Hope and Tragedy in Africa

New York Times writer Howard French spent more than a decade roaming some of the farthest reaches of Africa, tracking down the continent's leaders, its tyrants and its forgotten people.

The countries he visited — Mali, Congo, Nigeria, Liberia and Angola — have all suffered, he says, at the hands of the West. Tonight, On Point, hope and tragedy in Africa.

Guests:

Howard French, senior writer at the New York Times. Since 1986 he has reported for the Times from Central America, the Caribbean, West and Central Africa, Japan, Korea and now China. His new book is "A Continent for the Taking: The Tragedy and Hope of Africa."