A vision of Africa's love affair with football as documented by celebrated Nigerian photographer and filmmaker Andrew Dosunmu. Punctuated with essays by journalist, Knox Robinson, it looks to soccer as a way to explore modern African life, culture and identity. Highlighting PUMA's relationship with football in Africa, as the official supplier of apparel and equipment to several football teams, the book follows a narrative of the sport through Cameroon, Senegal, Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, Angola, Ghana, Tunisia and Egypt. The book mixes classic portraiture and gripping reportage-style photography to frame Africa, its sporting heritage and its vibrancy. 352pp, USA. POWERHOUSE BOOKS.

A completely revised and updated edition covering all aspects of fly fishing on the African continent. Includes chapters on where and when to fish in Africa, how to get started and what equipment to buy, techniques and strategies, and winning fly patterns. Well illustrated with colour photographs, maps and diagrams. Index, gloss, 472pp, SOUTH AFRICA. STRUIK, 186872882X

Shows how Africa's advance within world football is tied to its national political economy and how the balance of power with FIFA still favours its European members. BNS, 248pp, UK. FRANK CASS.

Ayo is a traditional Yoruba mancala board game. This guide describes the history of the game, its varieties, the rules and popular strategies. Gloss, 54pp, NIGERIA. UNIVERSITY PRESS LTD, 0195754026

A scholarly account of capoeira's early history, examining the afro Brazilian sport's roots, and its significance as a field of confrontation where the different struggles that divide Brazilian society are played out. Index, bib, notes, xiii, 267pp, UK. FRANK CASS.

Traces the origins of the popular martial art and dance form from the beginning of the slave trade in the Americas in the 1500s to the early years of the Brazilian Republic in the 20th century. Explores how the fighting techniques of African forces laid the groundwork for capoeira movements. He shows how work songs, religion, and various percussive traditions and instruments shaped capoeira music over the years. Indx, bib, timeline, b/w illus, 540pp, USA. NORTH ATLANTIC BOOKS.

An exploration of the roots of Capoeira and its development during slave times in Brazil and after banning in 1892. The author then looks at the changes to the art over the twentieth century and introduces intermediate and advanced techniques, as well as fighting strategies. Illustrated with b/w photoigraphs and drawings. Bib, xxiii, 346pp, USA. NORTH ATLANTIC BOOKS. 1556434049

A social analysis of football within Africa, featuring case study essays drawing heavily on detailed fieldwork in African communities. Also includes a study of international migration of African football players. BNS, tables, maps, 304pp, UK. PALGRAVE/MACMILLAN, 0333919793

Illustrated, step by step guide to an African dance workout regime. Includes warm ups and stretches. Colour and b/w photos. Gloss, 188pp, USA. WILEY, 1578261104

An ethnographic study of the elaborate martial art of the African Diaspora, based on participant observation and more than ten years of apprenticeship. Rather than treating capoeira on a sociological or cultural level, this book takes an experience centred approach towards exploring the effects of the art on a player's perceptions and social interactions outside the roda, the ring in which the game is played. Index, bib, 272pp, UK. OXFORD UNIV PRESS.

A collection of essays covering leisure activities from football to music and dance, to making and watching films from Cairo to Cape Town, Dakar to Nairobi. Index, refs, xli, 455pp, USA. AFRICA WORLD PRESS, 1592210627

A guide to the history, philosophy and ritual significance of Capoeira martial arts, which developed in Bahia, at the heart of afro brazillian culture. The author, an experienced teacher of capoeira and writer, introduces the basic moves and how they are incorporated into the wider context of the dance. Bib, xiv, 226pp, USA. NORTH ATLANTIC BOOKS. 1556434405

This classic count-and-capture game is thought to be the oldest ever, and can be played anywhere hollows or sections can be made and counters can be found. With its origins most likely to be in ancient Egypt, Mancala is now played throughout Africa - where it has many different names - and has spread to the Caribbean, South America and Asia. It also has many different versions, which vary from area to area. The Mancala Pack centres on the classic version of this popular game, which has fascinated people for centuries and looks set to do so for many more years to come. 48pp rule book, UK. CARLTON BOOKS.

African competitors show marked excellence in board games. The players of African descent make up a history of intellectual African accomplishments thus far unnoticed in literature on African history as well as cognitive psychology. A history of African players includes world champions, grand masters, blindfold players and experts at beating computer simulations. This study suggests three criteria of excellence which allow better appreciation of past and present players, illustrating examples of African excellence in a historical context of world events. 299pp, USA. AFRICA WORLD PRESS.

A collection of essays considering women's football in a global context and examines its progress and the challenges and problems it has faced. The authors discuss whether governments, national and local, will meet their obligation to assist women in the quest for equal opportunities in soccer throwing into sharp relief the changing role of women in sport and society. Chapters include 'Football Feminine Development of the African Game: Senegal, Nigeria and South Africa'. Other countries discussed include England, the USA, India, New Zealand, China, Korea, Brazil, Sweden and others. Index, bib, b/w illus, 286pp, UK. ROUTLEDGE.

A study of the relationship between sport and national identity and changing perceptions of contemporary social history. Issues discussed include sport and identity in South Africa, cricket and identity crisis in the Caribbean and English football and British decline. Index, notes, viii, 200pp, UK. ROUTLEDGE.