Friends of Liberia
FOL STORE
Literature
- Help Me Small: True Adventures of African Village Life
- by Gary and Evelyn Harthcock
- Review
by Jim Gray
- You Cannot Unsneeze a Sneeze and Other Tales From Liberia.
- Esther Warner Dendel.
- Boulder: University Press of Colorado; 1995.
Esther Dendel lived
in Liberia from 1941 to 1944, where her husband worked with Firestone
Rubber Company. There were no roads in Liberia then, except along the
coast. Ms. Dendel walked across Liberia twice, staying in small villages,
studying crafts and learning folk tales and customs. The villages, connected
by narrow foot paths winding through the rain forest, were just beginning
to come into a money economy. Life went on much as it had for centuries.
The 40 stories presented in You Cannot Unsneeze a Sneeze are compiled
from the author's old diaries and notes on scraps of yellowing pages.
Ms. Dendel's memories give a rare view of the people of Liberia who
told her their deepest beliefs, their fears, and their values. The author
is a member of Friends of Liberia. 144 pages.
Softcover. Currently Out of Stock.
- Beyond the Mango Tree
- Amy Bronwen Zemser
Based
on the author's memories of her years spent in Liberia as a child in the
1980s, this stunning first novel reveals the schism between two classes
and cultures while evoking the loneliness of a white American girl living
abroad.- Sarina's family moved to Liberia from Boston eight months ago. Her mother ties her to the mango tree in their front yard, terrified of losing her. It's never for long, and Sarina knows her mother doesn't mean to hurt her. But things just seem to get harder the longer her family stays in this country so far from home.
- Then one day Sarina meets Boima, a Liberian boy, and he becomes Sarina's cherished secret. He takes her to places outside her dirty yard, and shows her the ocean, the trees, and the people of Liberia. Together they discover what friendship really means ... and that there is a world of joy, hunger, and hope waiting just beyond the mango tree.
- Head, Body, Legs: A Story from Liberia
- Won Ldy Paye
A magical retelling of a creation story from Liberia.
- "Long ago, Head was all
by himself.
He had no legs, no arms, no body.
He rolled everywhere." - Head is all alone. Body bounces along, Arms swing about, and Legs stand around. They can't do much by themselves, so they try to join together. But how? Should Head attach to the belly button? Should Legs stand on Arms? If only they can work together, everything will be perfect.
This vibrant, joyous retelling of a traditional Liberian creation story shows how much can be accomplished with a little cooperation.
Koi
and the Kola Nuts: A Tale from Liberia Verna Aardema
When Koi, the yongest son of Chief Ogumefu, learns that his only inheritance is a scraggly kola tree, he decides to travel the world. With only a sack of kola nuts on his back, Koi sets out on a wonderful journey in search of his own fortune, and learns a lesson: Do good and good will come back to you.
- Why Leopard Has Spots: Dan Stories from Liberia Won-Ldy Paye
- Harmattan: A Journey Across the Sahara. Geraldine Kennedy. Santa Monica, Calif: Clover Park Press; 1994.
Geraldine Kennedy, a member of Friends of Liberia, was in the first group of Volunteers to serve in Liberia. In 1964, with a long school holiday ahead, she and four other volunteers set off on an epic journey of wit and courage-by train, bus, car, and giant trans-Saharan trucks-to Algiers. In their crossing the desert, they confronted storms of sand and locusts, winter temperatures that changed 70 degrees in a single day, illness and fear that threatened to abort the journey, and day after day, the unrelenting presence of each other. Bob Shacochis, author of Swimming in the Volcano, and himself an RPCV, says, "Harmattan is an utterly riveting narrative and, in the stunning, seductive world of travel literature, an instant classic, an unforgettable contribution." Introduction by Sargent Shriver. 289 pages. Hardcover.
Discover why Leopard has spots, what happens when Mrs. Chicken meets a hungry crocodile, and how the birds react when Spider flies to their feast. These delightful tales are illustrated with dramatic black-and-white linoleum prints by award-winning illustrator and writer Ashley Bryan.
- Freedom Ships: The Spectacular Epic of African Americans Who Dared to Find Their Freedom Long Before Emancipation
- Robert D. Carey
Freedom Ships reveals the true story of freed slaves in America who go back to Africa in the early 1800's to find real freedom. Spanning stormy seas, fighting hostile tribes, and surviving dreaded African fevers, they confront scheming slave traders and European empire builders to find a place for the first black republic.
- Studies
Liberia
Will Rise Again: Reflections on the Liberian Civil Crisis- Arthur F. Kulah
ISBN: 0687075947 Subtitle: Reflections on the Liberian Civil Crisis Author: Kulah, Arthur F. Publisher: Abingdon Press Subject: Liberia Subject: Politics and government Subject: History Subject: General Subject: Liberia History Civil War, 1989- Subject: Africa Subject: Military - General Subject: Africa - General Publication Date: April 1999 Binding: Paperback Language: English Illustrations: Yes Pages: 104 Dimensions: 840x548x34 36
The
Mask of Anarchy: The Destruction of Liberia and the Riligious Dimension
of an African Civil War- Steven Ellis
Eschewing popular stereotypes and simple explanations Stephen Ellis traces the history of the civil war that has blighted Liberia in recent years and looks at its political, ethnic and cultural roots. He focuses on the role religion and ritual have played in shaping and intensifying this brutal war.
Miscellaneous
Liberian Cookhouse Cooking
editor: Joan Keenan
Out of Stock - Reprint pending
This cookbook was written for a twofold purpose: to introduce people to Liberian cooking, and to raise money to support the work of the Friends of Liberia.
It contains many of the favorite recipes of RPCVs, and lots of interesting anecdotes.The book honors a happier time, when life in Liberia was "sweet, like chicken soup". And it also welcomes a time when peace will allow Liberia to get back to the gentler pursuits of living.
Liberian Note Cards
Eight 5" by 7" fold-out notecards, each with
a cover photo of pre-war Liberia: frisky children posing for the camera,
dignified women, a woman carrying a child on her back, and a young girl
with white clay designs on her face.
CD's
Pavarotti & Friends - For The Children of Liberia
Don't forget: Proceeds from our sales support
our projects in Liberia, and advocacy work here in the United States.
Order several items. Keep some for yourself, give others away as gifts.
To order: Order Form
Questions? FOLJAN@cs.com