3.5 ⭐️ A huge undertaking and so I salute the sister for taking on such an immense task. And she starts off the book, right at the beginning of civilization, which of course began in Africa. Her aim right from go, is to redeem Africa form the myriad lies and stereotypes that have denigrated Africa for millennia. She let’s the facts speak for themselves, then maybe 25-30% in, the book takes a weird turn and begins a slog into brief snippets and vignettes of African rulers and Kings from minor kingdoms.

And, to verify the history she visits archeological sites and speaks with contemporary scholars, historians and professors. These parts feel like you entered her personal travel diary, and drags the momentum she has established. Then, we get to the discussion of slavery and she is back on track, dealing with the Maafa, from an African perspective. She also deals with the Arabs trading in human beings, which is often only whispered about, due in part to the large number of African people embracing Islam.


“The arrival of the Arabs on Africa's east coast in the seventh century marked the first time that Africans were captured and sold in an international, extensive and organised trade. The Arab presence also redrew the identity of the east coast of Africa, with Arab and Muslim cultures becoming inextricably linked with that of indigenous Africans.
As Dr Djaffar Moussa-Elkadhum, a UNESCO official, explained to me, this has led to ambivalence: on the one hand, African Muslims are faithful adherents of Islam and are grateful the religion spread to Africa; on the other hand, many millions of Africans were enslaved by Arabs, who looked down on them.”

Her slavery discussion doesn’t shy away from condemning African collaboration, but providing proper context.

“However, although the transatlantic trade was abetted by some Africans, it was driven by its principal beneficiaries, the Europeans…….. While slavery of all kinds is reprehensible, not all kinds are morally equivalent. Africans were treated very differently in indigenous slavery compared to how they were put to use across the Atlantic……. Significantly, there was an absence of an ideology of racism in indigenous slavery - the enslaver did not believe he or she was racially superior to their captives and enslaved people were not regarded as being sub-human;”

The dive into the destructive consequences of colonialism are made crystal clear, because when the examination comes from the African perspective, the “savage” and “uncivilized” narratives get stripped away and what’s left is unadulterated truth! She stays on solid historical ground, through the finish line and even adds a discussion about the bright potential future of Africa. All told, I believe it to be an important book to add to your shelf. Will definitely expand your knowledge of African history. Thanks to Netgalley and Mariner books for an advanced DRC. Book is out and available now.

This was a magnificent book. Absolutely stunning. There honestly was no moment when I wasn't thoroughly engaged in what was being said/taught [because this is very much a lesson that E V E R Y O N E needs to read/learn; some history I actually knew/had read before, but much of it was very, very new to me] and about halfway through I knew I was going to have to purchase this boo and re-read it with a pen, highlighter and note-tabs [due to NetGalley's new updates, this previously downloadable book became UN-downloadable for me *AND* I was unable to read it in their new "reader" as it never loaded] as I ended up listening to this whole book [the author narrates and great googy moogly she could 100% have a full time job as a narrator as she was just stunning] with no accompanying text, so I am fairly sure that I missed some things and this book so deseves to have everything it offers absorbed; I am really looking forward to this opportunity.

Expertly researched and written in a coherent, compelling voice, this is easily of the best books I have read this year so far, and it will honestly stay with me always. Filled with rich history, amazing historical figures [that often blew my mind with what they accomplished], and how we ultimately are all intertwined. I learned so much and I was just in awe through so much of it.

What an amazing book;I can only hope that many find this, read it and learn from this amazing rich history that ultimately affects us all.

Thank you to NetGalley, Zeinab Badawi, and Mariner Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An African History of Africa by Zeinab Badawi presents a comprehensive exploration of the continent's history from an African perspective, challenging long-standing Western narratives that often overlook Africa's rich past. 

Overview

The book begins with the origins of humanity, focusing on significant themes and civilizations throughout Africa's history. Badawi emphasizes the continent's diversity and the importance of local voices, drawing on interviews with historians, anthropologists, and local storytellers across over thirty countries. This approach aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of Africa's historical narrative, moving beyond the typical focus on colonialism and slavery.

Key Themes
Historical Scope: Badawi covers a vast timeline, from ancient civilizations to modern independence movements. Each chapter highlights different regions and themes, such as the role of powerful queens and kings and the impact of colonization on African societies.
Decolonizing History: The author seeks to disrupt traditional Euro-centric views by presenting an African retelling of events. She incorporates oral histories and perspectives from African scholars to enrich the narrative.
Women in History: The book's notable aspect is its focus on women who played significant roles in Africa's history, challenging the often male-dominated historical accounts.
Thoughts
I appreciate the ambitious scope and the effort to present a comprehensive view of African history.
The writing style is bland or broad, arguing that it lacks depth in certain areas due to its extensive coverage.
It often reads like disconnected snippets rather than a cohesive narrative.

Excerpts

I like that Badawi admits upfront that her book is not balanced. She wants to emphasize the positive sides of African history, especially when the natives look good. She writes:

"Some may object that by downplaying such gory practices I swing the pendulum too far in the other direction and put forward an Elysian view of Africans. But I would point the reader to a multitude of writings on these subjects that have attracted a disproportionate amount of attention, and that must now be counter-balanced. Indeed, these very practices were used to justify the murderous excesses of European colonialism."

Sometimes Badawi falls into tired tropes:

"Although the transatlantic trade was abetted by some Africans, it was driven by its principal beneficiaries, the Europeans." 

"Principal beneficiaries"? Says who? When we buy products from China, who is the principal beneficiary?

Both parties MUST benefit from trade, and it's often hard to say who wins more.

She contradicts herself when she later writes...

"A common misperception is that Africans bartered their fellow Africans for trifling amounts or frivolous items. This may seem the case when viewed through a Western lens, but within the African cultural system, objects deemed by Europeans to be of no consequence were ascribed value. For instance, Africans accepted beads as payment for humans because these were regarded as valuable goods by West Africans, who used beads and shells as a currency and as a means of projecting wealth and prestige."

Exactly. Africans may have thought they were the "principal beneficiary" when they sold their enemies for beads and shells.

She continues by saying that Africans enslaving other Africans wasn't as bad as when Europeans or Arabs did it: 

"The [African] enslaver did not believe he or she was racially superior to their captives and enslaved people were not regarded as being sub-human."

True, the enslaver felt he was tribally superior. Does it matter if your master thinks you're sub-human, racially inferior, or just unlucky when you're a slave? Either way, it sucks to be enslaved. 

Badawi goes back far in history, but seems to forget some of it when she writes:

"The Khoikhoi were deeply unhappy by this encroachment of their ancestral land. They told the Europeans, 'Why are you ploughing up the land? Why don't you go back to your own country? What would you think if we came to your country and began to take over your land?""

The Khoikhoi said the same thing to Bantu people 1,000 years before the Europeans.

The Bantu originated in West Africa 4,000 years ago, and 2,000 years ago started expanding into Southern Africa. Although some historians like to spread fairy tales of a peaceful assimilation and integration with the Khoikhoi, anyone who understands tribalism and human nature can deduce that there was also plenty of bloodshed. Neither documented anything, so we'll never know, but it's safe to assume that the Bantu and Khoikhoi often clashed violently just like both would clash with the Europeans.

"Only a small minority of respondents in the 36 African countries surveyed stated that they felt more affinity for their ethnic group than their nation. Only Nigeria and South Africa showed a sizeable minority - a quarter of respondents - who said ethnic identity was more important to them than national sentiment."

That's good news. More good news is Badawi's intentions: 

"I did not intend to embark on detailed arguments about the impact of colonialism on Africa in this book - many tomes have already been written on the subject. And my aim was not to write a book that pits the 'African against the European.' Nor do I ascribe all of Africa's problems to its colonial past. My goal, as expressed in the introduction, was to examine aspects of Africans' history from an African perspective and to highlight and celebrate the achievements of a people - sometimes in the face of great adversity."

Final quibble at the end:

This book, I hope, has shown [young Africans that they should invent] with their heads held high and their hearts full of pride in their magnificent past."

Don't be proud of something you didn't accomplish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scKWkecERWQ

Conclusion

Overall, An African History of Africa significantly contributes to historical literature, providing a platform for African voices and perspectives. While its breadth and writing style may irk some, it is a significant step towards recognizing and celebrating Africa's complex history. I feared it would be too woke and too politically correct. It was not. That's refreshing.

From ancient civilizations to modern struggles for independence, this book reclaims Africa’s history, challenging Western narratives and showcasing the continent’s rich past through the voices of Africans themselves.

This entertaining and informative book offers both breadth and depth. I love the author’s writing style and the inspirational way she explores the subject matter. Obviously, this isn’t an exhaustive treatment, but it’s a great overview.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

A brief and incredibly engaging history of the African continent. In one book one simply can't cover the full history of a continent, especially one with so rich a history. The author, however, does an incredible job of providing an overview of some of the kingdoms, dynasties, and particular individuals that leaves the reader with a curiosity to dive further. I finished this book feeling intrigued, equipped with knowledge, and inspired to continue my reading of African history beyond the story typically shared in western education.

This book has a beautiful cover and quite an ambitious scope which I think is what made this book difficult to go through. For a popular audience, I think too much time was spent on pre-19th and 20th-century history. The personal anecdotes and story which at times can enhance the historical narrative were quite distracting and took away from the historical depth needed to tackle such a broad duration of time and huge continent.

"An African History of Africa," by acclaimed journalist Zeinab Badawi, is a noble attempt at chronicling the rich and diverse history of the African continent. While the book covers a vast range of topics, from pre-colonial civilizations to the struggles for independence and modern-day challenges, it ultimately falls short of delivering a comprehensive and engaging narrative.

Despite Badawi's clear passion for the subject matter, the book suffers from a lack of depth and nuance, with some historical events and figures receiving cursory treatment or being omitted altogether. Additionally, the writing style is at times dry and academic, which may make it difficult for some readers to fully immerse themselves in the material.

While "An African History of Africa" is a valuable resource for those seeking an introduction to African history and I am grateful that the author even undertook the important task of presenting the story of Africa in African voices, it fails to live up to its potential as a definitive work on the subject. Readers interested in a more detailed and engaging exploration of Africa's rich history may wish to seek out additional sources.

Yeah, this book broke my heart a bit. Zeinab Badawi's An African History of Africa is absolutely packed with interesting tidbits, people, and ideas. There is so much to like about it. Unfortunately, the sheer amount of information is also what sinks it.

Badawi looks at the entire continent of Africa from literally the dawn of man until now. She jumps around to different time periods and focuses each chapter on a specific part of Africa. She also did tremendous amount of first hand research as she documents embedding with people living in a traditional village or gazing directly upon the monuments she is presenting. Each chapter also quotes at least a few native Africans to discuss various topics and why this is an African history of Africa. Badawi also doesn't shy away from diving into more controversial aspects. For example, she even mentions the recent uproar when a recent TV series presented Cleopatra as black. All of this is great stuff so why am I heartbroken?

Well, the problem is that Badawi is covering so much ground, both literally and figuratively, that nothing is examined enough and the writing is often choppy. I recall in one chapter that Badawi starts to dig into the history of slavery and how Africans were a part of this horrible stain on humanity. She presents a very intelligent breakdown of the African view and I was hooked. But then we moved onto another topic which was tangentially related. It's such a shame because there are parts where Badawi slows down and it is crystal clear that she can write well. Sadly, I think the scope was just too big and forced her to cut way too much to keep this book from being ten times longer. I would read that book.

All that said, there is a lot of great information in this book. I can't score it higher because of the issues I mentioned, but if you go in knowing what you may run into, I think there is still tons of worthwhile material.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Mariner Books.)

While I don't mean to discredit many great Western authors, I'm often tired of the "another cis white male explaining the world" approach that still prevails in history and nonfiction writing. So I applaud any initiative to provide more nuanced perspectives-and there is plenty of that in this book. Of course, as a one-volume chronicle of an entire diverse continent, it can feel a bit encyclopedic at times, but as a whole it is so fresh and eye-opening that I find it worth recommending.

Thanks to the publisher, Mariner Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This book is a general overview of a sampling of African history. I went into this book hoping for something … a bit more. As someone who knows about Egypt more through pop culture and historical fiction books rather than actual study, and who knows very little about the rich cultures that make up Africa, I was hoping this might be a good place to begin learning something new. Instead, this read more like a combination reference and trivia book.

The writing is flat. It’s not even dry — which I don’t mind as much in reference books — but it’s just not well put together for me. It’s just a collection of trivia and facts laid out in roughly chronological order. I appreciate that the author tries to bring famous names to draw readers in, such as President Obama’s grandfather, Queen Kahina, Mansa Musa and others … but there’s just no life to any of this. There’s no sense of excitement or interest on the author’s part to draw me in, nothing to make me want to read more.

What this book did do for me, however, is want to find something else, something with more a more, engaging, warmer style, something with a more clearly defined statement rather than a general overview to read. So while the book, on its own, is … fine, it’s just not for me. It doesn’t work with my preferred style of learning and I’m left looking elsewhere.

But … it did start me on the path to wanting tot learn more, so there’s that, at least.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for giving me the ARC.

While nit comprehensive, this book gives a really good overview of African history, stretching from prehistory through to th modern era. The book is set up in segments, with the chapters focusing on one civilization to represent a period if time and going in to depth about it. The book is more of a popular history, written in an engaging way that makes it easy to read and follow.

Although this took a while to pick up, I'm glad it was more expansive in view than African Icons: Ten People Who Built a Continent, which mostly touched on Egypt.

Africa is one of the most, if not the most, diverse continent on the planet. It is not just Egypt. It certainly isn't the Egypt of the past, ruled by Macedonian Greeks.

This picks up after Egypt. Several countries from varying areas are discussed, and the role colonization played in depriving citizens of natural resources. A map shows a tiny area that wasn't colonized. It's hard to say which European nation did the most damage, but know it was extensive.

My thirst wasn't quite quenched here. I'd like to delve a little deeper into each country's own history. As always, if you have recommendations, by authors of that background, please send.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books

This is fantastically detailed, and far-reaching history that I think be very, very useful in filling in the major historical knowledge blindspots on the African continent that unfortunately I still think is still all-too=widespread - and that's honestly putting in kindly. I myself, writing as someone who consumes a hefty amount of history books ever year, is no exception, and was able to learn an incredible amount from Badawi's "An African History of Africa."

This is a title that would make an excellent addition to my library, and I'm excited to add it to our to-purchase wishlist for our next round of book buying.