Yurugu: An African-centered Critique of European Cultural Thought and Behavior: African-Centered Cri: Written by Marimba Ani, 1995 Edition, Publisher: Africa Research & Publications [Paperback]

I bought a copy of this book via Amazon. The item arrived on time. The seller provided an excellent customer service.I am exceedingly glad to see a highly intellectual discussion in this book, a well organised and structured work, put together in one piece. Dr Marimba Ani has done an excellent work in many ways, from creative use of linguistic items as Yurugu, Asili, Utamawazo and Utamaroho to meticulously critical survey of numerous literature. Throughout the book, one can see Dr Marimba Ani's deeply insightful critique of European "pagan" and "Judeo-Christian" worldviews and attitudes, from Platonic influences to race and national identity, from development of ideologies to the syntax of cultural imperialism, the author has not just written another book but offered the world an original and critical dimension to consider. Her in-depth knowledge not only in her area of "specialism"- anthropology, but also in broader streams of linguistics, history and philosophy are very clear.The only suggestion I would have liked to make would be use foot note instead of end note. However, I assume there might be a reason for that decision.Overall, this is a highly scholarly masterpiece by another African daughter, whose comprehensive critique is certainly unmatched in Europe.I think this book should be an essential text in both European and Afrikan studies.My deepest gratitude to Dr Marimba Ani for this excellent work. Well done.Thank you,Tegegn Bayissa,Manchester, England

A fascinating, very interesting book to read. Will help to settle any curious mind.

The Kindle edition is a big rip off, they photocopied some of the pages.This really is not good enough and way below expected standards.I bought the edition on the pretext that it was a proper kindle book.Given a 6 for a nine for my money.

I bought the kindle ebook and had to return it. The person selling the ebook has merely photocopied pages of a physical copy, the pages appear sideways and are not easily readable. I returned it due to this. I'm not paying £9 for a bad photocopy.

I read this book about a year ago and have thought about it's contents every day since.An inspiring, challenging, thought provoking critique of contemporary european/westernised culture and it's traumatic effects on the earth and it's people. A seminal anthropological work of significant importance. Highly recommended!

It is indeed an eye-open to those people who do not have social interaction with Europeans and yet their lives are everyday impacted by the way Europeans think and behave. Marimba Ani systematically unmasks European utamawazo (thoughts) and utamaroho (emotional and collective behaviour of a cultural group): these are Afrikan terminalogies she uses to put across the deep Afrikan philosophies in new ways probably never done before. She traces the European way of thinking and behaviour influenced by the Greek philosopher, Plato and others, step by step. She also brings in the religious influence of Christianity in foreign lands, Afrika and elsewhere where native populations were almost exterminated in the name of Christianity. She is straight forward and to the point. A great text for scholarly studies. And definately for all those who would like to understand why our world is as it is today. It is a MUST read in fact for EVERBODY!

Professor Marimba has certainly justified the over twenty years she took to research this book - a hundred years from today, this book will still carry the freshness it has today - you need to listen to her , with the book in your hand, if you get the chance. Get yourself a copy before its out of print again.

Flailing around on a sea of circular logic - ironically the kind apparently lauded by African intellectuals such as Ani - this book is laughable at times, naive and childlsh at others. Ultimately it doesn't go anywhere, but merely ends up swallowing its own tail. Ani begins with the assumption that European culture is built on myths or perspectives which are false simply because some non-Europeans have suffered as a result of them. It's never going to be a firm foundation on which to critique a civilization which has such a strong grounding in material reality through its sciences. By the end of the book her poorly thought out perspective has unraveled completely and her conclusions seem empty and circular.