“This book provides an intimate glimpse of all the transactions involved in the various political and social (dis)loyalties, kinship relations, and religious affiliations in a changing colonial landscape. The narrative locates Amadou Hampâté Bâ in the environment that armed him with a unique character and a set of ideas drawn from secular, animist, Islamic, and Western resources---an education that turned him into a shrewd colonial clerk and archivist of the ‘colonial library.’ Amkoullel, the Fula Boy is an insightful and significant autobiography, an ethnography of communities in transition, and a biography of Francophone colonial West Africa.” — Mamadou Diouf, Columbia University
“Amadou Hampâté Bâ has long been recognized as one of the most authoritative voices about Mali, Islamic West Africa, Fulani culture, orality, and the dialogue between religions. Jeanne Garane’s masterful translation of Bâ’s rich and captivating memoir presents a vivid picture of the mechanisms of social change in Mali and many neighboring countries. The publication of Amkoullel, the Fula Boy is truly a blessing.” — Chérif Keïta, William H. Laird Professor of French and the Liberal Arts, Carleton College
“The work of a great storyteller . . . filled with humor and drama alike, tracing the author’s everyday life in Bandiagara and later in the colonial Mali, while showcasing his preoccupation with oral history, tradition, anthropology, initiation, religion, fate etc.” — Clara Burghelea, Ezra
"Penned by a renowned Malian writer, ethnographer, and historian whose life spanned the 20th century, this gem of a book recounts the life and times of the author and his ancestors in precolonial and colonial West Africa. Marked by the strong oral storytelling tradition of the Fula ethnic group, Bâ’s elegantly written tale is historically informative and expertly translated by Garane. . . . A powerful agent for deeper understanding and a significant contribution to the literature, this is a must-have volume for scholars, students, and academic libraries. Essential. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; professionals."
— Choice
“Amkoullel, the Fula Boy is a tale that talks of the age-old wisdom of the griots and the mode of living in African societies. It pushes the boundaries of colonial education to make it coexist with spiritual and religious learning in a child's mind.” — Riti Sharma, African Studies Quarterly