A Concise History of the Caribbean: (Cambridge Concise Histories)

A Concise History of the Caribbean presents a general history of the Caribbean islands from the beginning of human settlement about seven thousand years ago to the present. It narrates processes of early human migration, the disastrous consequences of European colonization, the development of slavery and the slave trade, the extraordinary profits earned by the plantation economy, the great revolution in Haiti, movements toward political independence, the Cuban Revolution, and the diaspora of Caribbean people. Written in a lively and accessible style yet current with the most recent research, the book provides a compelling narrative of Caribbean history essential for students and visitors.

Table of Contents:
1. A history of islands; 2. Ancient archipelago, 7200 BC–AD 1492; 3. Columbian cataclysm, 1492–1630; 4. Plantation peoples, 1630–1770; 5. Rebels and revolutionaries, 1770–1870; 6. Democrats and dictators, 1870–1945; 7. The Caribbean since 1945; 8. Canoe, caravel, container ship.

About the Author :
B. W. Higman is the William Keith Hancock Professor of History at the Australian National University. He is the author of ten books on Caribbean history, archaeology and geography, including Slave Population and Economy in Jamaica, 1807–1834 (Cambridge University Press, 1976, awarded the Bancroft Prize), Plantation Jamaica 1750–1850: Capital and Control in a Colonial Economy (2005) and Jamaican Food: History, Biology, Culture (2008). Higman is Professor Emeritus of the University of the West Indies, Mona campus, Jamaica.

Review :
'A first-rate interpretive overview that at present has no equal, by a master historian and insightful scholar.' David Barry Gaspar, Duke University 'This is the best short general history available on the Caribbean, covering the area with magisterial authority as well as enviable comprehensiveness and competence.' Franklin W. Knight, The Johns Hopkins University 'An excellent comparative history by a leading historian of the Caribbean … a perceptive analysis of West Indian people and their environment from ancient times to the present.' Kenneth Morgan, Brunel University 'In this fast-paced, compact text, the prolific B. W. Higman chronicles familiar and new life-changing episodes in the history of those who settled voluntarily or involuntarily in the complex space we call the Caribbean.' Verene A. Shepherd, University of the West Indies 'A compelling narrative of the rich history of the Caribbean. Higman provides a comprehensive introduction in an accessible style.' Living Abroad Magazine '… a lively, well-written, and thorough work that will be useful to students, to scholars wishing to catch up on the history of this region, and - it is hoped - to the general reader.' Asa McKercher, Canadian Journal of History