Customer Reviews

The History Atlas of Africa : From the First Humans to the Emergence of a New South Africa (History Atlas Series)

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Like all other atlases in this series, the African volume is interesting, reasonably comprehensive, but way, WAY, too superficial.

The publishers have the merrit of being the first to attempt a continent-by-continent historical atlas coverage. Problem is, their small books are sometimes as much detailed as the corresponding chapter of a more accomplished, generic, World Atlas, like The Times'.

The quality of the cartography/art is so dishearteningly poor that it is not worth mentioning. Just do not expect anything remotely similar to National Geographic/The Times graphic quality.

All this said, I buy these atlases, in the hope that the publishers will eventualy decide to realy invest in these titles, making a new, wholly improved edition. You can make the same and also get some value for your money.

I got this atlas thinking it was going to be like the atlas I got as a gift years ago.I bought it as a gift for my nieces and nephews but It did not even draw a glance from them.For one thing its too small and although the Information Is good, the artwork Is somewhat dry and unatractive to most youngters.I hope that they put more pictures, charts, and sidebar Information, ( although the maps are good)If they decide to revise these books, because they are worth having!

I needed a good African reference and picked this one up when I saw it. I am sorry I did. The maps are not as good as I thought. One map was marked "European Reconnaisance" when it should have been titled "European EXPLORATION." It only discussed post-colonial conflicts in other, later chapters which made it sound as if these had to do with ousting the Europeans (one map regarding this is particularly deceptive) but worst of all it jumps from decolonization to the end of Apartheid with nothing in between. No maps showing coups or the length of dictatorships within Africa. No maps showing post-colonial civil wars. And no maps showing famine and disease as a result of post-colonial policies.

I would hold out for a better book.