Review by Choice Review
Compiled by two major scholars in African history, this work provides 72 figures, most with more than one map, addressing the broadest range possible of historical information that can be visually displayed for the entire African continent. Figure topics include relief and rainfall, development of farming, Arab settlement, trans-Sahara trade, conquest and resistance, industry and agriculture and others. Each figure is accompanied by a one-page explanatory text with photographic illustrations. The maps fall into three categories: event maps, process maps, and quantitative maps. There are other African historical atlases, e.g., J.D. Fage's pioneering work, An Atlas of African History (2nd ed., 1978); African History in Maps (CH, Apr '83); G.S.P. Freeman-Grenville's A Modern Atlas of African History (1976); H.A. Gailey's The History of Africa in Maps (1979); and C. McEvedy's Atlas of African History (CH, Dec '80). What most distinguishes Historical Atlas of Africa from these other titles is not only the currency of the information presented but also the emphasis on such factors as the internal history of Africa and the economic history of Africa, subjects of more recent historical inquiry. The maps are extremely well done in color, and are easy to read and understand. A comprehensive index facilitates use of the work. Highly recommended for any reference collection serving a constituency interested in African history.-D.L. Easterbrook, University of Illinois at Chicago
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
Full-color maps and facing text trace African history from ancient times to 1980. Handsome, authoritative, carefully indexed, this was selected as one of the ``Outstanding Reference Sources of 1985'' by the American Library Association's Reference and Adult Services Division. (Mr 1 86 RBB)
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Ten years in the making, this atlas has been well worth the wait. As the successor to J. D. Fage's Atlas of African History (Holmes & Meier, 1978. 2d ed.), this new book, with its photographs, greater detail, larger format, and, above all, beautiful multicolor maps, far surpasses the earlier work. Its three main types of maps (showing ``events,'' ``historical processes,'' and ``numerical data'') cover 71 subjects ranging from ``Relief and rainfall,'' to ``Distribution of Late Stone Age industries,'' the ``African diaspora,'' and ``Decolonization and independence.'' Additionally, the narrative accompanying each map is enough to qualify this work as a history text. Ajayi and Crowder have set a standard with this atlas that will almost certainly not be equaled in the near future. An essential reference work for any decent Africana collection. Paul H. Thomas, Hoover Inst. Lib., Stanford, Cal. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Booklist Review
Review by Library Journal Review
