The History of Central and Eastern Africa The History of Northern Africa The History of Southern Africa The History of Western Africa

Gr 9 Up—The history of Africa is, in many ways, the history of humans, and it's a topic that is often sadly neglected in curriculums. Each of these engaging titles (which gather material available in Britannica Online Encyclopedia) covers a geographical region that is tied together by some common history. The opening overviews are as concise as possible, given the vast diversity of culture and history present in each area, and are followed by sections on the modern nations, which provide a more detailed history. Western Africa has a long general overview with short specific sections; Central and Eastern Africa and Northern Africa are more evenly broken down, each featuring a shorter general overview and then a detailed country breakdown; and Southern Africa is an in-depth history. The modern view presented is one of hope, despite the struggles that colonialism and its end have presented to the continent. Overall, the vocabulary used are the preferred terms in the regions covered, rather than the colonial names (with the exception of Northern Africa, which persists in using "Berber" rather than "Imazighen," despite acknowledging that the latter is preferred). Though the texts include too few maps, overall they are excellent additions where access to the online versions is unavailable.