Owen J. M. Kalinga - Historical dictionary of Malawi

This third edition of the Historical Dictionary of Malawi is a greatly expanded and updated version of early ones. Containing over 1000 entries, it is the most extensive single-volume reference book on Malawi covering a broad range of fields, including war, disease, the rise and fall of state systems, religious socio-political movements, natural sciences, the environment, transport and the economy. The Dictionary charts developments from prehistory to post-Banda Malawi, from Tom Bokwito to James Sangala, and the UMCA Mission at Magomero to the general elections of 1999, paying particular attention to individuals, groups and forces that have molded this Southern African country. The book is user-friendly: it has a chronology section containing important dates and events; all entries are in alphabetical order; it also has a long informative bibliographical section, organized according to subjects such as biography, culture, the economy, gender, government, history, law, literature, and medicine and science. The last part of the bibliography is a list of current and obsolete newspapers and periodicals relating to Malawi.The dictionary answers the need for a comprehensive reference book on Malawi. It is detailed and wide-ranging in its coverage of subjects, and should be an essential companion for students, teachers, scholars and general readers interested in learning and understanding more about the past and present of the Lake Malawi region.