Guilt over slavery and its inheritances rightly grips Europe and America. But this electrifying history of its brutality runs deeper and longer across Africa, still now, still hidden away. This erudite book is an eye-opening revelation and a transfixing read. -- Polly Toynbee, Guardian columnist Expansive and sophisticated, Martin Plauts book is absolutely essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the long history of slavery, and its ongoing life. -- Kris Manjapra, author of Black Ghost of Empire An immense, bold undertaking, placing the dominant trans-Atlantic narrative as one part of a jigsaw that stretches across five millenia and involves the enslavement and trade in humans within Africa itself and across multiple oceans. -- Mary Harper, BBC Africa Editor, and author An important introduction to a controversial subject. As usual Martin Plaut pulls no punches and provides evidence from ancient Egypt to the modern day to make a compelling case against Africas rich and powerful. -- Hakim Adi, author of African and Caribbean People in Britain Martin Plaut has combined his journalists eye with scholarship and depth of understanding of Africa to bring to life, through the words of the enslaved, a compelling analysis of the complexity and scale of African enslavement and its continuing impact on current African areas of conflict. -- Mark Bowden, former UN Assistant Secretary General A powerful narrative that reads like a thriller. Martin Plauts meticulous research provides a much-needed correction of the myths and misperceptions around a most sordid aspect of our common humanity. -- Mukesh Kapila, author of Against A Tide Of Evil In masterly fashion, Unbroken Chains sweeps from the trans-Saharan slave trade through indigenous slavery in Ethiopia and Nigeria to the Indian Ocean trade and slavery today. A must-read for anyone interested in African enslavement. -- Christopher Saunders, University of Cape Town This important book covers the vast canvas of Africas enslaved peoples, underlining that the abomination of slavery was not confined to the trans-Atlantic trade. -- Sue Onslow, Visiting Professor, Kings College London
