Lost Cities of Africa (Paperback)

~ Basil Davidson (Author) "SOME SIXTY YEARS AGO, IN A CLEARING OF the Congo forest, a Hungarian in Belgian service sat making notes..." (more)
Key Phrases: civilizing growth, elliptical building, girdling walls, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, North Africa (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Combining archeological evidence and scholarly research, Davidson traces the exciting development of the rich kingdoms of the lost cities of Africa, fifteen hundred years before European ships first came to African shores.

Product Details

• Paperback: 366 pages
• Publisher: Back Bay Books; Revised edition (1959)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316174319
• ISBN-13: 978-0316174312
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #612,264 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sorely needed and with great promise, but lacking...., November 28, 2000

By A Customer

Davidson's contribution is masterfully presented and I came away with the impression that he is a leading authority. However, this book is lacking in two area. First, there is a stunning dearth of illustration, in a book that should be replete with maps of trade routes, city outlines, and illustrations of artifacts. The reader is left wondering where just where did all of these event happen? Second, the text is too obviously derived from lectures, in that it often repeats and reasserts points that the reader has likely accepted several chapters ago. This makes for dull reading. I have long awaited such a book, knowing that such a history had only to be revealed. Although I learned a great deal from this text, I was on the whole disappointed by the presentation because it detracts from what the book has to offer. A new edition could easily remedy these shortcomings.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lost Cities, April 24, 2000

By A Customer

An excellent source of information on ancient civilizations in Africa. Since so energy has been focused on Ancient Egypt, the civilizations across the rest of the continent have often gone unseen. Basil Davidson touches on many areas with the expertise of a scholar who is highly familiar with African culture and history.