With a sharp eye towards debunking a few centuries of self-serving white European mythic history about the origins of African societies, but without any particular ax to grind but those of intelligence and accuracy, J.D. Fage's work is scholarly and readable. It is a critical survey, with an excellent bibliography spanning a large number of subjects. His knowledge of west Africa is particularly impressive, and he clearly delineates the powers of both external cultural forces sweeping into Africa (Islam) as well as those that originated there.