ABSTRACT

The core of the book is Oliver's account of his research travels throughout tropical Africa from the 1940s to the 1980s; his efforts to train and foster African graduate students to teach in African universities; his role in establishing conferences and journals to bring together the work of historians and archaeologists from Europe and Africa; his encounters with political and religious leaders, scholars, soldiers, and storytellers; and the political and economic upheavals of the continent that he witnessed.

chapter 1|11 pages

A Child of the Raj (1923–30)

chapter 2|7 pages

Unwillingly to School (1930–36)

chapter 3|12 pages

Stowe and King's (1936–42)

chapter 4|9 pages

Most Secret War (1942–45)

chapter 5|12 pages

Two Towards Africa (1945–48)

chapter 6|17 pages

The First Exposure (1948–49)

chapter 7|16 pages

Three Kingdoms (1949)

chapter 8|11 pages

Pastoral Pursuits (1950)

chapter 9|10 pages

To Lake Tanganyika and Back (1950)

chapter 10|15 pages

The Martial Races (1950)

chapter 11|11 pages

The East African Horizon (1950)

chapter 12|10 pages

Taking Stock (1950–53)

chapter 13|12 pages

The Political Kingdom (1953–55)

chapter 14|12 pages

A Chair Declined (1955–57)

chapter 15|12 pages

Introduction to West Africa (1957)

chapter 16|18 pages

West to East (1958)

chapter 17|14 pages

East Africa Revisited (1958)

chapter 18|10 pages

East to South (1958)

chapter 19|18 pages

Full Throttle (1958–60)

chapter 20|15 pages

Spreading the Word (1960–62)

chapter 21|11 pages

New World Awakening (1962)

chapter 22|18 pages

The Crest of the Wave (1962–63)

chapter 23|13 pages

The Start of the Marathon (1964–65)

chapter 24|12 pages

The Lions of Judah (1965–66)

chapter 25|16 pages

Scholarly Wanderings (1967–68)

chapter 26|14 pages

Revolting Students (1968–72)

chapter 27|15 pages

Filling in the Gaps (1973–78)

chapter 28|16 pages

In Tenebris Lux (1979–83)

chapter 29|18 pages

The End of the Marathon (1984–85)

chapter 30|21 pages

A Man of Letters (1985–90)