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A Fistful of Shells : West Africa from the Rise of the Slave Trade to the Age of Revolution
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Toby Green's groundbreaking book, 'A Fistful of Shells: West Africa from the Rise...
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Toby Green's groundbreaking book, 'A Fistful of Shells: West Africa from the Rise of the Slave Trade to the Age of Revolution,' offers a transformative perspective on the history of West and West-Central Africa. By the late 19th century's 'Scramble for Africa,' the region had already been globally interconnected for centuries. Its gold had fueled the economies of Europe and the Islamic world since around 1000 AD, and its sophisticated kingdoms had traded with Europeans along the coasts from Senegal to Angola since the 15th century. Until at least 1650, this was a trade of equals, utilizing various currencies – most notably cowrie shells imported from the Maldives and nzimbu shells from Brazil.
Green's work reconstructs the world of kingdoms whose existence revolved around warfare, taxation, trade, diplomacy, complex religious beliefs, royal displays of extravagance, and the production of art – much like their European counterparts. Over time, the relationship between Africa and Europe increasingly centered on the slave trade, eroding Africa's relative political and economic power as the terms of monetary exchange shifted drastically in Europe's favor. Despite these growing capital imbalances, longstanding contacts ensured remarkable connections between the Age of Revolution in Europe and America and the birth of a revolutionary 19th century in Africa.
Drawing not just on written histories but also archival research in nine countries, art, praise-singers, oral history, archaeology, letters, and the author's personal experiences, 'A Fistful of Shells' creates a new perspective on the history of one of the world's most important regions. Described as 'astonishing' and 'staggering' by Ben Okri in the Daily Telegraph, this book has been shortlisted for numerous prestigious awards, including the Wolfson History Prize, Cundill History Prize, Fage and Oliver Prize, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the Pius Adesanmi Memorial Award. It has also won the Historical Writers' Association Non-Fiction Crown 2020, the American Historical Association's Jerry Bentley Prize in World History 2020, and the Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize for Global Cultural Understanding 2019.
Product Information:
| Book ISBN: | 9780141977669 |
| Book Author: | Toby Green |
| Book Format: | Paperback / softback |
| Book Imprint: | Penguin Books Ltd |
| Book Publisher: | Penguin Books Ltd |
| Book Dimensions: | 129 x 196 x 28 cm |
| Book Publication Date: | 2020-01-30 |
| Book Pagination: | 656 pages |
| Book Weight: | 444g |
Sherlock & Pages is a little bookshop with a big heart. We are based in Frome, Somerset, England and curate lists of books in the areas we are passionate about – landscape, nature, history, and heritage. In short, the conservation of all we’ve inherited and all we are responsible to pass on. We aim to inspire and be inspired, to form a literary culture of care and passion about this precious planet we call home.
This is a shop where you might find something you haven’t seen before, and we like to think we’ve got something for everyone. We choose each of our books with care and for a reason. This is because our physical store is small but beautifully formed, holding only around 1200 titles at any one time. We try and recreate the feel of the shop wherever we are online, to reflect our niche categories and personality.
We have an active social media presence and aim to share our story with all our friends. The long-term goal is to build a hub for the books and writers we believe in. Who knows where our adventure will lead but by supporting Sherlock & Pages you’re helping us to add a further layer of magic to our little corner of the world. If you haven’t visited our physical store, one day you might just make a literary pilgrimage down to Somerset.
Our tagline is ‘Long Live the Hedgerows’ and our symbol a hibernating dormouse. If you want to support an independent with a unique character and which will share stories with you for years to come, then choose Sherlock & Pages. The world needs bookshops with soul, for they are ‘citadels of light.’
Sherlock & Pages is a little bookshop with a big heart. We are based in Frome, Somerset, England and curate lists of books in the areas we are passionate about – landscape, nature, history, and heritage. In short, the conservation of all we’ve inherited and all we are responsible to pass on. We aim to inspire and be inspired, to form a literary culture of care and passion about this precious planet we call home.
This is a shop where you might find something you haven’t seen before, and we like to think we’ve got something for everyone. We choose each of our books with care and for a reason. This is because our physical store is small but beautifully formed, holding only around 1200 titles at any one time. We try and recreate the feel of the shop wherever we are online, to reflect our niche categories and personality.
We have an active social media presence and aim to share our story with all our friends. The long-term goal is to build a hub for the books and writers we believe in. Who knows where our adventure will lead but by supporting Sherlock & Pages you’re helping us to add a further layer of magic to our little corner of the world. If you haven’t visited our physical store, one day you might just make a literary pilgrimage down to Somerset.
Our tagline is ‘Long Live the Hedgerows’ and our symbol a hibernating dormouse. If you want to support an independent with a unique character and which will share stories with you for years to come, then choose Sherlock & Pages. The world needs bookshops with soul, for they are ‘citadels of light.’
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