Trying to help an oppressed person is like trying to put your arm around somebody with a sunburn.

That is a quote from Florynce Kennedy, American Lawyer, founder of NOW.

I use it as a preface for the following books I have read and recommend to further a better understanding of things we cannot fully comprehend at an International level.

1. The Zanzibar Chest, by Aidan Hartley ( white african journalist)

2. Shake Hands with the Devil, the failure of Humanity in Rwanda

by Romeo Dallaire

These are not Harlequin Romances, both Authors are unrelated except they both share their experiences amidst horrifying killings, one working feverishly through the United Nations to help.The other photographing and whilst writing for Reuters.

Reading books such as the two I recommend has helped me grapple with the reality outside my own country. Africa is the continent, I am most curious about and it all started 6 years ago when I bought this book (online )

3. The Scramble for Africa, a History by Thomas Pakenham

Two years after the Alqueada bombing of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania we lived in Dar es Salaam, where daily we past by the bombed out ruins.. It was a constant reminder, left in ruins. This is one thing that we in Canada do not do, that is leave our buildings in ruin we demolish , erase and remove all bad things from our sight, perhaps that is why we think we are so prefect and immune from participating on a global level.

What you don't know or see does not exist!