Historical dictionary of the Comoro Islands /

The Comoro Islands, an archipelago off the east coast of Africa, compose a fascinating, and little-known, nation. They are the world's greatest producer of ylang-ylang, a floral essence used in perfumes, and the second largest producer of vanilla. The waters of the Comoros are the habitat of the rare coelacanth fish, a species that, until its discovery there in 1953, was thought to have been extinct for 70 million years. The authors (Kansas State Univ.), who specialize in the area, have kept to the established format of the series: chronology, overview, dictionary, and bibliography, supplemented by a map and list of abbreviations. The chronology covers some 1,300 years, from 650, the traditionally accepted date of introduction of Islam, through the periods of French colonization, liberation struggles, independence, and political strife, to the attempted assassination of the president in 1994. The overview is informative and evocative. The dictionary covers a wide range of terms, from names of persons, organizations, and places to broad topics and concepts, with succinct, complete definitions. The 40-page bibliography provides a surprising amount of published information in French and English, although many citations are for obscure or hard-to-obtain material. This thoroughly competent and authoritative introduction to the Comoros fills a gap in information for the general readers and students interested in learning more about the nation. G. Walsh; Boston University