History of Africa, Revised 2nd Edition

by Kevin Shillington

Now fully revised and updated, this classic text offers an illustrated and critical narrative introduction to the history of Africa from earliest times to the present. Beginning with the evolution of mankind itself, the book traces the history of Africa through the millennia of the ancient world to the centuries of medieval and modern Africa. The clear and simple language and the wealth of carefully chosen maps and photos combine to make an essential and accessible text.

450 pages, Paperback

Published October 14, 2005

About the author

Dr Kevin Shillington is an independent historian and biographer. He is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and holds a PhD from SOAS, University of London. His recent books include History of Africa, 4th edition (2019) and Patrick van Rensburg: Rebel, Visionary and Radical Educationalist (2020).

Reviews

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this book did a great job breaking down the history of Africa by region and era, one would think after reading this that there were only half a dozen noteworthy women in all of African history. Much care was paid to highlight the impact of different religions, ethnicities, and cultures on the shaping of modern Africa, but half of the population has been left out of the story entirely. There's no way that's an accurate portrayal of the history of any continent.

I enjoyed learning about Njinga and the contributions of Winnie Mandela. But I was surprised that there was no mention of female military action in Dahomey and Asante, and more attention was paid to a parade of brief dictators than to any female activists like Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti or Wangari Maathai.

This book went to the trouble to reframe African men as drivers of their history rather than passive victims of colonialism, but it does not lend women the same agency or relevancy.