I first visited the Cape Verdes in 1987 while researching the ATLANTIC ISLANDS, a sailing guide covering the Azores, Madeira group, Canaries and Cape Verdes, now in its third edition. Getting information on the Cape Verdes in the English language was difficult in the extreme -- if only Aisling and Colum's excellent book had been available then! These days no sane person should visit the islands without reading it first. The Cape Verdes come as something of a culture shock after the Canaries -- this book will explain why, and help you get the most from the experience. Buy it!

This was just the sort of thing a hardened backpacker needed. It had all the useful nooks and crannies of info you need - plus the fact that it filled in a lot of the extra info you like to get about a place you're seeing. They gave a great account of the islands' history - it was really moving.

Irwin and Wilson's guide gives you all the factual information you need, and in addition succeeds in capturing the spirit of Cape Verde, with boxes on cultural and historical issues linked to each island. There is no doubt about it: This is the best guide available. If you read German, Rolf Osang's "Kapverdische Inseln" from Dumont is nearly as good and a useful supplement (especially when it comes to photos). The chapters on Cape Verde in Rough Guides' and Lonely Planet's books on West Africa are neither up-to-date nor in-depth enough if you plan to spend more than a few days in Cape Verde (which you should!).

The appendix on Crioulo language in Irwin and Wilson's book is brief but good. Don't be put off by the nasty details on horrible diseases in the section on health!

Deirdre Meintel's anthropological work on Cape Verde is an invaluable tool to use in any other scholarly historical or anthropological research. Not to mention being a good read all by itself. Meintel has a fluid writing style, and her research results are relevant, well-informed, and captivating. The Cape Verdes are fascinating islands, and their cultural flavor has been captured infrequently or in too-little detail by most other related works. Her work is an excellent source of information, and I highly recommend it to anyone simply wishing to learn more about the Cape Verdes. It's a hard book to find, but LOOK FOR IT. It's worth it.

This book is currently out-of-print, it details the thoughts of Amilcar Cabral a central leader of the revolution in Guinea-Bissau. I was personally introduced to this book by a comrade who spent a number of years in the Long Kesh prisons in Belfast. The Republican prisoners studied this book and he still reads a little most mornings to give him daily inspiration.

...brilliant words from an enlightened son of the african revolution...

This map is very helpfull. It has helped me to find my way through Cape Verde and was very helpfull in helping plan my vacation in Cape Verde. It is a must.

This book was originally issued as two volumes. This reprint is bound in one volume, consisting of the original two. One is dedicated to English translations, the other is written in the local Criol language. The folk lore collection also includes riddles (divinhas), of which the solution of some are forgotten today. The tales were collected in the large population of Cape Verdean emigres around Boston in the early 20s. The tales told are a mixture of Portuguese and African origin. They are a unique collection, and the transcripts into kriol (no standard exists to date)are well done - to the extent that an islander can tell from which island the storyteller originates! For anyone interested in folk lore, in Cape Verde and in the way two different cultures melts into one - this book is highly recommended. Olav Aalberg, Oslo - NORWAY

I did not find the recipes hard to follow at all - there are many alternative ingredients that do not take away the spirit of the dishes in question, and they are provided in the book.
Historically, I found it more than usually accurate as far as ethnic cookbooks go, and this is more of a multi-ethnic effort united mostly by history and to a lesser degree by religion and language.
Having no prejudices whatsoever before approaching it, I honestly believe this book deserves kudos for introducing the multi-ethnic cuisine of the lusophone world to us - and as a somewhat lost vegeterian in my city of adoption I'm particularly thankful to the many vegeterian dishes from Goa, Malacca, Macao, mainland Portugal and just a bit everywhere else I was able to find, prepare and serve in the family home with more lauding than my previous vegan attempts.
So thanks for the book, and whatever species you are - carnivourous, omnivourous, seafoodivourous or vegeterian, *do* try this book!

Having bought a copy of this book in spite of one of the reviews, I feel one should challege the notion that 'very silly recipes are the norm'. It might be fair to say that the section on Portuguese colonial history is a little thin but the explanations accompanying the recipes of how the dishes have moved from one location to another and have been altered in the process, together with details of variations, go some way to compensating for this. Then again, if I were looking for information on Portuguese history, I would not begin with a cookery book. The suggestion that recipe ingredients 'do not ring true' is rather baffling. I can find similar recipes in, for instance, other Portuguese, Brazilian and Goan cookery books. Likewise, the ingredients in African recipes are often common to nearby countries which do not have the same Portuguese influence. Also, while bibliographies are not a foolproof guide to the quality of books, it would be unusual to see a bibliography as good as this in a bad book.
All things considered, this book has a fascinating range of recipes - many relatively easy to prepare - from a wide variety of countries and its ingenuity is the simple linkage of Portuguese influence. It's not perfect but is highly unusual and I am thoroughly pleased to add it to my collection of several hundred other cookery books. My advice is: when you read a review from someone who is dismissive without providing substantive reasons for being so and fails to distinguish between a bad book and one they simply don't like, ignore it. Or, to put in another way, if you're interested in something different in the cookery line, why not buy this book?

I just found a great new cookbook. In the 16th century the Portuguese developed one of history's greatest empires. The Portuguese empire, in turn, created a diverse cuisine that was influenced by the local crops and recipes of many different nations, with a strong emphasis on seafood. Cuisines of Portuguese Encounters by Cherie Hamilton is filled with fantastic, easy-to-follow recipes that capture these amazing and unusual combinations of flavors. One evening I made fish curry from Goa (p 174), a stew of whitefish and grated coconut seasoned with cumin, coriander, ginger, onions, and green chiles. As a salad I made a delicious creamy mmixture of avocado and dates (p 59), pureed and served in the avocado shells, from the windward island of Sao Vincente. This venture was such a success with my family that I next made a fish ragout from Southern Angola (p 172), that is a marvelous blend of fish and okra. The side dish for this meal was rice with split peas cooked in coconut milk (p 144), a creamy preparation from Zambesia in central Mozambique. Urged on by the praises of my family, this past weekend I made Caranguejo em Cosquinha (stuffed crab), a dish tht has traveled from Goa to Brazil (p 206). It consists of a saute of crabmeat, green and white onions, curry, and black olives in a pastry shell. Along with this, we had a fantastic Arroz de Tomate (tomato rice), a popular way to prepare rice in Portugal (p 146), which is rice prepared with tomatoes, garlic, and onions. Each of these recipes was easy and fun to prepare, with wonderfully unusual combinations of flavors. Highly recommended!!

Dr. Lobban's factual description of the culture, geography, economy, and history of Cabo Verde is unmatched. This book is an essential introduction to this island nation, and packs a large amount of information into a very readable format, illustrated with adequate photos by the author. The book fails, however, whenever Dr. Lobban tries to match that information with his preconceptions. He states, correctly, that the central political/cultural issue in CV is the choice of African or European or Criole identity. Writing for a Modern Africa series, he tries to force the conclusion that the 'real' identity is obviously African, and as a result cannot understand the political and cultural forces which have dominated CV because they reject African identity. His political coverage similarly suffers from an obvious bias toward the leftist PAICV independence party (e.g. the takeover of a radio station by PAICV activists was 'revolutionary justice'while a threat to take over a radio station by the opposition UCID party was described as a criminal plot) which weakens his coverage of the transition to a democratic pluralistic political regime. Nevertheless, he has presented a valid, readable, and factually accurate picture of Cabo Verde which is invaluable to any researcher. Especially enjoyable was his section on "Cultural Markers" in which, inter alia, he traces the development of the unique forms of music which are Caboverdian. I would love to read more on that subject alone by this author.

This was the most deplorable piece of literature (if you can even call it that) that I have ever laid my eyes upon! Upon reading the passages, it was so obvious to me that Mr Quint's book is based wholly on his own very personal negative impressions he has had with any Cape Verdeans, whether in or out of Cape Verde. He has used whatever limited interactions he has had with a few Cape Verdeans to form stereotypes, exagerations and and portray Cape verdeans in an oversimplified caricature-like manner. The basis of his research is so laughable, I can't even belief a book such as this one got into print. I noticed he bases alot of what he says about Cape Verdeans on a group known as "badius" - the dark skinned Africans who reside in the island of San Tiago. He lumps Badius into a group of unimaginative simpletons. This he does only to ignore the majority of tru-blooded Cape Verdeans who reside in the interior islands who embody the hardworking, ambitious, intelligent and family-oriented characteristics of Cape Verdean people. Anyone who publishes such derogatory, extreme and one-sided words ought not to be taken seriously. Cape verdean women do not adhere to the descriptions he gives in his book. So-called "loose" women and "moral" women reside everywhere in this world. Anyone who knows Cape Verde knows that it is a nation of old-fashioned values. His portrayal of certain groups of Cape Verdean women's morality as being dependent on skin color reveals his lack of intelligence. Perhaps he thinks we're in the 18th century??? Last thing I'll mention is that unlike in America where slavery put a barrier between Blacks and Whites, this was not the case in Cape Verde. Contrary to Quint's reference, in Cape Verde, Blacks, Whites and anyhting in between lived in more harmony. I do not advise anyone to spend money on this book as it is poisonous consumption. If he writes this way about CV today, what other nation is it tomorrow? Or maybe he has something personal against Cape Verde?

I am a white american and recently had the opportunity to visit the land called Cape Verde. I am throughly disappointed with Mr. Quint's assesment of society on the islands. My skin color is relevant due to the fact I blend in and can be viewed as a local. Based on that, I must say that I did not encounter and of the stero types and/or lifestyles mentioned in the book. On the contrary, I was treated as an equal and afforded the opportunity to view Cape Verdians without bias. Reflecting upon my visit, I feel that Mr. Qunit's remarks were ignorant and short sighted. Don't waste you time nor money on this piece of fiction! P.S. Melanie & Kilinka, see you on Sunday :)

I was very hurt and upset by this book. I appreciate Nicolas Quint's interest in the Cape Verdean culture, and the time and work Mr. Quint put into this book. I wish there was something positive I could say about the book itself. This book does not depict Cape Verdeans in the true sense. I DO NOT recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning about the Cape Verdean culture.