Dahomey: The Warrior Kings (The Kingdoms of Africa)

Grade 5-8-Dahomey was a powerful West African kingdom that flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries. In five brief but thorough chapters, Koslow describes the establishment of the Dahomean Empire; the reign of its warlike kings (according to legend, the founders were sired by a leopard); and their influence on the kingdom's political and social structure, religion, technology, art, and trade. Particularly fascinating is the section detailing how these rulers prospered through the slave trade. Interestingly enough, the role of European slave merchants in this inhuman trade is omitted. The text is tightly organized and is illustrated with full-color, as well as black-and-white photographs. An invaluable resource.
Gebregeorgis Yohannes, San Francisco Public Library, CA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.