North Africa

by Barnaby Rogerson

Surrounded by the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and the Sahara, North Africa has seen wave after wave of invaders, from the Romans to the French in the 20th century. Barnaby Rogerson charts its long and complex history up to the Arab Spring, vividly describing a rich cast of memorable characters that includes Dido, Hannibal and St Augustine. The book includes a chronology, an historical gazetteer cross-referenced to the main text, and 11 historical maps.

Genres: History, Africa

434 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2012

About the author

Barnaby Rogerson (1960-) is a British author, television presenter and publisher. He has written extensively about the Muslim world, including a biography of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and numerous travel guides. Rogerson was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, and studied Medieval History at St Andrews University

Reviews

[Brian Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good overall work on the general history of North Africa. At many points, the author also does a great job getting out of the Eurocentric view of the world and sees major topics such as the Greeks, Romans, and Muslims through the point of view of those living in the region.

My only comment was that there are a few details of Islamic history and religious practice that are incorrect. If the author intended to mention these points as it was seen by North Africans than great, but it would have been great to mention it as "this is a departure from mainstream/fundamentalist/literalist Sunni Islam, however this was how Islam was perceived and practiced in the region"