Description

Oliver s well-researched biography of Mansa Musa reads like an exotic tale of gold, glory, and adventure. During his long reign as Mali s emperor, Mansa Musa led his empire into its Golden Age; presided over a spectacular, 60,000 person, 9,000 mile pilgrimage; founded a university in Timbuktu; and helped revolutionize architecture across the Sudan. Oliver does not allow Musa s story to get bogged down in detail by seamlessly weaving a lot of history into his narrative and by supplying curious readers with an extensive Glossary.Many of the African ancestors of today s African-Americans came from West Africa. From 700 — 1600 A. D., one after the other, three great, black, commercial empires dominated West Africa. They were powerful, prosperous, complex, stable — and large. At its height, the Empire of Mali was the size of all of Western Europe.Well-crafted and fast paced, Oliver s book is enhanced by a liberal sprinkling of enjoyable drawings, clear and helpful maps, and interesting photos. Not only are Mansa Musa s triumphs and dilemmas clearly portrayed, but so are the lives of the people of medieval Mali.