Africa in History (Paperback)

~ (Author) "This book's purpose is to record the history of the Africans as the subject in its own right that it has become, and to do..." (more)
Key Phrases: Iron Age, South Africa, West Africa (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This is the fourth revision of an excellent book by the prolific and acclaimed author who has done more than anyone else to bring the history of Africa to a popular audience. It covers the general themes of African history and is suitable both as an undergraduate text and for the general reader. The revisions appear to have been minimal, limited primarily to the final chapter and concerned with updating recent events in South Africa. Nevertheless, this is the type of book that most collections of African history, from basic to comprehensive, ought to have.
- Paul H. Thomas, Hoover Inst. Lib., Stanford, Cal.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Africa, the journal of the International African Institute The best work now available to the general public on the main outlines of the prestigious past of the African continent. -- Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 450 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone Books; Revised edition (1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684826674
• ISBN-13: 978-0684826677
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #281,681 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent overview of African history, April 28, 2000

By	Nitay Artenstein (Ramat Gan, Israel) - See all my reviews

Basil Davidson has written an excellent overview of African history, ranging from the Egyptian and Nubian kingdoms to the trading empires of Ghana, Mali and Songhay. An especially adept treatment is given to the Colonial Period; Refraining from the accepted subjective views, Davidson tries to analyze the true effect Europeans had on the continent, without pathos or exaggeration. This does not mean that he resents their interference less - few authors could hold more negative views of individual European exploiters making use of the continent for their private ends.

One point against this book is that it is perhaps too short for its scope. Less than 400 pages, the reader is left with the sensation that he has been told much, and yet has been told nothing - an appropriate sensation, perhaps, to provide the incentive to continue reading about the subject, but the aggregate increase in knowledge resulting from the reading is still not large.

Nevertheless, I would warmly recommend this book to anybody seriously interested in the African subject.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I'll just add to what's above, March 8, 2002

By	Thomas Smith (Boston) - See all my reviews

Without knowing much on the subject, I will say that all the arguments in this book seem sound. However, it is written in such an incoherant manner - switching back and forth from century to century, that you often don't know what century the author is talking about, much less his current argument. Instead the book comes across as Basil rambling, and this has more to do with the above stated, "being told much, but being told nothing." You'd have to re-write every fact and place them all in cronological order to make any sense of it.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars High level history - great intro, March 29, 2003

By	natron "natron" (Wash DC USA) - See all my reviews

This book emphasized the social and historical effects that trade and commerce have had on changing the landscape of African society. I was fascinated to learn about the many kingdoms and empires that existed in ancient Africa. The details of the great trading cities of the West coast, and the great trading kingdoms of the East Sudan areas were new information for me. Also, the effect of the slave trade on disrupting political and socio-economic situations was disheartening. Finally, the current political situation was explained, and I got a picture of how things got to the mess they are today. Now I see how the family unit was disrupted by colonization economics, and how the breakdown of society has affected all levels. Unfortunately, this book was written before the plague of AIDS, the recent Afro-unification efforts, and the South African Peace and Reconciliation commission were set up. So I look forward to reading more about those situations. Additionally, I think the author was soft on many of the corrupt and failed leaders that have squandered so many efforts for democracy and justice that have been attempted in the past fifty years. But taken in light of the long and troubled history of this land, I am not left without hope. The main failure of this book in my opinion, was the lack of the heart of the African, with its inner sense of joy and ability to survive even the harshest situations that I have so learned to admire in my African friends I have made over the years, was not explored. The personal face of the diverse and warm-hearted peoples of this content was not shown by this more academic and political history. So that inspires me to read more about this amazing continent.