The Penguin Atlas of African History

Now newly revised, this invaluable reference work provides a succinct account of the development of African society from the first appearance of man to the complex polity of today. Kingdoms and Empires are only part of the story. The atlas covers the development of modern man, the differentiation and spread of African languages, the first crossings of the Sahara, the exploration of the Niger, and the search for 'the fountains of the Nile'. Gold and ivory lure traders from far away; Christendom and Islam compete for African attention. Names from the distant past become nation-states with aspirations appropriate to the modern world. Using the formula successfully established in his previous historical atlases, Colin McEvedy outlines this progress with the aid of sixty maps and a clear, concise text. Though his synthesis will be especially useful to those involved in the teaching of African history, its broad perspectives will undoubtedly appeal also to the general reader.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.