im reading a thick and intensive book by thomas pakenham called, 'the scramble for africa'...
taking one through the europeans desperate scramble to divide and rape the continent of africa in the late 1800's... which the continent has never recovered from...
you can read a bit more about it on the new world encylopedia or order it on amazon.

i see there is also a new version by author john gahzvinian...

which i believe is a more recent look at the european powers [and of course china], and how they are effecting the continent in their search for cheap resources...
going to borrow that one from meghan as soon as i finish this first edition...