Books by Barly Baruti (illustrator)
“Chaos in Kinshasa is one of my favorites. Partly it’s because I remember the whole Rumble in the Jungle story happening — I’m that old! I was in Philly, where I remember seeing Cassius Clay’s name, his switch to Muhamed Ali, and then he was going over there, to Kinshasa. Being Black in Africa is different from being Black in America—it’s not the same culture at all. I remember it was quite eye opening for a lot of people, whites and Blacks alike.And then to read this story! I never knew about all the political intrigue that was going on at the time and that it was a pawn in a political game. I was too young to get that—all the African politics, how Angola was involved. It’s amazing that these authors managed to get all that into this book and at the same time make it fun and funny. It’s really great. I totally recommend it. If you didn’t have any idea of the intrigue and politics behind the Rumble in the Jungle, you have to read this.” Read more...
Five Graphic Novels People Need to Read
Ivanka Hahnenberger, Translator
“This is an unusual story. Part of the reason that I love it so much is because, although influenced by that Francophone bande dessinée style, it comes out of the mind of an African comic genius, Barly Baruti. It’s in the Francophone tradition, but very much Congolese. He creates an amazing story, loosely based on historical fact. The loosest thing is that it seems like the German ship that they’re all hunting gets blown up by our heroes, but that is not what really happened. It wasn’t sunk but was eventually abandoned by the Germans. I’m completely willing to forgive that detail. It’s about a real person named Madame Livingstone—a local man who was a scout for the Belgians. He dressed in a kilt, which is why he was sometimes called Madame. He claimed to be descended from Livingstone, the great explorer and philanthropist, who allegedly had a relationship with a local woman. There are two tiny pieces of evidence that this might be true, but it doesn’t matter, because it’s not Barly Baruti who makes up that story. He is this stunning figure, who guides Belgian pilots to attack this German ship.” Read more...
The Best Comics on African History
Trevor Getz, Historian
Interviews where books by Barly Baruti (illustrator) were recommended
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1
The Bomb: The Weapon That Changed the World
by Didier Alcante, Laurent-Frédéric Bollée and Denis Rodier (illustrator) -
2
An Olympic Dream: The Story of Samia Yusuf Omar
by Reinhard Kleist -
3
Iranian Love Stories
by Jane Deuxard and Deloupy (illustrator) -
4
Chaos in Kinshasa
by Barly Baruti (illustrator) & Thierry Bellefroid -
5
GoSt 111
by Henri Scala, Marion Mousse (illustrator) & Mark Eacersall
Five Graphic Novels People Need to Read, recommended by Ivanka Hahnenberger
Five Graphic Novels People Need to Read, recommended by Ivanka Hahnenberger
Comics are a great way to read all sorts of stories, whether fiction, nonfiction, or a compelling blend of the two. Ivanka Hahnenberger, translator of more than 70 graphic novels, talks us through some of her favourites, from the history of the atomic bomb to the heartbreaking story of Olympic athlete Samia Yusuf Oman, from the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ to contemporary Iran and Paris.
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1
Crossroads: I Live Where I Like
Koni Benson, André & Nathan Trantraal (Illustrators), Ashley Marais (Illustrator) -
2
Aya
Marguerite Abouet and Clément Oubrerie (illustrator) -
3
All Rise: Resistance and Rebellion in South Africa
by Richard Conyngham (editor) -
4
Madame Livingstone: The Great War in the Congo
by Barly Baruti (illustrator) & Christophe Cassiau-Haurie -
5
Kariba
by Daniel Clarke, Daniel Snaddon & James Clarke
The Best Comics on African History, recommended by Trevor Getz
The Best Comics on African History, recommended by Trevor Getz
Graphic narratives can be a great way to learn history but they need to be both good history and good comics. That’s a combination that can be hard to find. Trevor Getz, a professor of history at San Francisco State University, picks out his top comic books on African history.