The World and a Very Small Place in Africa (Sources & Studies in World History)
Wright (history, SUNY) blends detailed local history with global systems theory to illuminate the changing economic and political fortunes of a small group of people in Niumi, a small area at the mouth of the Gambia river in West Africa (now called The Gambia). Over a period of 450 years, Niumi has increasingly merged with ever-wider economies. Wright traces how the state adapted over time to both opportunity and exploitation. As Niumi was the homeland of the central character in Alex Haley's Roots, the book may find a wider readership than most academic studies. Recommended for larger public and academic libraries.?Bill Rau, Takoma Park, Md.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.