Customer Reviews

Colonial Rule and Crisis in Equatorial Africa: Southern Gabon, c. 1850-1940 (Rochester Studies in African History and the Diaspora)

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I knew Christopher Gray. Our home in Mouila Gabon was his base on his frequent research field trips to the Tsogho, Sango, Punu and Nzebi villages of Southern Gabon. I accompanied Chris on one of these trips.
I was therefore delighted to find his book on Amazon and yet sad too knowing that he passed away very prematurely a few years back.

On the book itself: it suffices to say that it was written by a very rigourous historian who draws his knowledge not merely from collating historical evidences here and there, but by leaving with the peoples he is relating the history of. I had serveral 'ahah' moments throughout the book, as many things I knew intuitively (I come from Southern Gabon) were explained in their historical context.

I really enjoyed reading this book.

Know before you purchase this book that it presumes you know German as well as English. The author quotes Goethe liberally in German throughtout his text and notes while offering no translation for those not fluent in German. Disregard my rating, however. I haven't read it yet, so can't evaluate it yet. Question is: will I be able to read it at all? I don't speak German.