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Monday, April 07, 2003

History of Africa

I've been reading A Short History of Africa by Roland Oliver and J. D. Fage, a book I've had forever it seems.

I must have got it in Switzerland because the price is 11.80 and that has to be francs and not dollars.

I suppose when I think of African history I think of the colonial period, but this book begins with prehistoric Africa, of course. It's like a James Michener novel only dull. Here's a quote from p. 27.

"The oldest cereal crops of sub-Saharan Africa were the millets, but in West Africa west of the great bend of the Niger there was also the rice Oryza glaberrima."

Argh.

I guess I like history with a face and a voice which is why I like to read biographies. Oh well, I'll slog through I guess, 'til I get to the good parts.