The Scramble for Africa astonished everyone.
In 1880 most of the continent was ruled by Africans, and barely explored. By 1902, five European Powers (and one extraordinary individual) had grabbed almost the whole continent, giving themselves 30 new colonies and protectorates and 10 million square miles of new territory, and 110 million bewildered new subjects. Thomas Pakenham’s story of the conquest of Africa is recognised as one of the finest narrative histories of the last few decades.
In 1880 most of the continent was ruled by Africans, and barely explored. By 1902, five European Powers (and one extraordinary individual) had grabbed almost the whole continent, giving themselves 30 new colonies and protectorates and 10 million square miles of new territory, and 110 million bewildered new subjects. Thomas Pakenham’s story of the conquest of Africa is recognised as one of the finest narrative histories of the last few decades.
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Reviews
Magnificent, swashbuckling . . . epic
Vast, scholarly and delightful
Pakenham tells the story with pace and compulsive readability . . . conceived on a grand scale with all the colour and control of a master artist
Masterly, full of pace and character
Once again Pakenham shows a dazzling, almost filmic ability to tell a good story