Africa is People (Chinua Achebe)

Fair or Fowl?

Having just finished reading The Hobbit (a most enjoyable experience), the boys and I were in need of another bedtime reading companion. And so, foraging in the children's section of our local bookshop, I came across the latest Artemis Fowl novel prominently displayed at the top of the shelf. The eighth in the series. The eighth! Successful then, very successful, but are they any good? We shall soon find out. Being new to the series, we have begun at the beginning:

Rwanda, Inc.

Instant: The Story of Polaroid

Hear, hear!

I agree fully with the following comment by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda made at yesterday's World Economic Forum panel session on "De-risking Africa" (Don't all investment destinations and opportunities necessarily come with some form of risk? The whole notion of "de-risking" an entire continent seems misguided at best...):

The major problem is that Africa's story is written from somewhere else and not by African themselves. That is why the rest of the world looks at Africa and wants to define it. They want to shape the perception about Africa. The best we can do for ourselves is to own our problems, own our solutions and write our stories. That will also give us the right definition about the level of risks, real risks and the perception part of it will also be put in its right place.

The African Investment Story

This short interview with Larry Seruma published in the The Wall Street Transcript back in 2010 does a great job of telling the African investment story (well, part of it anyway) in a clear, concise and compelling way.

New discovery

http://www.longreads.com/

Generation of Greatness

Courtesy of Hal Abelson: Edwin H. Land's classic 1957 address on inspiring and educating young (and old) minds.