The Hero with an African Face - by Clyde W Ford (Paperback)

About the Book

Drawing on extensive research and his own wide travels, Ford vividly retells ancient African myths and tales and brings to light their universal meanings.

Book Synopsis

In this remarkable book, Clyde Ford restores to us the lost treasure of African mythology, bringing to life the ancient tales and showing why they matter so much to us today.

African myths convey the perennial wisdom of humanity: the creation of the world, the hero's journey, our relationship with nature, death, and resurrection. From the Ashanti comes the moving account of the grief-stricken Kwasi Benefo's journey to the underworld to seek his beloved wives. From Uganda we learn of the legendary Kintu, who won the love of a goddess and created a nation from a handful of isolated clans. The Congo's epic hero Mwindo is the sacred warrior who shows us the path each person must travel to discover his true destiny.

These and other important African myths show us the history of African Americans in a new light--as a hero's journey, a courageous passage to a hard-won victory. The Hero with an African Face enriches us all by restoring this vital tradition to the world.

From the Back Cover

In this remarkable book, Clyde Ford restores to us the lost treasure of African mythology, bringing to life the ancient tales and showing why they matter so much to us today.

African myths convey the perennial wisdom of humanity: the creation of the world, the hero's journey, our relationship with nature, death, and resurrection. From the Ashanti comes the moving tale of the grief-stricken Kwasi Benefo's journey to the underworld to seek his beloved wives. From Uganda we learn of the legendary Kintu, who won the love of a goddess and created a nation from a handful of isolated clans. The Congo's epic hero Mwindo is the sacred warrior who shows us the path each person must travel to discover his true identity.

These and other important African myths show us the history of African Americans in a new light -- as a hero's journey, a courageous passage to a hard-won victory. The Hero with an African Face enriches us all by restoring this vital tradition to the world.

Review Quotes

"This fascinating exploration of African stories and myths...tells us who we are as human beings--all of us."
--Cornel West, author of Race Matters

"This wonderful and sustaining work illuminates the power and importance of ancient African myth.... Scholarship and masterful storytelling combine...fascinating."
--NAPRA ReView

"A master storyteller....Clyde Ford picks up where Joseph Campbell left off."
--Jonathan Young, Ph.D., founding curator, Joseph Campbell Archives and Library

"This is a breakthrough book on the mythic imagination of Africa."
--Atlanta Daily World

"An important first look at the universal themes of some of the principal African myths...excellent and much-welcomed."
--Seattle Times

"An excellent introduction to African mythology....Brings insights into the myths themselves and encourages further reading."
--The Bloomsbury Review

About the Author

Clyde W. Ford is a doctor of chiropractic medicine, a leader in somatic psychology, and a scholar who has taught Swahili at Columbia University and African American history at Western Washington University. He has also traveled widely in Africa. He is the author of three previous books: Where Healing Waters Meet: Touching Mind and Emotion Through the Body; Compassionate Touch: The Body's Role in Healing and Recovery; and We Can All Get Along: 50 Steps You Can Take to Help End Racism. He lives in Bellingham, Washington.