The author, a noted scholar of Judaic Diaspora, probes the mystery of the Lemba people of South Africa in this book, which combines history, myth -- and a first-person account of his furiously entertaining trip from South Africa to Zimbabwe, Malawi and Tanzania. The vanished city in question is Senna, the mysterious Arabian city where the Lemba may have originated. Despite prevailing wisdom, the Lemba believe they are a lost tribe of Israel, descended from Solomon, who traveled to southern Africa -- and built the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe. Whatever your opinion of the author's conclusions, anyone planning a visit to the World Heritage Site of Great Zimbabwe will find the book of great interest.  (SAF92, $14.00)