The best 18 African History books

Nelson Mandela's A Long Walk to Freedom (1994) is one of the most famous autobiographies of recent times. It tells the story of his life, from his humble beginnings in the South African countryside to his work as an iconic anti-apartheid freedom fighter, and ends, after chronicling his twenty-year prison sentence, with his final victory and release.

• People interested in Nelson Mandela
• Anyone curious about South African history
• Proponents of social justice

A Long Way Gone (2007) is a story of how, as a young boy in Sierra Leone, the author found himself caught in a civil war and recruited as a child soldier. You’ll travel alongside during his harrowing journey, eventual rescue and recovery guided through the kindness and grace of loving people.

• Anyone interested in modern history of Sierra Leone
• Students of history exploring civil wars and warfare
• People curious about the ongoing plight of child soldiers in Africa

Strength in What Remains (2009) tells the story of a man who, after fleeing war-torn Burundi, is able to make his dreams a reality with the help of a few kind souls. By following his story, you’ll learn all about how the small actions of a few good people can make a huge difference for a community on the other side of the world.

• Anyone interested in refugees' stories 
• People curious about the Hutu-Tutsi conflict
• Established and aspiring philanthropists

The Rift (2015) is a revealing look at Africa’s emergence as a continent no longer defined by poverty, war, corruption and dependence on the West. Find out how modern farming methods, solar and mobile technologies and new leadership are creating a brighter future for Africa.

• Investors looking for new opportunities in Africa
• Those dubious of the idea that Africa is only about war and famine

Born a Crime (2016) is about Trevor Noah's childhood and adolescence in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa. A child of mixed heritage, Noah details the challenges he faced and the peculiarities that existed when he was growing up.

• Trevor Noah fans
• Those interested in life during and after apartheid in South Africa
• Anyone after an inspiring personal story

The Congo from Leopold to Kabila (2002) is the history of the Congolese democratic movement in the twentieth century. The history begins with Belgian colonial rule, working its way through Mobutu’s reign of terror, before looking at the Congo Wars and concluding with the prolific unrest still rampant at the turn of the century. This survey illuminates how exploitative external interests and internal weaknesses have hampered the Congolese democratic movement and proposes how it might still advance.

• Curious minds interested in Congolese history and its democracy movement
• Students of colonial and postcolonial history
• Africans and non-Africans seeking African history as told from an insider perspective

To Stop a Warlord (2019) is an inspiring account of a remarkable mission: the quest to bring to justice one of the world’s most notorious war criminals – Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army. Packed with insights into Africa’s longest-running conflict, this account tells how Shannon Sedgwick Davis helped assemble an unlikely alliance between philanthropists, the Ugandan military and a South African mercenary to take on Kony’s army across four countries. While that coalition might not have achieved its primary objective of bringing Kony to justice, it did help tip the balance in favor of peace.

• Campaigners, activists and human-rights advocates
• Politics buffs fascinated by Central Africa’s past and present
• Anyone interested in conflict resolution

A History of Nigeria (2008) documents the millennia-long history of the areas that make up the modern nation of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. Going on an epic journey from the region’s precolonial past right up to the country’s recent transition toward democracy, the authors document the riveting history of a nation and, of course, its people – whose future looks bright.

• Students of history, international relations or politics
• Curious individuals wanting to discover the riveting story of Africa’s most populous nation
• Nigerians – or people of Nigerian descent – who would like to learn more about the country’s history

A People Betrayed (2000) is a masterful, in-depth look at the international community’s failure to intervene in one of the greatest humanitarian catastrophes since the Holocaust. Through selfish and racist policies, the UN and its Security Council dithered  and denied its way through three months of genocidal slaughter. As a direct result of their inaction, an estimated one million civilians were brutally murdered.

• Anyone interested in how policy translates from boardroom to battlefield
• History buffs interested in the chilling after-effects of colonialism in Africa
• People who suspect there’s a dark side to the new world order

Afropean (2020) is a travelogue tracing the hidden history and culture of Black people in Europe. Exploring cities such as Paris, Berlin, and Moscow, author Johny Pitts reveals the diversity of African-descendent communities in Europe – and shows how they are forging new identities for themselves beyond the continent’s colonialist legacy.

• Young Europeans navigating questions of nationality, identity, and community
• Backpackers, wanderers, and other travel addicts
• People interested in Europe’s hidden Black history and culture

King Leopold’s Ghost (1998) is the devastating story of how one man – Leopold, King of the Belgians – developed a territory comprising one-thirteenth of the African continent into his personal fiefdom. While publicizing his supposedly benevolent intentions, Leopold enslaved vast numbers of people, forcing them to harvest ivory and rubber in appalling conditions. In all, an estimated ten million Africans died while he was the King-Sovereign of the Congo. 

• Anyone too horrified by colonialism to look away
• Those interested in little-known histories
• Scholars of African history

Read to you by Twaambo Kapilikisha

Nelson Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom (1994) is one of the most famous autobiographies of recent times. It tells the story of his life, from his humble beginnings in the South African countryside to his work as an iconic anti-apartheid freedom fighter, and ends, after chronicling his twenty-year prison sentence, with his final victory and release.

• People interested in Nelson Mandela
• Anyone curious about South African history
• Proponents of social justice

River of the Gods (2022) follows two audacious individuals as they search for the source of the world’s longest river. At the time, this was a question of mythical proportions, and one which would consume and break the men sent to answer it.

• History buffs
• Travel lovers
• Anyone who grew up with navigation apps on their smartphone

The Making of Modern South Africa (2012) traces the history of South Africa from the colonial conquests of the eighteenth century to the birth of an inclusive democracy in 1994. Along the way, it unpacks how struggles over land, natural resources, and belonging shaped the country’s development. 

• Historians 
• Politics buffs
• Anyone interested in race and equality

The Wretched of the Earth (2021) is a seminal work examining the psychological effects of colonialism and advocating for revolutionary struggle against racist and colonial oppression. It has profoundly influenced civil rights, anti-colonial, Black consciousness, and psychiatric reform movements globally since its publication in 1961.

• Activists and organizers
• Students and scholars
• People who care about justice

This book is a memoir that tells the harrowing story of three young boys who were forced to flee their homes in war-torn Sudan. They endure unimaginable hardships as they make their way to safety, facing starvation, disease, and violence along the way. It is a powerful account of resilience and the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

• Individuals interested in personal stories of resilience and survival
• History enthusiasts looking to learn about the Sudanese civil war
• Readers who enjoy narratives about overcoming adversity and finding hope in difficult circumstances

This book tells the incredible true story of John Bul Dau and other Lost Boys of Sudan who fled their war-torn country and embarked on a perilous journey to find safety and a better life. It offers a firsthand account of their resilience, determination, and the challenges they faced as they sought refuge in the United States. It is a powerful and inspiring tale of survival and the strength of the human spirit.

• Those who are interested in the experiences and resilience of Sudanese refugees
• Readers who want to gain insights into the challenges and triumphs of being a displaced person
• Individuals who enjoy memoirs that offer a unique perspective on war, survival, and hope

The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings by John Haywood provides a comprehensive overview of the Viking Age. Through detailed maps, illustrations, and insightful commentary, the book explores the expansion of the Viking people, their raids and conquests, as well as their cultural and economic activities. It offers a fascinating glimpse into one of history's most intriguing civilizations.

• Readers who are interested in the history and culture of the Viking Age

• Students and academics studying Norse history or archaeology

• Travelers planning a trip to Viking historical sites in Scandinavia or beyond