Africa: A Biography of the Continent
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Product Description
Product Description
Drawing on many years of African experience, John Reader has written a book of startling grandeur and scope that recreates the great panorama of African history, from the primeval cataclysms that formed the continent to the political upheavals facing much of the continent today. Reader tells the extraordinary story of humankind's adaptation to the ferocious obstacles of forest, river and desert, and to the threat of debilitating parasites, bacteria and viruses unmatched elsewhere in the world. He also shows how the world's richest assortment of animals and plants has helped - or hindered - human progress in Africa.
About the Author
John Reader is a writer and photojournalist with more than forty years professional experience, much of it in Africa. Born in London in 1937, he currently holds an Honorary Research Fellowship in the Department of Anthropology at University CollegeLondon, and is a fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute and the Royal Geographical Society. He is the author of Pyramids of Life, Missing Links: The Hunt for Earliest Man; Kilimanjaro; The Rise of Life; Mount Kenya and Man on Earth.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
For a very thick book I read this in a week and a half. Very well written and easy to read but researched in such a way to add serious credibility. The environmental, historical and anthropological detail that Reader employs is very effective. It helps banish to history the stereotypes and false impressions about Africa that have prevailed for centuries.
Some of the information about African languages, the migration from Africa to the rest of the world, the development of iron and the study on why the established western understanding of the development of civilisations and ancient cities just doesn't apply to Africa are really fascinating.
This should be read by everybody who has lived, travelled or worked in Africa. Brilliant Book.
32 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I bought this book to please a friend of mine who recommended it. Knowing little about Africa and having little interest in the place, I had no expectations of enjoying the book. However, it turned out to be one of the most memorable books I have ever read and I would recommend it to anyone who has any care for or interest in mankind.
The book is brilliantly researched and could almost be described as an encyclopaedia in terms of the huge range of subjects that it covers. This is not just a history of the African continent, but a history of mankind from primeval times to the present, through various stages and periods of civilization. The book describes the exodus of early man from the African continent 100,000 years ago and the disastrous effects of his eventual return over the last 1000 years. Most poignant perhaps is Mr Reader's descriptions of slave trading, European colonization and later decolonization, and he argues strongly how these disastrous events are still responsible for ongoing suffering amongst the inhabitants of the continent.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in human history - and not least to anyone like myself who knew little about the subject before reading Mr Reader's wonderful book.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I found this book rather heavy going, but that is partly because a lot of the more distant history stuff is of little interest to me. I did, however, also find the writing style a little dull.
To be fair, it is very ambitious in scope and provides a breadth of coverage, not just in terms of timescale, but also subjects e.g. linguistics, economics, anthropology etc that is not available in any other texts that I've seen. It is also extensively referenced. For these reasons, I've given 4 stars, despite having not particularly enjoyed reading it.
I am primarily interested in more recent history and, fortunately for me, this is delivered to near perfection in the fantastic 'State of Africa' by Martin Meredith.
To be fair, it is very ambitious in scope and provides a breadth of coverage, not just in terms of timescale, but also subjects e.g. linguistics, economics, anthropology etc that is not available in any other texts that I've seen. It is also extensively referenced. For these reasons, I've given 4 stars, despite having not particularly enjoyed reading it.
I am primarily interested in more recent history and, fortunately for me, this is delivered to near perfection in the fantastic 'State of Africa' by Martin Meredith.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
One of the best books I have read
I read a lot and this is one of the best books I have read. The progression through the work, and the scope, begininning with geology and moving through anthropology, history and... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Meredoc
Excellent and broad ranging
A great overview of the development of the human species, am only a 1/4 of the way through and learning something new every page. Read more
Published 17 months ago by C. S. D. Robertson
That's Africa Baby
Lives up to its title. It starts in geological time and then shifts up through the gears. We get evolution and man's emergence uniquely here. Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2010 by Mr. N. Foale
Africa: A Biography of the Continent
I just thought I'd provide the book's actual synopsis because I think it's more helpful than the product description up there ^
"The roots of our ancestry lie in Africa. Read more
"The roots of our ancestry lie in Africa. Read more
Published on 21 April 2009 by C. L. Dixon
Couldn't put it down
This is a well researched and credible book about the whole of the African continent which gives a broad picture on which details of modern African politics and events fit... Read more
Published on 29 May 2007 by Dr. S. A. Roughton
A book for one who wants to know the detail of Africa
If you have lived or worked in Africa and you need to be confident of what you are talking about when you are in discussions about this amazing and beautiful continent - then you... Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2006
Very imformative
Good book, but very very detailed and very hard to wade through. Still have not finished it over a year later. Will one day!
Published on 15 Feb 2004 by "lukemv"
History in Broad Strokes
They aren't kidding when they say 'Biography'! The book literally starts with the birth of the continents and ends with recent history. Read more
Published on 22 Sep 2003
An extremely well written book
I enjoyed the clear, flowing style, packed with facts that are well referenced. If you have an interest in geology, anthropology, history, politics, evolution, in fact... Read more
Published on 19 July 2001
Covers the history of Africa in 600 pages.
This is an excellent book that covers the history of Africa in one book. Although most of it is probably at a rather superficial level this keeps the books progress over time... Read more
Published on 26 April 2001 by "lgbowden"
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