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An African History of Africa

From the Dawn of Humanity to Independence

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An African History of Africa

Written by: Zeinab Badawi
Narrated by: Zeinab Badawi
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Everyone is originally from Africa, and this book is therefore for everyone.

For too long, Africa's history has been neglected. Dominated by western narratives of slavery and colonialism, its past has been fragmented, overlooked and denied its rightful place in our global story.

Now, Zeinab Badawi guides us through Africa's spectacular history, from the origins of humanity, through ancient civilisations and medieval empires with powerful queens and kings, to the miseries of conquest and the elation of independence.

Seeking out occluded histories from across the continent, meeting with countless historians, anthropologists, archaeologists and local storytellers, and travelling through more than thirty countries, Badawi weaves together a fascinating new account of Africa: an epic, sweeping history of the oldest inhabited continent on the planet, told through the voices of Africans themselves.

©2024 Zeinab Badawi (P)2024 Penguin Audio

 Africa Americas Ancient Black & African American Civilisation Modern United States World

Critic Reviews

Zeinab Badawi’s remarkable new book lives up to her dependable standards of excellence. It takes the reader on an up-close-and-personal journey across this unique continent, seemingly holding your hand while uncovering extraordinary gems of truth as she allows previously untold stories to be heard (Margaret Busby CBE)
A fascinating, thought-provoking and entertaining romp through several thousand years of history . . . This book is for everyone not only in the sense that we are all, ultimately, from Africa, but also because it is highly readable (Justin Marozzi)
A refreshing corrective to narratives imposed on the continent by others . . . Ambitious in scope . . . The very act of telling African history from an African perspective and by making this history accessible to a wide audience is an assertion of dignity and an invitation to learn more . . . As Badawi puts it: “I hope I have demonstrated that Africa has a history, that it is a fundamental part of our global story, and one that is worthy of greater attention and respect than it has so far received.” She most certainly has (Simukai Chigdu)
Zeinab Badawi reclaims her home continent’s past . . . Researched across more than 30 countries, it brings dazzling civilisations of pre-colonial Africa vividly to life. A book that feels long-overdue . . . and wholly worth the wait
Authoritative and compelling (Sathnam Sanghera)
In a world where western narratives have poorly chalked up Africa’s history to simply one of slavery and colonialism, Badawi heads out on a corrective journey. Visiting 30 of the continent’s countries and interviewing everyone from historians to anthropologists, this is an eye-opening book
Both a tour d'horizon and a tour de force, marvellously readable and beautifully written. This is a book that should be read by anyone who is interested in Africa, by anyone who thinks they know all they need to know about Africa, and above all by anyone who has no interest in Africa at all. It will transform their views of the continent, its peoples and its histories. I cannot recommend it too strongly or praise it too highly (Professor Sir David Cannadine)
Epic, magnificent, brilliant. Zeinab Badawi's soaring African history is as majestic, thrilling and vibrant as the continent of Africa itself. A moving personal journey, an investigation into the earliest years of human life, a powerful manifesto for historical research and national memory, this genius book - bursting with stories of incredible courage and determination, from battling empires, colonial fightback, ending the slave trade and forming nations - is a tour de force and entirely unforgettable (Professor Kate Williams)
All stars
Most relevant
I enjoyed listening to the book, the rich history of Africa is written in a very concise and interesting way. You realise how much of our culture and media is focused on the west and totally blinds us to the African stories and its people and culture. So many amazing historical figures were unknown to me before and this book certainly opened my eyes to them and got me interested to find out more about many such women and men whose stories have been suppressed by colonisers. There was an audio issue here and there - many words of a sentence got stuck and skipped ahead. Audible needs to fix that

Decolonising our understanding of Africa. Important Book and great narration

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