The African continent is huge and varied, so much so that to compress
its history and ethnography into a single volume seems an impossibly
daunting task. Recognizing this, African historian Jocelyn Murray and
37 specialist contributors nonetheless do a fine job in this richly
illustrated atlas of outlining the sweep of hundreds of thousands of
years of human activity on the continent. Their narrative
incorporates recent scholarship on the emergence of humankind in
eastern Africa, an evolutionary tale that can now be traced to 4.5
million years before the present; the history of the great states of
prehistory, among them the Asante, Benin, Great Zimbabwe, and Xhosa
empires; and the complex pattern of cultural development across the
continent. Along the way Murray and company look at such matters as
religion, traditional healing, arts and crafts, music, dance,
vernacular architecture, and politics. They also consider matters
that are of pressing importance to Africa's future, among them
resource use and conservation, environmental preservation, economic
development, and urbanization. The book includes a nation-by-nation
geographical almanac and gazetteer that, while certain to require
updating soon, stand as highly useful references for students. The
well - annotated maps are especially valuable. --Gregory McNamee
We query many merchants so that you can instantly
compare prices and
availability. You can even check historic prices and subscribe
for notifications. For a manual check, clicking on a link will open a
new window with a search for this book on the merchant's site of your
choice.
