# African History Book Suggestions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 4, 2010, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-history-book-suggestions/545511 "2010-07-04T13:54:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-history-book-suggestions/545511/1 "2010-07-04T13:54:42Z")
Hi all, What I’m looking for is a good read looking at the pre-colonial history of Africa. Maybe a survey style text, covering Mali, Great Zimbabwe, the Massai, Nubia, and whatever else. If you know of a really good book that only covers a small section, or just 1 group, feel free to recommend it - maybe this will take a larger catalogue, although I’m not going for a Ph.D. here and I don’t want to have to dig through more 5 or 6 before feeling like I’ve got an idea of what was going on over there. I bought “Into Africa: A Journey through Ancient Empires” and I found it to be just horrendous. So I’m seeking help. Random list of some qualities that I would like to see: Unbiased Lots of maps Well organized Minimal focus on historiography - but a little would be OK No focus on modern slavery (it’s just not what I’m interested in reading about) Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-history-book-suggestions/545511/2 "2010-07-04T15:28:14Z")
Two excellent exploration books: **Blue Nile** and **White Nile** , by Alan Moorehead **Africa in History** , by Basil Davidson **Segu** , (an historical novel) by Maryse Conde ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-history-book-suggestions/545511/3 "2010-07-05T12:03:30Z")
Africa in History looks a like a great start - thanks! ETA: Do you know if it has a good bibliograhpy? While the others look like very good reads (and I’ve been meaning to read Moorehead for a long time now), they’re not quite what I’m after - I’d like something a little more detached. Thanks a bunch for the recommendations. Anyone else have anything? Note: I’m not after anything focusing on Egypt, as I’ve read a pretty good amouint on the subject. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-history-book-suggestions/545511/4 "2010-07-05T15:37:11Z")
[The Strong Brown God](http://www.amazon.com/STRONG-BROWN-GOD-Ted-Morgan/dp/0395567564) did for the history of the Niger what Moorehead did for the Nile. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-history-book-suggestions/545511/5 "2010-07-05T15:44:54Z")
I’m also interested in this topic. I have a feeling that my ignorance of african history is so abysmal that no one book is going to bridge it, but I’ll second the request. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-history-book-suggestions/545511/6 "2010-07-05T15:45:49Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > Africa in History looks a like a great start - thanks! > > ETA: Do you know if it has a good bibliograhpy? > > While the others look like very good reads (and I’ve been meaning to read Moorehead for a long time now), they’re not quite what I’m after - I’d like something a little more detached. > > Thanks a bunch for the recommendations. > > Anyone else have anything? > > Note: I’m not after anything focusing on Egypt, as I’ve read a pretty good amouint on the subject. > > Thanks. It has a chapter at the end called “Brief Guide to Further Reading”, which doesn’t look so brief. Lots of references in there. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-history-book-suggestions/545511/7 "2010-07-05T17:11:20Z")
My wife came up with a couple from her collection. One is supposed to be more directed at children, but she says it’s excellent: “The Royal Kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay”, by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack. Another small book in her collection is “The Middle Age of African History”, by Roland Oliver. On the back cover, there is a list of other books: The Dawn of African History, same author Africa in Time Perspective, Daniel McCall An Introduction to the History of Central Africa, A.J. Wills History of East Africa, edited by Roland Oliver The Oxford History of South Africa, Vol I (to 1870), Monica wilson African Nationalism, Ndabaningi Sithole Africa from Early Times to 1800, P.J.M. McEwan Nineteenth Century Africa, McEwan ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-history-book-suggestions/545511/8 "2010-07-06T13:41:10Z")
Awsome, **Chefguy** - much appreciated. And I know what you mean **Malthus** - but I guess we need to start soemwhere. Maybe do some posting as we pick books and start reading? ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-history-book-suggestions/545511/9 "2010-07-11T12:38:59Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > **Africa in History** , by Basil Davidson Coincidentally, Davidson died this week - [_Guardian_ obit](http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jul/09/basil-davidson-obituary).