North Africa: A History from Antiquity to the Present

by Phillip C. Naylor

North Africa has been a vital crossroads throughout history, serving as a connection between Africa, Asia, and Europe. Paradoxically, however, the region's historical significance has been chronically underestimated. In a book that may lead scholars to reimagine the concept of Western civilization, incorporating the role North African peoples played in shaping "the West," Phillip Naylor describes a locale whose transcultural heritage serves as a crucial hinge, politically, economically, and socially. Ideal for novices and specialists alike, North Africa begins with an acknowledgment that defining this area has presented challenges throughout history. Naylor's survey encompasses the Paleolithic period and early Egyptian cultures, leading readers through the pharonic dynasties, the conflicts with Rome and Carthage, the rise of Islam, the growth of the Ottoman Empire, European incursions, and the postcolonial prospects for Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Western Sahara. Emphasizing the importance of encounters and interactions among civilizations, North Africa maps a prominent future for scholarship about this pivotal region.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Africa

355 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2009

About the author

Phillip Chiviges Naylor

Reviews

[Kelsey]

Great textbook with a lot of clear information.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 stars

[Abderrazak Baddou · Rating 3 out of 5]

a quick survey..

[Nranger7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good concise explanations of the region.

[Larrydiday · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the book to jump around in locations and time periods too frequently for my taste. Perhaps it was because I read it on the Kindle...

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way too much pseudo-existential French pomo-ism in the later chapters. Still though, a good overall regional survey with a quite large but well handled temporal scope.