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.
'Anyone embarking on a history of the Caribbean is faced with a complexity of problems. What, for a start, do you mean by the Caribbean? And how do you provide a chronological and analytical narrative that embraces widely divergent geographies, nationalities, and peoples over, say, a millennium? If any single historian is qualified to tackle the topic, [B. W.] Higman is surely the best ... A Concise History of the Caribbean is a rare book - an important study for all students of the Caribbean, but with a resonance that goes well beyond the Caribbean itself.' James Walvin, New West Indian Guide







