Description
Book SynopsisIn the 1950s, professional historians claiming to specialize in tropical Africa were no more than a handful. The teaching of world history was confined to high school courses, and even those were focused on European history, with a chapter added to account for the history of East and South Asia.
Trade Review“Phil Curtin is one of the most important historians to stride across the fields of academe in the twentieth century. His memoir tracks the emergence of American interest in and engagement with the wider world. It is both a self-assessment of his intellectual life and a valuable chapter in the history of higher education.”
“It is one of the most successful memoirs to present the social background of a historian…It is now possible to see how family and social upbringing shape not only the trajectories of historians but the subjects they choose to write about.” * African History *
“It is difficult to think of any historian writing and teaching over the past half century whose work has been as influential in such a diverse array of subfields with history and related social science disciplines…. ” * International Journal of African Historical Studies *
