African history Books

Book SynopsisThis is the book which marked Frederick Forsyth's transition from journalist to author. A record of one of the most brutal conflicts the Third World has ever suffered, it has become a classic of modern war reporting. But it is more than that. It voices one man's outrage not only at the extremes of human violence, but also at the duplicity and self-interest of the Western Governments ' most notably, the British, who tacitly accepted or actively aided that violence.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe complex world of Egyptian myth is clearly illuminated in this fascinating new approach to ancient Egypt. Geraldine Pinch explores the cultural and historical background behind a wide variety of sources and objects, from Cleopatra''s Needle and Tutankhamun''s golden statue, to a story on papyrus of the gods misbehaving. What did they mean, and how have they been interpreted? The reader is taken on an exciting journey through the distant past, and shown how myths of deities such as Isis and Osiris influenced contemporary culture and have become part of our cultural heritage. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Reviewa masterly, clear, and concise account of a complex subject * Dr Richard Parkinson, Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan, British Museum *Table of ContentsTIMELINE OF EGYPTIAN HISTORY; SUGGESTED FURTHER READING

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn authoritative A to Z guide to the mythologies and legends of the East, from ancient Egypt to Japan. Over 500 alphabetical entries describe the central mythical figures of each culture and their importance to the ancient civilizations of the day.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAfter witnessing first-hand the death throes of this rich and captivating tradition, Richard Hamilton has tracked down the last few remaining storytellers of Morocco, recording stories that are replete with the mysteries and beauty of the Maghreb. Marrakech is the heart and lifeblood of Morocco's ancient storytelling tradition. For nearly a thousand years, storytellers have gathered in the Jemaa el Fna, the legendary square of the city, to recount ancient folktales and fables to rapt audiences. But this unique chain of oral tradition that has passed seamlessly from generation to generation is teetering on the brink of extinction. The competing distractions of television, movies and the internet have drawn the crowds away from the storytellers and few have the desire to learn the stories and continue their legacy. Moroccan tales have a huge educational, religious and moral impact on their audience, offering timeless values and guidance to all who listen. With their passing we risk losing something of Morocco's national psyche and also part of the world's tangible heritage. Those who have listened to the storytellers at Marrakech first-hand have witnessed something that is no longer part of this world, a treasure as precious as the planet's most endangered species and of immeasurable importance to humanity.Trade ReviewInspiring . . . brilliantly illustrates an ancient oral tradition in my country. I cannot but commend your untiring, meticulous work. Building on stories gathered directly from some of our most renowned storytellers, you have introduced readers to a time-honoured Moroccan tradition. -- Mohammed VI, King of MoroccoCharming, fantastical and lively collection. Like a genie emerging from a flask, The Last Storytellers produces a startling amount of pleasure from some very small packages.... Both men [author and interpreter] deserve much praise for the successful outcome of this endeavour. * Times Literary Supplement *Hamilton presents readers with a precious gift: a collection of content not quite like anything we have ever heard or seen before. Readers who might never reach Marrakech can find their own oasis by making a cup of mint tea and giving thanks for these enchanting stories rescued from oblivion. * New York Journal of Books *Think of this as a collection of Grimm’s fairy tales with plenty of added North African charm. * Lonely Planet *Hamilton does not only offer his readers a valuable, enchanting, interesting and entertaining read but also launches a cri de coeur to rescue this vanishing and traditional form of storytelling as it slowly falls into the abyss of forgetfulness. * North South Magazine *This is addictive material. * The National *A truly remarkable piece of literature. * Essential Travel Blog *Table of ContentsForeword: Circles in the Jemaa el Fna xiii Author’s Note Acknowledgements Introduction The Red Lantern The King and His Prime Minister The Gazelle with the Golden Horns The Imam and the Wager The Girl Who Fell in Love with the Hermit The Birth of the Sahara The Trials of Noureddine The Sultan and His Vizier’s Wife The Queen and the King, the Son of Amelkani Nour and the Sultan The Laundryman and the Fountain The Man Who Went Against His Father’s Wishes The Vizier and the Chicken The Fakir and the Frog The Two Hunchbacks El-Ghaliya Bent Mansour The Land and the Treasure The Statue and the Robber The Tailor, the Princess and the Eagle The Sultan and the Thief The Eyes of Ben’Adi The Shoemaker and the Bird The Vizier and the Barber Seven Coins and a Donkey The Sultan’s Daughter and the Leper The Nobleman and His Three Sons The Vengeance of Allah The Woman and the Black Cat Aicha Rmada The Traveller and the Pasha’s Daughter The Girl from Fes One Hundred and One Beheadings The Three Figs Suleiman, the Stork and the City of Gold The Woman and the Devil The Bird from the Land of Gabour The Pomegranate and the Talking Drum The Date Gatherers The Rich Woman and the Sacks of Corn Postscript

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Bang-Bang Club was a group of four young war photographers, friends and colleagues: Ken Oosterbroek, Kevin Carter, Greg Marinovich and Joao Silva, war correspondants during the last years of apartheid, who took many of the photographs that encapsulate the final violent years of racist white South Africa.Trade ReviewThis is the most honest account I have read of what it feels like to be a war photographer and what drives such brave, some would say reckless, individuals to risk their lives. * Daily Mail *A splendid book, devastating in what it reveals -- Archbishop Desmond TutuWhat distinguishes this account is its honesty-. A gripping book where emotions are laid bare- [Marinovich and Silva] confront the basic ethical and moral issues which most of us rarely have to think about as we glide along in our conformable Western lives. * Yorkshire Post *a compelling account of what it is like to be a war correspondent in one's own country... [a] superbly told story * Independent on Sunday *a device of searing pain- as painful a loss of innocence as any I have read anywhere- powerful and heartbreaking- Not for the faint-hearted, and not for the beach, The Bang-Bang Club is a must, though. * The Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBinyavanga Wainaina tumbled through his middle-class Kenyan childhood out of kilter with the world around him.This world came to him as a chaos of loud and colourful sounds: the hair dryers at his mother's beauty parlour, black mamba bicycle bells, mechanics in Nairobi, the music of Michael Jackson - all punctuated by the infectious laughter of his brother and sister. He could fall in with their patterns, but it would take him a while to carve out his own. In this vivid and compelling debut, Wainaina takes us through his school days, his failed attempt to study in South Africa, a moving family reunion in Uganda, and his travels around Kenya.The landscape in front of him always claims his main attention, but he also evokes the shifting political scene that unsettles his views on family, tribe, and nationhood. Throughout, reading is his refuge and his solace. And when, in 2002, a writing prize comes through, the door is opened for him to pursue the career that perhaps had been beckoning all along. Resolutely avoiding stereotype and cliche, Wainaina paints every scene in One Day I Will Write About This Place with a highly distinctive and hugely memorable brush.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the third in a trilogy by the well-known African-American scholar, Runoko Rashidi. In the first two volumes which have sold well, Black Star: The African Presence in Early Europe, and African Star over Asia: The African Presence in the East he interpreted the work of earlier scholars and provided new evidence of the important historical

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Elspeth Huxley's pioneer father buys a remote plot of land in Kenya, the family sets off to discover their new home: five hundred acres of Kenyan scrubland, infested with ticks and white ants, and quavering with heat. What they lack in know-how they make up for in determination: building a grass house, employing local Kikuyu tribe members and painstakingly transforming their patch of wilderness into a working farm. Huxley's unforgettable childhood memoir is a sensitive account of settler life at the turn of the twentieth century and a love song to the harshness and beauty of East Africa.Trade ReviewAn enchantment and a joy to read * Books and Bookmen *She knows East Africa and she loves it - the people, black and white, and the wild beauty of its countryside - with a critical and understanding sympathy * The Times *An accomplished story-teller, she weaves anecdotes, character sketches, political history together without losing her thread or the reader's momentum * Sunday Times *What a marvellous writer...and what a Kenya it was * Financial Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe ancient Egyptians are an enduring source of fascination, from mummies and pyramids, to curses and rituals. In this second edition of his Very Short Introduction, Ian Shaw explores the history and culture of pharaonic Egypt, and examines the latest research on Ancient Egyptian ideas of death, kingship, religion, race, sex, and gender.Trade ReviewThe author is on top of every aspect of their topics, and fully up to date... The entirely new chapter on the 'Arab Spring', new museums, and cultural heritage in modern Egypt is very welcome and thought provoking. * John Tait, Emeritus Professor of Egyptology, UCL *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements List of illustrations 1: Introduction: the story so far 2: Discovering and inventing: constructing ancient Egypt 3: History: building chronologies and writing histories 4: Writing: the origins and implications of hieroglyphs 5: Kingship: stereotyping and the 'oriental despot' 6: Identity: issues of ethnicity, race, and gender 7: Death: mummification, dismemberment, and the cult of Osiris 8: Religion: Egyptian gods and temples 9: Egyptomania: the recycling and reinventing of Egypt>'s icons and images 10: The 'Arab Spring', new museums, and cultural heritage in modern Egypt References Further reading Useful websites Glossary Timeline Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Russian Revolution of 1917 was not just a world-historical event in its own right, but also struck powerful blows against racism and imperialism, and so inspired many black radicals internationally. This edited collection explores the implications of the creation of the Soviet Union and the Communist International for black and colonial liberation struggles across the African diaspora. It examines the critical intellectual influence of Marxism and Bolshevism on the current of revolutionary ‘black internationalism’ and analyses how ‘Red October’ was viewed within the contested articulations of different struggles against racism and colonialism. Challenging European-centred understandings of the Russian Revolution and the global left, The Red and the Black offers new insights on the relations between Communism, various lefts and anti-colonialisms across the Black Atlantic – including Garveyism and various other strands of Pan-Africanism. The volume makes a major and original intellectual contribution by making the relations between the Russian Revolution and the Black Atlantic central to debates on questions relating to racism, resistance and social change.Trade Review'This ideologically diverse collection is uniformly well-written and exceedingly informative. The inescapable and unavoidable conclusion it renders is that the Russian Revolution of 1917 delivered a mighty blow against colonialism, imperialism and forms of apartheid alike. Simultaneously, by implication it blazes the trail and illuminates the way forward for those seeking to create a better world.' Gerald Horne, author of Paul Robeson: The Artist as Revolutionary'Featherstone and Høgsbjerg must be credited with putting together a fantastic edited collection which makes both an important contribution to keeping alive, and shedding new light on, herstories and histories of Black radical rebellion. In doing so, they have further reminded us of the struggles that have, in different ways, been central to the Black Lives Matter movement in recent times, as well as wider transnational (and interconnected) opposition to neo-imperialism.'Stephen D. Ashe, University of Durham, Ethnic and Racial Studies -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction: Red October and the Black Atlantic – David Featherstone and Christian HøgsbjergPart I Racism, resistance and revolution1 Claude McKay’s Bolshevization in London – Winston James2 From Russian colonies to Black America … and back: Lenin and Langston Hughes – Matthieu Renault3 African American literature in the Soviet Union, 1917-1930s: contacts, translations, criticism and editorial policy – Olga PanovaPart II Spreading the Revolution Across the Black Atlantic4 Bolshevism and African American agency in the African American Radical Press, 1917-24 – Cathy Bergin5 International Communist trade union organisations and the call to black toilers in the interwar Atlantic world – Holger Weiss6 Firebrands, trade unionists and Marxists: the shadow of the Russian Revolution, the colonial state and radicalism in Guyana, 1917-57– Nigel Westmaas7 Racialising the Caribbean Basin: the Communist racial agenda for the American hemisphere, 1931-35– Sandra Pujals8 The Left Book Club and its associates: The transnational circulation of socialist ideas in an Atlantic network– Matheus Cardoso da SilvaPart III Africa, the Soviet Union and the Cold War9 The beginning of the Cold War in the Gold Coast? – Marika Sherwood10 Decolonisation and the Cold War: African student elites in the USSR, 1955-64 – Harold D. Weaver11 ‘Peoples' Friendship’ in the Cold War: the Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University – Rachel RubinAfterword: A Black journey of Red hope – Maxim Matusevich

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvery time you try to say 'Africa is...' the words crumble and break. From every generalisation you must exclude at least five countries. And just as you think you've nailed down a certainty, you find the opposite is also true. Africa is full of surprises. For the past three decades, Richard Dowden has travelled this vast and varied continent, listening, learning, and constantly re-evaluating all he thinks he knows. Country by country, he has sought out the local and the personal, the incidents, actions, and characters to tell a story of modern sub-Saharan Africa - an area affected by poverty, disease and war, but also a place of breathtaking beauty, generosity and possibility. The result is a landmark book, compelling, illuminating, and always surprising. Updated for 2018, Africa remains one of the most comprehensive, intelligent and responsive works on the continent ever written.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE NONFICTION CROWN AWARD 2024GUARDIAN: BOOKS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2024''GRIPPING'' THE TIMESThis is an immersive and revelatory history of the survivors of the Clotilda, the last ship of the Atlantic slave trade, whose lives diverged and intersected in profound ways.The Clotilda docked in Mobile Bay, Alabama, in July 1860 more than half a century after the passage of a federal law banning the importation of captive Africans, and nine months before the beginning of the Civil War. The last of its survivors lived well into the twentieth century. They were the last witnesses to the final act of a terrible and significant period in world history.In this epic work, Dr. Hannah Durkin tells the stories of the Clotilda's 110 captives, drawing on her intensive archival, historical, and sociological research. Survivors follows their lives from their kidnappings in what is modern-day Nigeria through a terrifying 45-day journey across the Middle Passage; from the subsequent sale of the ship's 103 surviving children and young people into slavery across Alabama to the dawn of the Civil Rights movement in Selma; from the foundation of an all-Black African Town (later Africatown) in Northern Mobile an inspiration for writers of the Harlem Renaissance, including Zora Neale Hurston to the foundation of the quilting community of Gee's Bend a Black artistic circle whose cultural influence remains enormous.An astonishing, deeply compelling tapestry of history, biography and social commentary, Survivors is a tour de force that deepens our knowledge and understanding of the Atlantic slave trade and its far-reaching influence on life today.Trade Review‘Gripping . . . a remarkably wide-ranging book taking in everything from science to soft drinks to show how slavery’s insidious hand wormed its way into the very fabric of American life' The Times 'Hannah Durkin lets the enslaved speak for themselves, and they tell a story not only of unimaginable suffering but also of courage and survival' Wall Street Journal 'Devastating and visceral… Durkin’s exhaustive, exhilarating research has created something new – something personal, emotional, almost tangible – from the history of this collective trauma' Literary Review 'Survivors, a comprehensive account of one of the most important parts of American history, is a triumph’ Booklist (starred review) ‘A sweeping history of the survivors of the Clotilda, the last slave ship to land in America . . . Durkin’s in-depth view is based largely on the survivors’ own words and perspectives (some lived into the 20th century and related their stories to various writers, most notably Zora Neale Hurston), and is woven together with her extensive archival research. It’s a stirring saga of resilience that sheds new light on Black life in postbellum America’ Publishers Weekly (starred review) ‘A highly recommended sweeping saga. Based on a rich archive that includes the survivors’ own stories, one of which became the basis for Zora Neale Hurston’s Barracoon, this title provides a human history of enslaved people and a portrait of the postbellum South’ Library Journal (starred review) ‘A welcome history of defiance and survival’ Kirkus Reviews

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘Joyous … a book that makes other journalists weep with envy’ The Economist 'Provocative, touching, and sensitively written … an eloquent, brilliantly researched account’ Sunday Times One of The Economist’s best books by foreign correspondents. A story of grim comedy amid the apocalypse and a celebration of the sheer indestructibility of the human spirit in a nation run riot: Michela Wrong’s vision of Congo/Zaire during the Mobutu years is incisive, ironic and revelatory. Mr Kurtz, the colonial white master, brought evil to the remote upper reaches of the Congo River. A century after Conrad’s 'Heart of Darkness' was first published, Michela Wrong revisits the Congo as the era of Mobutu Sese Seko collapses into absurdity, anarchy and corruption. Hers is a brilliant portrait of the grotesque as confusion takes over: pink lipsticked rebel soldiers mingle with tracksuited secret policemen in hotels where fin de siecle dinner parties are ploughing through hotel wine cellars rather than see bottles lost to the new regime. Congo, Africa’s richest country in terms of its natural resources, has institutionalised kleptomania: everyone is on the take. In a country where the minimum wage has dropped to below $150 a year, the government over twenty-five years spent $250 million providing courtesy cars. Congo has a vanity nuclear reactor built on a subsiding slope and one of its uranium rods is missing… The Mobutu reign, successor to Belgium’s failed imperial experiment in Africa, was fed by World Bank dollars and IMF loans. Having presided over unprecedented looting of the country’s wealth, Mobutu, like Kurtz, retreated deep within the jungle to his absurdly overwrought palace of marble floors and gold taps. A century on, nothing seems to have changed at the heart of Africa: it is lawless, graceless and it slaughters its own.Trade Review‘A brilliant account of Africa’s most extraordinary dictator told with wry wit and delicious irony… this book will become a classic’ The Economist ‘Provocative, touching, and sensitively written … an eloquent, brilliantly researched account and a remarkably sympathetic study of a tragic land’ Sunday Times ‘Michela Wrong made the so-called ‘Heart of Darkness' much less opaque to me when I visited the Congo. She can do the same for you if you read this brave and witty book’ Christopher Hitchens, author of God Is Not Great ‘Michela Wrong nimbly balances absurdity and outrage in her portrait of Mobutu Sese Seko and the wreckage he visited – with steady Western sponsorship – on the country he called Zaire. Her book is charged with pity and terror, and with the sort of sustaining humour that she rightly admires in Mobutu’s former subjects’ Philip Gourevitch, author of We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We will be Killed With Our Families

Read more less

Book SynopsisWednesday 22 January 1879 was one of the most dramatic days in the long and distinguished history of the British Army. At noon a massive Zulu host attacked the 24th Regiment in its encampment at the foot of the mountain of Isandlwana, a distinctive feature that bore an eerie resemblance to the Sphinx badge of the outnumbered redcoats. Disaster ensued. Later that afternoon the victorious Zulus would strike the tiny British garrison at Rorke's Drift. How Can Man Die Better is a unique analysis of Isandlwana - of the weapons, tactics, ground, and the intriguing characters who made the key military decisions. Because the fatal loss was so high on the British side there is still much that is unknown about the battle. This is a work of unparalleled depth, which eschews the commonly held perception that the British collapse was sudden and that the 24th Regiment was quickly overwhelmed. Rather, there was a protracted and heroic defence against a determined and equally heroic foe. The author reconstructs the final phase of the battle in a way that has never been attempted before. It was to become the stuff of legend, which brings to life so vividly the fear and smell the blood.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThomas Sankara, often called the African Che Guevara, was president of Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in Africa, until his assassination during the military coup that brought down his government. Although his tenure in office was relatively short, Sankara left an indelible mark on his country’s history and development.Trade Review“Thomas Sankara: An African Revolutionary will serve as an excellent introduction to Sankara and the revolution in Burkina Faso and explain why Sankara continues to be so widely admired throughout Africa and beyond.”“…[A] fascinating read about a leader who not only led a revolution to free his people … but also lived a simple and humble life, uncorrupted by the power of the office he held.” * Africa Renewal *“Harsch’s book helps us understand why [Sankara's] ideas are still very much alive. It's a good read and well worth the price.” * The Bullet *

Read more less

Book SynopsisImmaculée Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family that she cherished.But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into bloody holocaust. Immaculée's family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans. Incredibly, Immaculée survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them.The triumphant story of this remarkable young woman's journey through the darkness of genocide will inspire anyone whose life has been touched by fear, suffering and loss. Following the transformation of her life in the ten year's since Left to Tell's first publication, this new edition of her bestselling memoir reflects on her spiritual transformation since those dark days.Trade ReviewImmaculee's searing account of her ordeal and survival is a moving testament to the indestructibility of the human spirit. The Times To have witnessed such horror, to have endured such agony and to have survived intact is almost beyond comprehension. The Daily Telegraph Rwanda's answer to Anne Frank. Catholic Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisA remarkable account by a pioneering woman explorer who was described by Rudyard Kipling as ''the bravest woman of all my knowledge''.Until 1893, Mary Kingsley lived the typical life of a single Victorian woman, tending to sick relatives and keeping house for her brother. However, on the death of her parents, she undertook an extraordinary decision: with no prior knowledge of the region, she set out alone to West Africa to pursue her anthropological interests and collect botanical specimens. Her subsequent book, published in 1897, is a testament to understatement and humour - few explorers made less of the hardships and dangers experienced while travelling (including unaccompanied treks through dangerous jungles and encounters with deadly animals). Travels in West Africa would challenge (as well as reinforce) contemporary Victorian prejudices about Africa, and also made invaluable contributions to the fields of botany and anthropology. Above all, however, it has stood the test of time as a gripping, classic travel narrative by a woman whose sense of adventure and fascination with Africa transformed her whole life. This Penguin edition includes a fascinating introduction by Dr Toby Green examining Victorian attitudes to Africa, along with explanatory notes by Lynnette Turner.Mary Kingsley was born in north London in 1862, the daughter of the traveller and physician George Kingsley and his former housekeeper, Mary Bailey. Her education was scant: while her younger brother was sent away to school, she stayed at home. Later she lived in Cambridge, and cared for her bedridden mother. Following the deaths of her parents, Kingsley embarked on a voyage to West Africa in August 1893, with the object of studying native religion and law and collecting zoological specimens. In December 1894, she undertook a second trip to the region, during which she became the first woman to climb West Africa''s highest mountain, Mount Cameroon. On returning home eleven months later, she wrote Travels in West Africa, which was published in 1897 and was followed by West African Studies in 1899. Kingsley made one final trip to Africa, enlisting as a volunteer nurse in South Africa during the Boer War. She had only been there for two months when she developed typhoid fever and died, on 3rd June 1900, before being buried at sea in accordance with her wishes.Lynnette Turner is Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Edge Hill University. Toby Green is Lecturer in Lusophone African History and Culture at Kings College London. His book The Rise of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in Western Africa appeared in 2011.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBetween 1856 and 1876, five explorers, all British, took on the seemingly impossible task of discovering the source of the White Nile. Showing exceptional courage and extraordinary resilience, Richard Burton, John Hanning Speke, Samuel Baker, David Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley risked their lives and their reputations in the name of this quest. They journeyed through East and Central Africa into unmapped territory, discovered the great lakes Tanganyika and Victoria, navigated the upper Nile and the Congo, and suffered the ravages of flesh-eating ulcers, malaria and deep spear wounds. Using new research, Tim Jeal tells the story of these great expeditions, while also examining the tragic consequences which the Nile search has had on Uganda and Sudan to this day.Explorers of the Nile is a gripping adventure story with an arresting analysis of Britain''s imperial past and the Scramble for Africa.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBlack Victorians shows how Black lives were visible, present and influential â not temporary presences but established and rooted; and how paradox and ambivalence characterised the Victorian view of race.Trade Review‘The history of Black people in this country is woven into the tapestry that is the United Kingdom. Black Victorians shows us, in vivid detail, how Black people didn't just take part in the Victorian era, they shaped it’ David Lammy MP, author of Tribes‘Meatily researched and illuminating... [brings] to swaggering life a group of Britons who have spent too long in the shadows’ Susie Goldsbrough, The Times‘An important survey of the subject based on painstaking research. Woolf and Abraham's Black Victorians: Hidden in History provides an indispensable introduction to the subject told through the lives of some of the most eminent personalities of the era, as well as those hitherto little known. A significant contribution to the field’ Hakim Adi'This book will generate discussion and change mindsets. It is brilliant’ Dr Maggie Semple OBE‘The book's telling details are liberating for, in spite of the Black Victorians' subjection and degradation, they are presented not as victims, but rather as resourceful, inventive, assertive human beings in their quests for betterment. Their cumulative experiences are skilfully woven into an engaging, richly textured book – an insightful work of scholarship’ Ron Ramdin, author of The Making of the Black Working Class in Britain‘Fascinating, thorough, well-researched and extremely readable, Black Victorians provides invaluable insight into a history of Victorian Britain that is not often told’ Hafsa Zayyan, author of We Are All Birds of Uganda‘Engaging, informative and accessible, Black Victorians shines a light on a little-known aspect of British history. It is written with passion and attention to detail. I highly recommend this book’ Stephen Bourne, author of Black Poppies: Britain's Black Community and the Great War‘Revelatory. Exposing whitewashing, tackling archival obfuscation, and returning little known figures to history, this book restores colour to our vision of Victorian Britain’ Suzannah Lipscomb, author of What is History, Now?

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow an ancient rubbish dump has given us a unique view of life 2,000 years agoIn 1897 two Oxford archaeologists began digging a mound south of Cairo. Ten years later, they had uncovered 500,000 fragments of papyri. Shipped back to Oxford, the meticulous and scholarly work of deciphering these fragments began. It is still going on today. As well as Christian writings from totally unknown gospels and Greek poems not seen by human eyes since the fall of Rome, there are tax returns, petitions, private letters, sales documents, leases, wills and shopping lists. What they found was the entire life of a flourishing market-town - Oxyrhynchos ( the `city of the sharp-nosed fish'' ), - encapsulated in its waste paper. The total lack of rain in this part of Egypt had preserved the papyrus beneath the sand, as nowhere else in the Roman Empire. We hear the voices of barbers, bee-keepers and boat-makers, dyers and donkey-drivers, weavers and wine-merchants, set against theTrade Reviewa memorable book * LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS *astonishing work of research and imagination * THE HERALD *a remarkable book... to miss this is to iss a very rich treat -- Paul Foster * Expository Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisMoroccan Other-Archives investigates how histories of exclusion and silencing are written and rewritten in a postcolonial context that lacks organized and accessible archives. The book draws on cultural production concerning the “years of lead”—a period of authoritarianism and political violence between Morocco’s independence in 1956 and the death of King Hassan II in 1999—to examine the transformative roles memory and trauma play in reconstructing stories of three historically marginalized groups in Moroccan history: Berbers/Imazighen, Jews, and political prisoners. The book shows how Moroccan cultural production has become an other-archive: a set of textual, sonic, embodied, and visual sites that recover real or reimagined voices of these formerly suppressed and silenced constituencies of Moroccan society. Combining theoretical discussions with close reading of literary works, the book reenvisions both archives and the nation in postcolonial Morocco. By producing other-archives, Moroccan cultural creators transform the losses state violence inflicted on society during the years of lead into a source of civic engagement and historiographical agency, enabling the writing of histories about those Moroccans who have been excluded from official documentation and state-sanctioned histories. The book is multilingual and interdisciplinary, examining primary sources in Amazigh/Berber, Arabic, Darija, and French, and drawing on memory studies, literary theory, archival studies, anthropology, and historiography. In addition to showing how other-archives are created and operate, El Guabli elaborates how language, gender, class, race, and geographical distribution are co-constitutive of a historical and archival unsilencing that is foundational to citizenship in Morocco today.Table of ContentsPreface | ix Note on Transliteration | xiii List of Abbreviations | xv Introduction | 1 1. (Re)Invented Tradition and the Performance of Amazigh Other- Archives in Public Life | 26 2. Emplaced Memories of Jewish- Muslim Morocco | 63 3. Jewish- Muslim Intimacy and the History of a Lost Citizenship | 89 4. Making Tazmamart a Transnational Other- Archive | 115 5. Other- Archives Transform Moroccan Historiography | 150 Conclusion | 177 Acknowledgments | 189 Notes | 193 Bibliography | 253 Index | 281

Read more less

Book SynopsisFifty years ago, Nigeria endured a period of violent disturbance leading to the breakaway of the Eastern Region under the name Biafra. The resulting conflict (1967-70) aroused shock and protests around the world because of mass starvation in the war zone. While Britain supplied arms to the federal Nigerian government, and France to the Biafrans, relief agencies with contributions from countless individuals organised a memorable airlift of food and medicine to the Biafrans' Uli airstrip. Jonathan Derrick, then a journalist for the London weekly West Africa, followed these events closely and recorded the war in the magazine's news pages, right up to the federal forces' final victory and the remarkable reconciliation between supporters of Biafra--predominantly Igbo--and other Nigerians. He later worked for some years in Nigeria, and has studied much of the material published on the war since 1970. Here, he recounts the history of the conflict as documented in West Africa, referring to later literature on and analysis of the events, which inspired passion at the time and have provoked debate ever since. His account deals with myths, misapprehensions and controversies surrounding the conflict, while recalling the tragic facts of a grim episode in African history.Trade Review'Invaluable to scholars investigating different aspects of the Nigerian Civil War. This is a good read; readers will find it rewarding.' -- H-Net'Those who want to understand the nature of Biafran agitation today would do well to get a copy of 'Biafra in the News' to draw from the raw material of history to help them along the way.' -- Desmond Davies, Africa Briefing Magazine'A striking despatch from the epistemological coalface, providing a truly fascinating insight into the nuts and bolts of how the "first draft of history" is prepared. Compelling and immediate, this is a priceless addition to the story of Nigeria.' -- Paddy Docherty, author of Blood and Bronze'A timely account of the civil war, whose shadow still falls on a dysfunctional Nigeria, and another Federal commander's term in the presidency is ending. Derrick's vantage point at West Africa, then the authoritative London weekly, is strengthened by research since, and detailed, argued analysis.' -- Richard Bourne, author of Nigeria: A New History of a Turbulent Century'Derrick offers a unique perspective on the Biafra war, reflecting on both the successes and short-comings of contemporary British news coverage. His even-handed account, based on personal experience and subsequent research, is an impressive addition to the literature on this often-forgotten war.' -- S. Elizabeth Bird, Professor Emerita of Anthropology, University of South Florida, and co-author of Surviving Biafra'With this clear-eyed and timely examination of what the international media got wrong, and what they got right, Derrick has fashioned an engaging history of the war for Biafra, a conflict many still struggle to understand.' -- Andrew Walker, journalist and author of 'Eat the Heart of the Infidel''The Biafra war is still a deep wound in the hearts of many Nigerians. This careful, balanced exploration of the events that led to this tragedy may provide some relief for those in the Igbo community still struggling with the memories of the atrocities committed against them.' -- Martin Plaut, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London'Combines the immediacy and detail of great journalism with the thoughtful analysis and broad perspectives of great historical writing. Perhaps uniquely for books about this war, it is neither dominated by re-visited obsessions of the past nor filtered through the selective vision of the present; I found so much here that other accounts have ignored or forgotten.' -- Oliver Owen, Departmental Lecturer in Social Anthropology, University of Oxford

Read more less

Book SynopsisWednesday 22 January 1879 was one of the most dramatic days in the annals of military history. In the morning, a modern British army was swept aside by the onset of a seemingly unstoppable host at Isandlwana. Nearby, at a remote border outpost on the Buffalo River, a single company of the 24th Regiment and a few dozen recuperating hospital patients were passing another hot, monotonous day. News of the disaster across the river came like a bolt from the blue. Retreat was not an option. It seemed certain that the Rorke's Drift detachment would share the terrible fate of their comrades. Colonel Snook brings the insights of a military professional to bear in this strikingly original account. It is an extraordinary tale - a victory largely achieved by the sheer bloody-mindedness in adversity of the British infantryman, fighting at the remarkable odds of over thirty to one. The heroics of all eleven VC winners are recounted in detail, and we are offered new insights into how the Zulu attack unfolded and how 150 men achieved their improbable victory. The author describes the remainder of the war, from the recovery of the lost Queen's Colour of the 24th to the climactic charge of the 17th Lancers at Ulundi. We return to Isandlwana to consider culpability, and learn of the often tragic fates of many of the war's participants.

Read more less

Book Synopsis A detailed chronicle of a significant opening battle in the Anglo-Zulu War: 'The Zulu attack on Rorke's Drift thrillingly retold' (Richard Holmes). On January 22nd, 1879, the British Army in South Africa was swept aside by the seemingly unstoppable Zulu warriors at the Battle of Isandlwana. Nearby, at a remote outpost on the Buffalo River, a single company of the 24th Regiment and a few dozen recuperating hospital patients were passing a hot, monotonous day. By the time they received news from across the river, retreat was no longer an option. It seemed certain that the Rorkes Drift detachment would share the same fate. And yet, against incredible odds, the British managed to defend their station. In this riveting history, Colonel Snook brings the insights of a military professional to bear on this fateful encounter at the start of Anglo-Zulu War. It is an extraordinary talea victory largely achieved by the sheer bloody-mindedness of the British infantryman. Recounting in detail how the Zulu attack unfolded, Snook demonstrates how 150 men achieved their improbable victory. Snook then describes the remainder of the war, from the recovery of the lost Queens Colour of the 24th Regiment to the climactic charge of the 17th Lancers at Ulundi. We return to Isandlwana to consider culpability, and learn of the often tragic fates of many of the wars participants.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBEFORE THEM, WE is an anthology that explores the lives of migrant grandparents and elders from Africa, unpacking the intimate details of their lives before the families they went on to establish: who they loved, where and why they migrated, why they had families. A collaborative act of sharing by poets of African descent, bringing their personal stories into conversation with each other, BEFORE THEM, WE is a multi-layered meditation on how we engage with the practice of memory. Featuring a mix of commissioned writers, and poets who responded to a call-out, ranging from Gen Z to mature voices, BEFORE THEM, WE's 24 contributors include: multi-disciplinary artist, poet and playwright Dzifa Benson; Nigerian-born, award-winning poet, playwright and performer Inua Ellams; Zimbabwean literary and sound artist Belinda Zhawi; queer non-binary Nigerian/Togolese writer and performer Michelle Tiwo; Ghanaian-British producer and writer Nii Ayikwei Parkes, who has won acclaim as a children's author, poet, broadcaster and novelist; Hodan Yusuf, a writer, actress, multimedia journalist and trainer in conflict resolution; Somali digital cultural archivist and independent researcher Ibrahim Hirsi; and Ola Elhassan, a Sudanese poet and electrical engineer.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMissionary Travels and Researches in South Africa, authored by David Livingstone, is a captivating and influential travel narrative that documents the extraordinary journeys of the Scottish explorer and missionary across Southern Africa during the 19th century. Readers are compelled to continue reading to find out what happens next since the title character is so indulgent. Some stories are gruesome and bizarre, while others softly creep up on you and pull you in. David Livingstone's book chronicles his efforts to combine his missionary work with extensive explorations of the African continent. Through vivid descriptions and firsthand accounts, he shares his encounters with diverse African cultures, wildlife, and landscapes. Livingstone's exploration of the Zambezi River and his discovery of the Victoria Falls are among the notable highlights detailed in the book. Livingstone's narrative also delves into the harsh realities of the African slave trade and his dedication to ending this brutal practice. He provides insights into the challenges he faced, including navigating treacherous terrain and fostering relationships with local communities. The book captures Livingstone's deep respect for African cultures and his commitment to understanding and improving the lives of the people he encountered.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHaile Selassie I, the last emperor of Ethiopia, was as brilliant as he was formidable. An early proponent of African unity and independence who claimed to be a descendant of King Solomon, he fought with the Allies against the Axis powers during World War II and was a messianic figure for the Jamaican Rastafarians. But the final years of his empire saw turmoil and revolution, and he was ultimately overthrown and assassinated in a communist coup. Written by Asfa-Wossen Asserate, Haile Selassie s grandnephew, this is the first major biography on this final king of kings. Asserate, who spent his childhood and adolescence in Ethiopia before fleeing the revolution of 1974, knew Selassie personally and gained intimate insights into life at the imperial court. Introducing him as a reformer and an autocrat whose personal history with all of its upheavals, promises, and horrors reflects in many ways the history of the twentieth century itself, Asserate uses his own experiences and painstaking research in family and public archives to achieve a colorful and even-handed portrait of the emperor."Trade Review"Today, after centuries of oppression, a billion Africans are finally winning back the substance of their freedom but it is proving a long, vexed and sometimes violent fight. Asfa-Wossen Asserate s masterful, insider s account of Haile Selassie, the African emperor who led Ethiopia s struggle against colonial fascism only to deny liberty to his people, stands as inspiration and warning to an entire continent."--Alex Perry, author of The Rift: A New Africa Breaks Free"

Read more less

Book SynopsisA myth-shattering study of the first clash between the Zulu kingdom and European interlopers and its dramatic effects on Boer and Zulu alike. By the 1830s, the Zulu kingdom was consolidating its power as the strongest African polity in the south-east, but was under growing pressure from British traders and hunters on the coast, and descendants of the early Dutch settlers at the Cape the Boers. In 1837, the vanguard of the Boers'' Great Trek migration reached the borders of Zulu territory, causing alarm. When the Boer leader Piet Retief and his followers were massacred in cold blood, war broke out. Although the initial Boer counter-attacks were defeated by the Zulus, in December 1838 a new Trekker offensive resulted in a nation-defining clash between Boer and Zulu at the battle of Blood River. In this ground-breaking and carefully balanced new work, containing stunning artwork and detailed maps, Ian Knight explores what has long been a controversial and partis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this first guide to Tangier''s extraordinary cultural history , former BBC North Africa correspondent Richard Hamilton explores the city to find out what has inspired so many international writers, artists and musicians.In Tangier, the Moroccan novelist Mohamed Choukri wrote, everything is surreal and everything is possible.' In this intimate portrait, Hamilton explores hotels, cafés, alleyways and the city''s darkest secrets. Delving down through complex historical layers, he finds a frontier town that is comic, confounding and haunted by the ghosts of its past.Samuel Pepys thought God should destroy Tangier and St Francis of Assisi called it a city of madness and delusions.' Yet, throughout the centuries, it has also been a crucible of creativity. It was a turning point in Henri Matisse's artistic journey and had a profound impact on the founder of the Rolling Stones, Brian Jones.Tangier also produced two of the greatest American novels of the twentieth century: The Shel

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFollowing the raid on Pearl Harbor and the entry of the United States into World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt identified the European theatre as his country''s priority. Their first joint operation with the British was an amphibious invasion of French North Africa, designed to relieve pressure on their new Soviet allies, eliminate the threat of the French navy joining the Germans, and to shore up the vulnerability of British imperial possessions and trade routes through the Mediterranean.Operation Torch was the largest and most complex amphibious invasion of its time. In November 1942, three landings took place simultaneously across the French North African coast in an ambitious attempt to trap and annihilate the Axis'' North African armies between the invading forces under General Eisenhower and British Field-Marshall Montgomery''s Eighth Army in Egypt. Using full-color artwork, maps, and contemporary photographs, this is the thrilling story of this compl

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis powerful collection of articles, essays, and letters spans the period between Black Skin, White Masks (1952) and The Wretched of the Earth (1961), Fanon’s landmark manifesto on the psychology of the colonized and the means of empowerment necessary for their liberation. These pieces display the genesis of some of Fanon’s greatest ideas — ideas that became so vital to the leaders of the American civil rights movement.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA lyrical investigation both powerful and transcendent' CHIGOZIE OBIOMAAcutely observed, hauntingly rendered and deeply affecting' AMINATTA FORNABoth epic and intimate' MARGO JEFFERSONAn astonishing search for a missing person, the hidden tragedies of war and the truth of Nigeria's history.Emmanuel Iduma never met his uncle, his father's favourite brother and the man for whom he is named. The elder Emmanuel left home in 1967 to fight in the Biafran War and was not seen again. The war lasted for three years, with young Igbo men volunteering to fight for a breakaway republic in the chaotic wake of British decolonization. Around one hundred thousand others who fought in the war share a fate like Emmanuel's uncle, though there are no official records of these losses. The tensions that gave rise to the conflict remain live, threatening sometimes to bubble over. In this landscape, there are no monuments or graves. Instead, a collective remembering that remains, for the most part, silent.I ATrade Review‘A thorough and thoughtful reporter, Iduma explains how it has become taboo in Nigerian culture to discuss the war, and uses his family’s own tragedy to tell the devastating story of a country that has not been allowed to properly mourn its dead. I Am Still With You is a deeply felt eulogy for those who were lost and a sobering reflection on the shame that comes with silence’ Time Magazine, The 100 Must-Read Books of 2023 ‘A lyrical investigation into the nature of being, history, the collective memory of Biafra – a dark chapter in world history. Iduma writes with such startling clarity that the book ultimately becomes both powerful and transcendent’ Chigozie Obioma, Booker Prize-shortlisted author of The Fishermen and An Orchestra of Minorities ‘A genre-defying work, I Am Still with You is a quest, both spiritual and real, a travelogue, a memoir, and a history of Biafra … Acutely observed, hauntingly rendered, and deeply affecting – a masterful achievement’ Aminatta Forna, author of The Devil That Danced on the Water ‘Iduma confronts and contemplates the wounds left by the Biafran war: death on a mass scale; deaths in his family; griefs, angers and questions that still plague the living. I Am Still With You is both epic and intimate. It gives us the beauties and consolations of an ethnical imagination’ Margo Jefferson, author of Negroland ‘In clear, elegiac prose, Iduma’s search leads to an affecting conclusion’ New Statesman ‘Iduma’s quietly brilliant new book … blends travelogue, reportage, criticism, memoir, and history in a hypnotic tale’ Vulture, Best Books of 2023 ‘An immersive memoir … Iduma’s unraveling of the past is bound to leave readers eager to uncover their own family secrets’ Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscover the definitive biography of Marcus Garvey ''Grant is an accomplished storyteller and writes with an elegance leavened by wit and cynicism that makes this book eminently readable'' Guardian At one time during the first half of the twentieth century, Marcus Garvey was the most famous black man on the planet. Hailed as both the ''black Moses'' and merely ''a Negro with a hat'', he masterminded the first International Convention of the Negro Peoples of the World, began the Universal Negro Improvement Association and captivated audiences with his powerful speeches and audacious ''Back to Africa'' prograTrade ReviewA brisk and well-researched biography... A splendidly colourful book * Daily Telegraph *Gripping and sympathetic...monumental...Grant writes with the quiet authority of a historian who has done a colossal amount of research... and knows the smells and tastes of this period as if he had lived through it. He is slow to pass judgement, but when he does so, the verdict carries real weight... His history reads like a first-rate novel... Grant's book is a fine and valuable monument to [Garvey's] memory -- Kevin Jackson * New Statesman *Grant is an accomplished storyteller and writes with an elegance leavened by wit and cynicism that makes this book eminently readable -- Margaret Busby * Guardian *In this superb new biography, Colin Grant portrays Garvey as a showman-ideologue [and] is to be congratulated on this scholarly, well-written account * Sunday Telegraph *Engrossing...Writing in a concise, expressive style...drawing on gargantuan research...Grant meticulously chronicles Garvey's eventful odyssey and sheds light on his revolutionary thinking and formidable public speaking...he shows Garvey's heady triumphs and crushing disappointments, his complexity, his paradoxes * Independent on Sunday *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY THE AUTHORIn ''70s'' South Africa, Rian Malan descendant of the architects of apartheid, middle-class white boy, friend to blacks went to work as a crime reporter for a local Johannesburg rag. There he encountered first-hand the horrors wrought by apartheid: the poverty, injustice and violence. After an eight-year exile, he returned to write this book. With gripping stories and in mesmerising prose, this is Malan's attempt to understand his country, its racial hatred, and his own tortured conscience.Trade ReviewRian Malan has written a tragic masterpiece and a classic of our time * Time Out *My Traitor's Heart is a tremendous book about candour, honour and race, a witness-bearing act of the rarest courage. No one who reads it could ever forget it * Michael Herr *A tortured, mesmerising attempt to capture exactly the conflicts of [Malan’s] upbringing, conflicts that went to the soul of the emerging nation. * Guardian *The remorseless exercise of a reporter's anguished conscience gives us a South Africa we thought we knew all about: but we knew nothing -- John Le CarreA great swirling devil of a book and it is equal in every way to its vast subject - the black and white country of the heart -- Don DeLillo

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom its humble origins as a cluster of rival chiefdoms along the banks of the Nile, ancient Egypt rose to become one of the most advanced civilizations of its time. This atlas traces its turbulent history and remarkable cultural development, from the founding of Memphis around 5000 BC, through the territorial expansion and flourishing trade of the ‘age of empire’, to Greek domination and ultimate collapse. Political rivalries are charted through the successive dynasties, from the strife of the intermediate periods to the golden ages of prosperity and artistic glory under Akhenaten, Tutankhamun and Ramesses II. The latest archaeological evidence is used to cast new light on the vast architectural legacy of the world’s first great nation state. The authoritative narrative, illustrated with over sixty full colour maps and over seventy plates, makes this an indispensable handbook for history students and enthusiasts alike.Table of ContentsPart 1 Origins of ancient Egypt: prehistoric Egypt; the emergence of Egypt; the old kingdom administration; old kingdom Egypt and Nubia; the great pyramid age; the first intermediate period; the Egyptian language and writing. Part 2 The middle kingdom: the wars of reunification; the administrative state; the faiyum and delta; middle kingdom Egypt and the near east; middle kingdom Egypt and Nubia; the second intermediate period; Thebes, Kush and the Hyksos kings; Egyptian literature. Part 3 The new kingdon: the wars of Ahmose; Wawat and Kush; Egypt, Syria and Palestine I; Egypt, Syria and Palestine II; Punt and Gods land; power and the royal palace I; power and the royal palace II; the Amarna letters; Egyptian art. Part 4 The late new kingdom: the road to Kadesh; urbanization; Libyan invasions and the sea peoples; the decline of the royal authority; Tanis, Thebes and Libya; the Palestinian campaign of Shoshenk I; division of the kingdom; king from the Kush; the valley of the kings. Part 5 The late period: the sack of Thebes; the saite monarchy; Saite Egypt and the near east; the Nubian legacy of the 25th dynasty; Persian and Egyptian independence; after Alexander; women in Egypt;

Read more less

Book SynopsisSaul David''s Zulu: The Heroism and Tragedy of the Zulu War of 1879 is a fascinating look at the most controversial and brutal British imperial conflict of the nineteenth century.The real story of the Anglo-Zulu war was one of deception, dishonour, incompetence and dereliction of duty by Lord Chelmsford who invaded Zululand without the knowledge of the British Government. But it did not go to plan and there were many political repercussions. Using new material from archives in Britain and South Africa, Saul David blows the lid on this most sordid of imperial wars and comes to a number of startling new conclusions.''Saul David''s brilliant and magisterial account must now be regarded as the definitive history of the Zulu War'' Frank McLynn, Literary Review''This meticulously detailed book...give[s] a fully rounded and judicious account of this dismal conflict Guardian''Fascinating, thrilling, convincing... reads like a novel'' E

Read more less

Book SynopsisUnravel the history behind of one of the most fascinating ancient civilisations with this engaging, entertaining and educational guide to the ancient Egyptians.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Part I: Introducing the Ancient Egyptians 7 Chapter 1: Getting Grounded: The Geography and History of Ancient Egypt 9 Chapter 2: Examining the Lives of the Everyday Egyptians 29 Part II: Stepping Back in Time 55 Chapter 3: Building a Civilisation with Military Might 57 Chapter 4: Building the Empire: The Glories of the New Kingdom 79 Chapter 5: Looking at the Power Behind the Throne: Royal Women 101 Chapter 6: Following the Decline and Fall of the Egyptian Civilisation 117 Part III: Living Life to the Full: Culture and Beliefs 139 Chapter 7: Enjoying Food and Entertainment 141 Chapter 8: Staying Healthy: Diseases and Medicine 157 Chapter 9: Worshipping like an Egyptian: Religion 171 Chapter 10: Exploring Funerary Beliefs and Mummification 189 Part IV: Interpreting Egyptian Art and Architecture 207 Chapter 11: Deciphering Egyptian Art and Hieroglyphs 209 Chapter 12: Touring the Temples 229 Chapter 13: Excavating the Tombs: Houses of Eternity 253 Chapter 14: Probing the Pyramids 271 Part V: The Part of Tens 285 Chapter 15: Top Ten Breakthroughs in Egyptology 287 Chapter 16: Ten Egyptians Worth Knowing 297 Chapter 17: Ten Ancient Egyptian Achievements 307 Chapter 18: Top Ten Places to Visit in Egypt 317 Chapter 19: Ten Key Egyptologists 327 Index 335

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Fatimid empire in North Africa, Egypt and Syria was at the centre of the political and religious history of the Islamic world in the Middle Ages, from the breakdown of the ''Abbasid empire in the tenth century, to the invasions of the Seljuqs in the eleventh and the Crusaders in the twelfth, leading up to its extinction by Saladin. As Imam and Caliph, the Fatimid sovereign claimed to inherit the religious and political authority of the Prophet, a claim which inspired the conquest of North Africa and Egypt and a following of believers as far away as India. The reaction this provoked was crucial to the political and religious evolution of mediaeval Islam. This book combines the separate histories of Isma''ilism, North Africa and Egypt with that of the dynasty into a coherent account. It then relates this account to the wider history of Islam to provide a narrative that establishes the historical significance of the empire.Table of Contents1. Introduction: The Fatimids in the perspective of the literature; 2. The Mahdi: Faith and the formation of the dynastic state, 874-947; 3. The Imam: Faith and the formation of the empire, 947-996; 4. The Caliph: Faith and government, 973-1045; 5. The crisis of empire, 1009-1074; 6. The restoration of the Caliph and the repudiation of the Imam, 1074-1131; 7. The demise of the Caliph, 1131-1171; 8. The Fatimid empire in comparative perspective.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBloody ivoryTrade ReviewMasterly account of the massacre of the African elephant

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis omnibus edition brings together concise and up-to-date biographies of Steve Biko, Emperor Haile Selassie, Patrice Lumumba, and Thomas Sankara. African Leaders of the Twentieth Century will complement courses in history and political science and serve as a useful collection for the general reader.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this collection of essays on African and Caribbean literature, culture, and politics, Ngugi wa Thiong''o delivers a groundbreaking critique of colonialism and capitalism in postcolonial Africa. In these essays, Ngugi wa Thiong''o eloquently interweaves a range of issues including religious oppression, consumerism, and independence with the powerful intellect and passion that has come to characterise his writing. These pieces are essential for readers wishing to uncover a critical perspective on African society and culture. Homecoming is a groundbreaking collection intended to provoke and encourage thoughtful debate on how best to ''restore the creative glory of Africa and of all Africans'' in the wake of postcolonialism. ''One of the greatest writers of our time.'' Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ''A tremendous writer... It''s hard to doubt the power of the written word when you hear the story of Ngugi wa Thiong''o.''

Read more less

Book SynopsisBartlett goes beyond Rorke's Drift to tell the largely forgotten story of how the Anglo-Zulu war was really won and lost.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA detailed account suitable for students of Egyptology, enthusiasts and anyone with more than a passing interest in Ancient Egypt.

Read more less