Review by Choice Review
Mahoney's book is the product of multiple research trips to Kenya over nearly 15 years. Originally a detailed study of roadside art vendors in Mombasa's Old Town, his research evolved over time into a larger project looking at how art traders and international exporters in Mombasa, dealing mainly in wood and soapstone items, used cell phones and the internet to cope with adversity and change. Mahoney, who is fluent in Swahili, follows the development of crafts traders and exporters in Mombasa from the early days of catering, to the desires of white tourists for souvenirs from "primitive Africa," to the more contemporary "helping development" Fair Trade items and different types of stone and wood carvings. He shows how Kenya's crafts and tourist industry has long been part of the global discussion about "Africa" and its relationship to the rest of the world. Stories about individuals are used to illustrate everything from ethnic tensions to the use of electronic banking and communications tools. Helped by good footnotes and a bibliography, the book provides excellent insights into how customs, policies, and world developments both affect and are affected by the actions of the people who make and sell curios. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. --Charles W. Hartwig, Arkansas State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
