Peoples and Empire Of West Africa (Thrift)

This text has been written in response to the increasing demand for a history of West Africa firmly rooted in the concerns and experience of the area itself. Although peripheral accounts proliferate, Peoples and Empires is one of the first true histories of West Africa and an indispensable text for the serious student.

Both subject matter and approach are comprehensive; all phases of life in the multifarious empires and states of historical West Africa fall under the authors' scrutiny.

Descriptions and analyses of social and economic structure, politics and culture are skilfully integrated into an ongoing account of the major events marking the rise and fall of the civilizations under study. Sections treating individual states and empires in depth are supplemented by chapters providing more widely focused topical analyses of the religious traditions, economic trends, geographical determinants and instances of foreign contact which have affected the whole of West Africa.

The unique role of folk tradition in reconstructing the history of the area-its values and limitations as a primary source for any historian-receives special attention.

The authors have managed to mould vivid historical narrative to the all-important demands of clarity and accuracy. In the best tradition of historical scholarship, where decisive evidence is lacking a particular problem in African history they have given clear statement to the conflicting theories which must be considered. Both imaginative and analytic, this text provides a substantial and thorough introduction to the history of West Africa.