This is not a documentary history of Africa but rather an inspired and inspiring investigation
of certain aspects of African history from the origins of mankind, which as
far as we know occurred on the continent, to the South African General Election of
1984. The author is Professor of African History of the University of Cambridge, but at
the beginning of his working life was a lecturer at the University College of Dar es
Salaam. He looks from an African point of view (in so far as he can achieve that) at the
iron age, Christianity, Islam, the slave trade, the Colonial invasion, colonial change and
independence as occurrences affecting Africa as a whole, albeit in a variety of different
ways. He asks questions which have not been asked before and suggests answers which
are frequently controversial, possibly not acceptable by everyone, but invariably worth
thinking about. An underlying theme is the amazing demographic growth (peaking
between 1950 and 1990 in a population increase from 200 million to 600 million) in
spite of the harsh geographical and historical conditions of the continent. This is a book
written in an easy-to-read style which cannot fail to Interest the reflective overseas
pensioner who has served in Africa.
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