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sherpawhale's review against another edition
3.0
Really an introduction to understanding how historians have attempted to understand African history. This is dovetailing nicely with my class on Colonial Africa, but I suspect for the person who actually wants African history, this is not the place to start.
giantarms's review against another edition
OK, so, wait. What I think you are trying to tell me is that . . . the history of Africa . . . is complicated.
Cool, thanks. Good to know.
(I sound angry, but really I do feel like I know more than I did, so, it's all right.)
Cool, thanks. Good to know.
(I sound angry, but really I do feel like I know more than I did, so, it's all right.)
dejunker's review against another edition
4.0
In the process of learning how to define African History (which is what this book is about), much African History is learned. What is the continent approach used for European history? Rulers. The very thing not so easily done in Africa. Africa needs to be respected for its diversity and not condescendingly generalized. Good summary of approaches and contexts.
riddell_c_uk's review against another edition
4.0
I liked it, but as I expected, cramming so much into so small a volume leaves it quite a challenging read at times as it constantly shifts gear and pages or chapters later, flips back on itself to discuss an previous thread again. Despite that, was an enlightening read, leaving more questions than answers.
mtskora's review against another edition
5.0
African History is the first adventure of mine into the very lengthy but concise Oxford series, Very Short Introductions. Although I at first received experience with these instructions with Globalization in my Georgetown proseminar, I realized that there are so many topics that I did to be better informed about that I cannot help but read more books of this type.
Already, I have learned a valuable amount of information from African History. Most essential is the usage of archeology to determine chronological events because of the rarity of written records. In addition, this book also helps dispense the notion of a "tribal" mentality amongst political African organization: in reality, the story is far more muddled and constructed than previously presumed. I look forward to exploring future parts of this book series.
Already, I have learned a valuable amount of information from African History. Most essential is the usage of archeology to determine chronological events because of the rarity of written records. In addition, this book also helps dispense the notion of a "tribal" mentality amongst political African organization: in reality, the story is far more muddled and constructed than previously presumed. I look forward to exploring future parts of this book series.
and_abelard_reads's review against another edition
3.0
Bit of a historiographical slog, but holds up to the standards of the series and does what it sets out to do.
misskeesa's review against another edition
4.0
Simple, straightforward, and "readable," this is a good introduction text to African history. I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I must point out that the author took about 165 pages to say basically the same two things: African history is difficult to recapture because nothing was written down (apart from Eurocentric versions of African history, and even that only after a certain date) and African history is difficult to describe because of the outflux of the slave trade and the influx of European settlers and colonists. There you have it: the entire book in a single sentence. :)
However, that said, I did enjoy the book, and certainly feel that I learned something about Africa. I also came away with a new respect for the difficulties of historical research on a continent with no written language (up until very recently, historically speaking) and where building designs and materials preclude even the possibility of archaeological helps.
However, that said, I did enjoy the book, and certainly feel that I learned something about Africa. I also came away with a new respect for the difficulties of historical research on a continent with no written language (up until very recently, historically speaking) and where building designs and materials preclude even the possibility of archaeological helps.