Howard W. French

This book basically changed my take on history in general. Why it has to come from a journalist rather than a historian is a sad commentary on historians. French makes an overwhelmingly convincing case for the centrality of African slavery in the economic success that vaulted Western nations to the forefront of world power. The enormous profits from sugar plantations fueled the industrial revolution in England and elsewhere, for instance. French writes clearly and compellingly, although the book could use a bit better organization. His personal travels to some of the places that were so important in the past but have now been pretty much erased from mainstream history are fascinating. He also makes the important point that Africa was not just a stopping point as part of a more important quest to reach Asia, it was a prime destination on its own, first for the gold of the Gold Coast (present day Ghana) and later for the slaves that were essential for plantation agriculture, especially in the West Indies where European diseases had killed most of the native population. This book should be required reading for every history class in America.… (altro)

For someone like me (American, generally aware of current events but not particularly aware of e.g Vietnamese-Chinese conflict beyond there being a history of wars and imperialism "a long time ago", etc.) this book was both incredibly eye-opening and a series of, "Oh, right, duh!" moments. I've read enough to know about Chinese expansion southward over the last couple of mellenia, to know about "Chinese exceptionalism," to know about Chinese imperialism, indigenous racism, etc. I have had a couple of people (as I now think about it, all Vietnamese) express shockingly, ahh, strong distaste for the Chinese, in one case something approaching apoplectic rage.

Ahh, now I see.

Highly readable and timely, and putting forward a cultural and geopolitical explanation (though at one point Mr. French curiously somewhat disavows that he is doing the latter, per se) that makes sense of China's actions, some of the online vitriol I have run into in English (mainly, in my slight experience, from Chinese students in the US, Canada, and Australia), and positions all that to make some weak(-ish) predictions and recommendations.… (altro)

A good review of the chaotic 1990's, but only about central and west Africa. also, there's nothing more in depth as to the root causes of the ongoing cycle of violence beyond "European colonization made us this way". Contrary to the subtitle,there is no indication of hope.
The author seems to think that America should step in at every opportunity, and if it doesn't, it is to blame wholly for any succeeding violence. Also, the author's holier -than-thou attitude got to me a few times (granted, it only showed up a few times), most especially when implying that Doctors Without Borders personnel investigating an Ebola outbreak somehow cared less about a local population than does the author (despite the fact that the doctors were there for weeks if not months and the author flew in for a day to snap some photos).
Glad I read it, because I do recognize that I know far too little about Africa and the recent history that impacts modern politics. but if this is the best book out there on modern Africa, it is no wonder that the English speaking world quietly ignores the seeming unsolvable problem of Africa.… (altro)