01 Sep

Mobile library

Travellers historyA Traveller’s History of the Caribbean
James Ferguson
Recommended to me by both my Mum and Dad, I finished this book in Mexico just in time to enter Belize. This country is known as a bridge between Central America and the Caribbean. The people have more in common with those in the islands than their nearby neighbours in Guatemala and Mexico.

The book jumps around Caribbean nations following key events in chronological order rather than having one chapter on each country. I really preferred this format because it gives you a ‘big picture’ of what was going on, many of these countries have interrelated histories. It also holds your interest more successfully, it leaves you wondering what happened next in say, Jamaica, as you move to read about Haiti.
I recently became a British citizen and am from a Commonwealth country. I had no idea of the scale of England’s role in the slave trade. Between 1701 and 1800 England was responsible for the movement and sale of around 2.5 million West Africans.
A really readable and enjoyable book that contains information I felt like I already should have known. Definitely recommended for people keen to improve their knowledge of this part of the world but not interested in really in-depth and long history books.

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