Rating: 
Summary: Good read-- informative and inclusive
Review: I just finished this 700-page history of colonialism in Africa. It was precisely what I was looking for-- a look at colonialism in Africa; who did it, where, why, and for how long. The only fault I might attribute to it is its emphasis on the white male players who made it all happen and not much on the Africans' perspective. Nevertheless, it was an extremely informative book that cut none of the imperialists slack. Germans, English, Boers, French, Italians, Arabs, and King Leopold the Belgian were all given equally (brutally) honest treatment. Good job, Mr. Parkenham!
Rating: 
Summary: A compellingly well-written, deeply erudite book.
Review: I knew little of African history before reading it. Having just finished it, I feel like I know so much more, and yet so much less - just what a good history is supposed to do. It is dense and long, but by the end the reader will have a clear sense of how the colonial history of Africa is so central to understanding its modern predicament.
Rating: 
Summary: Deceiving
Review: If you believe Britain made what Africa is today than this is the book for you. Pakenham portrays the scramble for Africa as a two-player game between Britain and France, with little attention being paid to the portuguese, german, italian or spanish presence and interests in the continent. As a result, Pakenham's book is really a book about the British scramble for Africa, neglecting some of the most curious cultural and political aspects of the heterogeneous european presence in Africa. Focused in Britain, Pakenham also misses the opportunity to explore the reaction of african cultures to colonial advances and the position of independent african states. It is therefore a rather poor book and one in which prejudice against other european colonial powers is too often evident.
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Summary: He's Scooped The Pool!
Review: Nineteenth century Europe was stunned when that brash American journalist-cum-conquistador Henry Stanley captured the much-coveted Pool (to be named Stanley Pool) at the foot of the Congo River, where lies modern Kinshasa. With that, Belgium's King Leopold had control of the Congo trade, making him the most powerful man in Africa. It was a power he was to abuse terribly, and Pakenham spares us none of the awful details. In this panoramic study we also explore the French conquest of Niger, German misbehavior in Namibia, British defeat and redemption in Sudan, Anglo-French perfidity in Egypt and Italian misdeeds in Ethiopia. In presenting this story from a European perspective, Pakenham taps into the ambivalence of the Scramble: it was an era which threw up heroic figures (Livingston, Brazza and young Winston Churchill, to name a few); still, the Scramble was a deeply cowardly enterprise: the subjugation of the weak by the strong.
Rating:
Summary: AN EXCELLENT ROAD MAP
Review: The axiom, you can know a little about a lot or a lot about a little, illustrates the problem of generalized histories. This book takes a big bite and is thus limited in how much it tells about any given event or personality. Given this fact it still manages to deliver an extraordinary amount of information to the reader. At the same time, if you want a large road map, this book fulfills that mandate splendidly. One of the Amazon reviews apparently thought the book had a British bias. Perhaps, but then England was a major player in the scramble for Africa. To be fair, the book spends much time on Bismark (German), and King Leopold (Belgium) as well as various African rulers and explorers. The book is about remarkable personalities woven into a tapestry that depicts the acculturation process of two civilizations, at very different levels of achievement, bumping into each other. Africa has yet to recover from this epic collision. An excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: Well worth your time
Review: The Scamble for Africa is an excellant book, going deep into the colonization of Africa by the white man and the crimes against humanity which they commited. It is very interesting and goes into great detail. It has many historical figures to keep track of, but that is of no importance. I especially enjoy and recommend the chapter "Rhode's War". I enjoyed the Boer war chapters. It is very good for a rainy day and even more for research. It is good for people who enjoy history or are curiousabout European colonies. It spans from 1878 to 1904. It is an excellant book on a seldom studied subject.
Rating:
Summary: Very informative account of the fate of Africa
Review: This massive book (738 pages plus photos & maps) offers the reader an interesting and enjoyable account of the European powers race to 'civilize' the African continent. The book covers the great explorers, the numerous battles and conflicts (between the European powers and the natives and between the European powers) and many other interesting items during this 'scramble for Africa'. I found this book to be a great read, very enjoyable and although the size may be daunting it never got boring. The author covers the period from 1876 through to 1912 in 37 chapters of interesting reading. "Whatever happens, we have got the Maxium gun, and they have not!" about covers it!
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating account
Review: Thomas Pakenham's sprawling story of the slicing up of a continent by European powers is fascinating, well-written, well worth your time. It's interesting that surprisingly little of the colonization of Africa between 1876 and 1912 came by direct military conquest. No, England, France and Germany (principally) sank their teeth into the continent mostly in less direct ways that were just as dismaying. "The Scramble for Africa" presents a panorama of villains and heroes, both white and black, but paints it with sufficient shades of gray. Much of what happens is despicable to us today, but Pakenham helps us understand the whys. The book is not perfect. For American eyes, Pakenham assumes too much knowledge of British history and its political system. There are a lot of names to keep track of, and there is an occasional lack of clarity as to what precisely is going on. Pakenham also has a curious habit of not always making clear who is being quoted. Still, this is a strong, well-written, fascinating account of a strange, exciting period in world history.
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Summary: History book that reads like a novel
Review: What a great book, I learned so much about how Africa was shaped through this book, and Packenhams style is so engaging to me that this book reads like a novel. The suspense when Stanley emerges from the jungle, and when Churchill charges on horse back into battle are really stuff of fantasy but basically its all true.
Of course its not all glory, lots of bad things were done and a lot of the todays trouble can be blamed on this period.
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Summary: Africa, Strangled at Birth
Review: When I study an atlas and look at the borders of any European Country, I see few straight lines. When I turn to the page on Africa, there are many straight lines. The story behind these lines is one of greed, cruelty, heroism, misguided pride and sadness. Thomas Pakenham has written more than a book. He has written a history lesson. I came away from this beginning to know and understand present day problems in Africa - by looking at the universal starting point for society's problems, history. All the major players are here. France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Arabia and last, but not least, my own country - Great Britain. The colonial cake was originally fought over the Far East, The Americas, The Indian Subcontinent - until the European, a little late (1870), and, reluctantly at first, found the great prize of Africa. Gold, Diamonds, Game, Land, Copper... Then the scramble, the squabling, the division. An adventure built on the heroics of early explorers ended up in tears.. on all sides. George Pakenham tells you how, in a sweeping, impartial account. He lets the reader decide. I guarantee that if you read this book, your views on Africa will be changed for ever.
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