Robert O. Collins, already well-known for his Problems in African History"" (Markus Wiener, 1992) and ""Documents from the African Past"" (Markus Wiener, 2001), has presented us with an elegantly written narrative that takes us from prehistoric times to contemporary Africa in fewer than 250 pages. Needless to say, the text is concise, and it is precisely for its brevity that it is important for the readers to understand what Collins has achieved in this work....Given its characteristics, this book will be a valuable tool for teachers and graduate students. Certain chapters can also be useful for course reading in introductory courses, although these need to be carefully chosen. Finally, historians of Africa will also benefit from reading this text. Like any good work of synthesis it will encourage reconceptionalization and reassessment and thus will contribute to the exploration of old and new questions."" ---African Studies Review (April 07)