I am grateful to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

“An expansive history of the Sahara from the prehistory to the present. Beyond ready-made images of exoticism and squalor, we know surprisingly little about its history and the people who call it home. Shifting Sands is about that other Sahara, not the empty wasteland of the romantic imagination but the vast and highly differentiated space in which Saharan peoples and, increasingly, new arrivals from other parts of Africa live, work, and move”

Extract from the publisher’s description of Shifting Sands: A Human History of the Sahara.

This book immediately attracted my attention when I noticed it on NetGalley. I have worked and travelled in several countries bordering the Sahara and still retain an interest in the region. I have no expertise on the Sahara but I do at least have a basic knowledge of the region. I can pronounce N’Djamena correctly, find Lake Chad on a map (what remains of it anyway) and know a little of the history, politics and conflicts. I was looking forward to learning more about the region.

This books fills in many gaps in my knowledge. Not only the ancient history, such as the Roman and Middle-Eastern history, but also Colonial times and Post-Independence times. As always, the legacy of the past forms many of the views we hold today. This book challenges many of these views. I am now much better informed of the places and peoples of the region, well beyond those I experienced first hand. A fascinating and engrossing book for anyone interested in the Sahara and Sahel region. Although I do have a few quibbles on tone, interpretations and omissions.

The author has clearly spent a lot of time in the region, some twenty years of research and travel, predominantly in northern Mali, northern Chad and southern Algeria. She demonstrates an empathy with the people she has encountered. Both urban and rural dwellers and those peoples who inhabit both worlds depending on circumstances, conflicts and the season. This is not an overly academic book, although some of the language and views clearly comes from that world. For example when the author makes the assertion that:

“…Europe and the USA’s conflictual and largely hostile relationship with Islam…”

and follows with what I assume is a reference to illegal migration:

“…a state-centred construction of mobility as a problem…”.

I would urge the casual reader to push through the occasional tortuous academic language and perhaps indulge it with the occasional eye-roll. Continue and enjoy the overall narrative. The history, lives and recurring themes. You will be a wiser and better informed reader if you do.

The author takes us on a journey of “unlearning” and dismissing the “preconceptions developed over the last two millennia”. Readers are advised to pay attention and read closely ! Her predecessors in the world of anthropology come in for quite some criticism along the way!

The book is divided into three parts of three chapters each. Themes are broadly Resources, Movement and Politics and naturally overlap and influence each other.

Part One is “What makes a Desert” and introduces the reader to the geology, geography, climate and the environment of the region. The Sahara and more southern Sahel are not the barren places often portrayed, but places where millions of people live, travel, and experience particular lifestyles and worldviews. There is fresh water, irrigation, livestock, agriculture which produces diverse and sometimes thriving communities, albeit with difficulties amplified by politics, religion, security and other woes found to some extent in much of the world. The historical and current role of natural resources is presented, with example of the economic, physical and cultural importance of salt, gold, oil and other minerals. Discussion regarding water are particularly enlightening, and had me googling various locations to view lush manmade locations and natural areas.

Part Two is “Endless Movement” and provides some background and context from ancient times, overlaid by more recent Colonial and post-independence times. The importance and significance of movement and migration is a key theme throughout the book. The author discusses implication for trade, livelihoods, families, communities and relationships.

The introduction of camels to the Sahara is a fascinating and crucial aspect of the lifestyles we see today, particularly outside cities and urban areas. The later introduction of trucks is presented, not as a replacement for camels, but providing Increased mobility and trade, but also less legal activities. Aspects of sedentary and pastoral lives are explored as are changes and implications over recent decades. Slavery is covered in quite some detail, especially indigenous versions, which is presented carefully and with sensitivity. Indeed, it is almost presented as a not entirely bad part of Saharan culture as it provided a sort of status given that:

“…being from somewhere is the highest importance, even if that somewhere is as an enslaved person”

The Colonials, as expected, come in for a drubbing. However I was surprised at the insensitivity of the author at times. When recounting the murder of one European explorer as:

“…he was killed by his own guide, again presumably for good reason”.

No context is given, no reference or footnote. At best perhaps it is a poor attempt at humour. I noticed other troubling omissions or interpretations. For example Bin Laden is mentioned in an innocuous and peaceful context without any reference to his later deeds.

The authors closes this chapter eloquently with the following comment:

“Movement …is ethically charged, morally judged, highly praised or understood to be threatening. Yet it is always a necessity rather than a luxury”

Part Three is “Winds of Change” and focusses on the complexities and conflicts of Saharan countries. Historical aspect of sovereignty, alliances and empires are presented and discussed, providing some context to Colonial times and implications that persist today. Helpfully the author suggests this as:

“…an invitation to rethink our own political models…heavily influenced by the legacy of Roman and European imperial history.”

Saharan tensions are often driven by politics and religion. But also race, affluence, security and unfortunately external influences. Former Colonial powers of course, but also others such as the USA are held to account. Surprisingly, there is very little mention of Russian military influence given their nefarious role in the region in recent years. Nor is there much discussion of Chinese influence given the significant growth of economic activity and other areas of cooperation over recent decades. Often presented as Aid or benevolence, these actions seem to reinforce a dependence on China and its influence which some see as representing modern-day Colonialism.

To her credit, the author does not shy away from criticism of post-colonial governments, including noting that famines are not necessarily correlated with climate. Indeed, famines are more likely created by Government mismanagement, endemic corruption and the misuse of foreign aid. Authoritarian non-elected rulers are rightly criticised. Although the author’s comparison with democratically elected leaders in Europe and the US seems unnecessary and inappropriate. Perhaps a comparison with non-elected governments of the Middle-Eastern, China or Russia might have been a better choice.

The author presents the US and other foreign intervention in security as a problem. Financial support is often misused or misappropriated. Military support intended for defence seems often to be used to support unstable or unelected governments. The author may well be correct in downplaying the danger to Western countries from Islamic militants in the Saharan area. Although one cannot help but think this is cold-comfort to those civilians affected by repression, kidnapping and mass slaughter in the name of religion. Incidents that receive little lasting coverage in the Western media.

In closing , this is a book that should be read. Despite the slightly anti-Western tone, sometimes questionable views and omissions, much of the book is valuable research, reporting and interpretation. The ancient and recent history is concisely presented. I found most engaging the stories from the authors own experiences. She has obviously spent a lot of time with the people she writes about. She seems to have been accepted and respected, embraced even. As the author notes in her text “Connectivity is essential to life in the region…” and may also be one of the reasons for many of the insights in this book. Stories from people, young, old, male, female, affluent and struggling. In many ways these stories and lives are the soul of the book. The interactions and dependencies of people; via travel, trade, family, history and lived-experiences. These stories and encounters bring colour, richness and depth to the people of an area mostly unknown or misunderstood outside Africa.

The author acknowledges this book is not exhaustive; it can’t be given the scale of the region, the complexities and cultures. She suggests that for some topics, it can be viewed as an invitation to seek out more information. A great suggestion and something I found myself doing while reading the book. I would recommend Shifting Sands to the casual reader, as well as anyone interacting with the Sahara and the people on a more longterm or professional basis. Diplomats, NGOs, expatriates, and perhaps those in the Health or Business worlds will find this book adds to their knowledge and understanding, the people, the past and perhaps the future. I wish the author and her publishers all the very best with this well researched and engaging book.

Postscript

I note that one of the Chapter is titled “Like the Deserts Miss the Rain”, a subtle reference to the English duo Everything But the Girl and their fine song, Missing.

Absolutely fascinating, informative and approachable read for anyone who wonders what is happening in that empty wasteland called the Sahara.

The author, Judith Scheele, knows exactly who she wrote this book for as she is well aware of the misconceptions surrounding the desert. My idea of the Sahara, fed mostly by movies, was exactly the one she describes in the opening chapter: sand dunes, unbearably hot during the day and insufferably cold in the night with a camel here and there. It’s so much more than that though and my view of the Sahara and to some extent of any other desert is forever changed.

I found the writing and structure perfect for this topic as it reads almost like a TV documentary. In the span of few paragraphs descriptions of mountain ranges are followed by history, fauna and flora, then by religion, culture, history again and then some information about salt, political prisoners and natron. The author stitches these topics together seamlessly so you are never wondering why something is mentioned and it doesn’t distract from the chapter’s theme. Each chapter builds upon what was already covered so the view of the desert grows in complexity but not in an overwhelming way.

Since the book covers such a wide range of topics I have also found it to be the perfect springboard for ideas for future reading not necessarily exclusive to the desert.

A big thank you to Judith Scheele, Basic Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll admit, for the majority of my life I have thought of the Sahara as just a massive, almost lifeless expanse of sand that served as little more than a large and challenging pass-through point. In other words, I carried the same very, very mistaken assumptions called out rather explicitly here at the start of "Shifting Sands" by author Judith Scheele. The rest of the book from then on out proved to be a fascinating engaging read that, in short, helped show this region of the plant to be a far more complex place in almost every major facet than I ever could have been able to guess.