[The three novellas in "African Trio"] were written in the 30's and 40's, at a time when colonials were villains and Africans practically unknown. In these tales, Africans are rather decorative, but little more than shadows. Very few even have names. And yet one gets the message: "Colonialism in Africa has no future"—the motto is repeated throughout Mr. Simenon's tumbling narrative. (p. 10)

It is helpful to be reminded of the crimes of colonialism, principally its ignorant racketeering. And it is interesting that an observant man like Mr. Simenon can visit Africa and emerge knowing next to nothing about Africans. They drum, they dance, they cook yams; in the last story—a rambling sea voyage from Matadi to Bordeaux—they scarcely appear at all except in several passengers' nightmares. But Mr. Simenon visited Africa in another age, when it was still possible to believe that the European was...