living on the edge of the Sahara. 'Yes, we are unique, and yes, we understand why you are fascinated with us'. As an Alaskan, I can really sympathize with that point of view.