African History

One of the first books to examine the wide breadth of the African Diaspora and its influence on international fashion. Tracing the local and global impact of Black Diasporic designers, Africa's Fashion Diaspora is one of the first books to explore the diverse perspectives and significant roles that Black designers have contributed to the creation of international fashion culture. With...

The Second Emancipation, a work of Odyssean dimension, recasts the liberation of post–World War II colonial Africa and the American civil rights struggle through the lens of Ghana's revolutionary visionary Kwame Nkrumah (1909–1972), who emerges as the most significant African leader of the twentieth century. Determined that readers fully understand Nkrumah's legacy, bestselling author of Born in Blackness, Howard W....

Textual Life is a groundbreaking book that recasts the role of knowledge in the making of a colonial and postcolonial nation. It makes a case for a new literary and intellectual-historical approach to Islam in Africa. The Senegalese Muslim scholar Shaykh Musa Kamara (1864–1945) wrote History of the Blacks, a monumental history of West Africa, during a time when colonial...

A free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press's Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more. Nairobi, named after the cool water that flows through it, started as a railway stop and became known as the Green City in the Sun. Yet, the city has taken shape through a set of anti-urban...

More than fifty years after his death, Gamal Abd al-Nasser remains a towering figure in the Arab world. As one of the young officers who overthrew British-backed King Farouk in 1952, Nasser rose to prominence as a charismatic visionary who challenged foreign dominance. At just 36 years old, he became the undisputed leader of Egypt, in a presidency that would...

A Sea of Wealth is a sweeping retelling of the Omani position in the Indian Ocean. Here the reign of Oman’s longest-serving ruler, Saʿid bin Sultan, offers a keyhole through which we can peer to see the entangled histories of Arabia and the Gulf, South Asia, and East Africa in the Omani Empire. In centering this empire, Nicholas P. Roberts...

How Africa's most notorious tyrant made his oppressive regime seem both necessary and patriotic A Popular History of Idi Amin's Uganda explores the ruthless regime of Idi Amin, who ruled Uganda from 1971 to 1979, inflicting tremendous violence on its people. How did Amin's regime survive for eight calamitous years? Drawing on recently uncovered archival material, Derek Peterson reconstructs the...

Beautiful edition taking the reader through the origins and history of African nations and peoples, highlighting the roots of modern fiction in history, myth and fable. Africa is a crucible of many civilisations, indeed of humanity. African peoples can be traced back 16,000 years or so to 5 ancestral civilisational groups based on their language families, such as the Nilo-Saharan...

The Concubine, Elechi Amadi’s most celebrated work of fiction, paints a picture of pre-colonial life in rural Eastern Nigeria and explores the boundary between myth and reality. Ihuoma is a woman of great beauty and dignity, beloved in a village that remains untouched by colonialism. By all accounts, she should be happy and in love. Yet she faces misfortune after...

Part history, part legend, this is the story of Sundiata Keita: the heroic figure who founded the empire of Mali. A thirteenth-century oral epic, Sundiata sees the full-length tale captured in print for the first time. This is Sundiata, the epic tale of a man 'great among kings' who, through his legendary deeds and exploits, came to father an empire....

The fruit of over two decades of research, this text argues that the Great Pyramid was a source of harmonic resonance that converted the Earth's vibrational energies to electricity. Did this technology of harmonic resonance provide the ancient world with endless supplies of energy, and was this the same energy discovered by Nicholas Tesla? Discover the fascinating theories in The...

Sir Geoffrey Cox described Sidi Rezegh, fought during Operation Crusader in Libya over November and December 1941, as ‘the forgotten battle of the Desert War’. The objective of Crusader was to retake Cyrenaica, the eastern region of Libya, and ultimately drive the Italians and Germans out of North Africa. The campaign also involved British and South African troops, and did...

Britain's Gulag is the twentieth anniversary edition of Caroline Elkins's Pulitzer Prize-winning exposé, now with a new introduction. After decades of British rule in Kenya, 1952 saw the start of the Mau Mau uprising—a mass armed rebellion by the Kikuyu people, demanding the return of their land and freedom. The draconian response of Britain's colonial government was to detain nearly...

What if you could control what the reality around you returns by controlling the energies you sent to the Universe in actions, words, and thoughts? What if you could become the creator of your own happiness, changing the reality around you and achieving your dreams with the power of African Gods and Goddesses? Through African magical traditions and their resemblance...

A unique, startling book that gives a rich and detailed sense of life in an African port some 360 years ago. In 1665 Crispina Peres, the most powerful trader in the West African slave trafficking port of Cacheu, was arrested by the Inquisition. Her enemies had conspired to denounce her for taking treatments prescribed by Senegambian healers—the djabak s. But...

A richly illustrated account of Michael Palin's latest travel adventure. In February 2025, Michael Palin travelled to Venezuela to get a sense of what life is like in one of South America's most culturally rich, vibrant but also troubled nations. In the journal he kept during his trip, he gives a vivid account of the towns and cities he visited,...

“The political machinations, betrayal, and battles may appeal to those fans of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series interested in a real-world game of thrones.” -- Booklist One of Italy’s most revered cultural figures reconstructs the extraordinary life of the legendary Cleopatra at the height of her power in this epic story of passion, intrigue,...

A startling exploration of slavery in the Islamic world from the 7th century to the present. Slavery in the Islamic world has a long, rich and controversial history. Unlike the notorious and shorter-lived Atlantic slave trade, its story is much less known. In the earliest days of Islam, Arab Muslims enslaved men, women and children as the spoils of war....

A lost imperial city, full of wonder and marvels. An empire that was the largest the world had ever seen, established with astonishing speed. A people obsessed with travel, knowledge and adventure. Winner of the Indie Book Awards 2023 Non Fiction Book of the Year Shortlisted for the BookPeople Non Fiction Book of the Year 2023 When Richard Fidler came...

‘POETIC AND FIERCE’ - Olivette Otele, author of African Europeans ‘A RICH, SUMPTUOUS AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN TAPESTRY’ - Candice Carty-Williams, author of Queenie ‘A SEARING, NOURISHING JOURNEY THROUGH A HISTORY THE WORLD NEEDS’ - Bettany Hughes, author of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World ‘PLEASE READ IT!’ - Philippa Gregory, bestselling author of Normal Women Discover the reigns of...

A rumbustious retelling of the birth of the Enlightenment, from the bestselling radical author of The Dawn of Everything. The Enlightenment did not begin in Europe. Its true origins lie thousands of miles away on the island of Madagascar, in the late seventeenth century, when it was home to several thousand pirates. This was the Golden Age of Piracy —...

From the acclaimed author of The Lost Pianos of Siberia, comes a new journey tracing a colonial-era African expedition. In 1879, King Leopold II of Belgium launched an ambitious plan to plunder Africa's resources. The key to cracking open the continent, or so he thought, was its elephants - if only he could train them. And so he commissioned the...

Africa offers a uniquely fascinating journey through the history of a continent and its peoples. Immerse yourself in the intricate story of Africa and discover Africa's true place in world history. Spanning more than 200,000 years, from the emergence of the first humans to the rise of megacities, Africa explores the history and cultures of the world's second-largest continent in...

A radical retelling of the history of science that foregrounds the scientists erased from history. In this major retelling of the history of science from 1450 to the present day, James Poskett explodes the myth that science began in Europe. The blinkered Western gaze focusing on individual 'genius'—Copernicus, Newton, Darwin, Einstein—was only one part of the story. The reality was...

An authoritative rethinking of global history by a leading Yale professor. When did globalization begin? Most observers have settled on 1492, the year Columbus discovered America. But as celebrated Yale professor Valerie Hansen shows, it was the year 1000, when for the first time new trade routes linked the entire globe, so an object could in theory circumnavigate the world....

The final chapter in the definitive, three-volume history of the world's first known state. Archaeologist John Romer has spent a lifetime chronicling the history of Ancient Egypt, and here he tells the epic story of an era dominated by titans of the popular imagination—the radical iconoclast Akhenaten, the boy-king Tutankhamun, and the all-conquering Ramesses II. But 'heroes' do not forge...

A History of Ancient Egypt by John Romer delves into the captivating saga of one of the world's most enigmatic and influential civilizations, from its earliest origins to the creation of its most iconic monument, the Great Pyramid of Giza. This meticulously researched book offers an immersive experience, guiding readers through the rise of ancient Egyptian society, starting from the...

Dictatorland by Paul Kenyon takes readers on an extraordinary journey into the heart of Africa, unveiling the gripping and often horrifying stories behind some of its most infamous dictators. Meticulously researched and engagingly written, this book explores the complex dynamics of power, corruption, and complicity that have shaped the continent's modern history. From the gold-encrusted jungles of the Ivory Coast...

Shortlisted for the 2024 Wolfson History Prize ‘Gripping and profoundly moving’ DAMON GALGUT ‘Deft and operatic’ OBSERVER From one of South Africa’s foremost nonfiction writers, a deeply researched, shattering new account of Nelson Mandela’s relationship with Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Drawing on never-before-seen material, Steinberg reveals the fractures and stubborn bonds at the heart of a volatile and groundbreaking union, a very...

For decades, France has exerted a neocolonial grip on its former African empire, known as the Françafrique. Yet a series of electoral breakthroughs and military coups by opponents of this order have put its future into question. Covering a broad sweep of history from the eighteenth century to the present day, two leading authorities on French neocolonialism, Ndongo Samba Sylla...

An accessible guide to the key milestones in Black history, culture, and society across the globe - from the ancient world to the present. Which were the most powerful African empires? Who were the pioneers of jazz? What sparked the Black Lives Matter movement? This book answers these questions and many more, exploring the rich history of the peoples of...

The Scramble for Africa astonished everyone. In 1880, most of the continent was ruled by Africans and barely explored. By 1902, five European Powers (and one extraordinary individual) had seized almost the entire continent, creating 30 new colonies and protectorates. This land grab added 10 million square miles of new territory and 110 million bewildered new subjects. Thomas Pakenham's account...

Incredibly necessary, magnificently done, Siollun charts the characters and events that shaped the lives of those who inhabited Nigeria's territories centuries before colonisation - Remi Adekoya, author of It's Not About Whiteness, It's About Wealth Without a doubt, Max Siollun is the best Nigeria-focused historian of our times - Matthew T. Page, former U.S. State Department Nigeria expert Max Siollun...

‘One of the greatest writers of our time.’ Toni Morrison You Don’t Know Us Negroes adds immeasurably to our understanding of Hurston … her words make it impossible for readers to consider her anything but one of the intellectual giants of the 20th century.’ The New York Times Book Review Introduction by New York Times bestselling author Henry Louis Gates...

This book is a selective retrospective of David Goldblatt, a key figure in twentieth-century and contemporary photography. Starting from his earliest photographic searchings, it shows the foundations of Goldblatt's critical passion for photography, his social sensitivity, and political consciousness. Also to see are his most recent photographs, always in tight relation to the changing situation in South Africa, his native...

Composed of paper, commercial packaging, and the stuff of everyday life, Bodys Isek Kingelez's extreme maquettes transform these materials into fantastic visions that encompass civic buildings, public monuments, and private pavilions. Published to accompany the first retrospective of his work, this book traces the span of Kingelez's career, from early single structure works included in Centre Pompidou's landmark 1989 exhibition,...

Longlisted for the 2024 Berger Prize. An important illustrated history of the relationship between Cambridge and the Black Atlantic. Between 1400 and 1900, European powers, not least Britain, colonised the Americas and transported over 12.5 million people from sub-Saharan Africa as slaves. The contested space, formed by the interactions of multiple people and cultures, both Black and white, we now...

Focusing on the arrival of the human figure as a subject of art, Mary Beard examines the history of beauty in civilisation. Beginning with the Jericho painted skulls from 10,000 years ago, and the extraordinary figures of Ain Ghazal, it examines in depth the creativity that gave identity to ancient Egypt, where colossi of powerful rulers were also matched by...

A compendium of fascinating and evocative new writing on railway travel and history. Telling of little-known journeys and uncovered histories on railway routes around the world—from the UK, Europe and Africa to North America, the Middle East and Asia. From Myanmar's highlands to the British Pennines, from slow travel between coffee plantations in Borneo to a cross-continent odyssey on African...

With an introduction by award-winning novelist Barbara Kingsolver. In the late nineteenth century, when the great powers in Europe were tearing Africa apart and seizing ownership of land for themselves, King Leopold of Belgium took hold of the vast and mostly unexplored territory surrounding the Congo River. In his devastatingly barbarous colonisation of this area, Leopold stole its rubber and...

Winner of the Mbokodo Award for Women in the Arts for Literature, the ATKV (Afrikaans Language and Culture Association) Award for non-fiction and the kykNet/Rapport Award for non-fiction. 'Here was Emily . . . in these diaries and scrapbooks. An unprecedented, intimate angle on the real Emily' Elsabé Brits has drawn on a treasure trove of previously private sources, including...

It was the British victory at the Battle of El Alamein in November 1942 that inspired one of Churchill's most famous aphorisms: 'This is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end, but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning'. And yet the true significance of this iconic episode remains unrecognised. In this thrilling historical...

A Nobel laureate offers a keen, thought-provoking analysis of Africa's current crises and points the way to cultural and political renewal. A member of the unique generation of African writers and intellectuals who came of age in the last days of colonialism, Wole Soyinka has witnessed the promise of independence and lived through postcolonial failure. He deeply comprehends the pressing...

During years of travelling through North Africa, author Barnaby Rogerson has encountered a handful of stories so complicated that he could not place them into neat, tidy narratives. These are stories of characters who were neither distinctly good nor noticeably bad, neither malicious nor noble. In Search of Ancient North Africa is a journey into the ruins of a landscape...

The Image of the European in African Art—a companion to The Image of the Black in Western Art series—is profusely illustrated, including many little-known works, ranging from the sixteenth century to the present day. This is the richest and most comprehensive treatment of the subject to have yet appeared, following on the work of Julius Lips and Nii O. Quarcoopone....

Unravel the history behind of one of the most fascinating ancient civilisations with this engaging, entertaining and educational guide to the ancient Egyptians. With a complete rundown of ancient Egyptian history and culture alongside insights in to the everyday lives of the Egyptians, you’ll discover how they kept themselves entertained, the gory details of mummification, the amazing creation of the...

'A historically insightful read' Financial Times 'A wry, rollicking, and provocative history' Michael Taylor, author of The Interest 'A thought-provoking analysis of Africa's relationship with economic imperialism' Astrid Madimba and Chinny Ukata, authors of It’s A Continent We need to think differently about African economics. For centuries, Westerners have tried to ‘fix’ African economies. From the abolition of slavery onwards,...

Foreword by Bernardine Evaristo Award-winning author and cultural critic Sarah Ladipo Manyika takes us on a remarkable journey across contemporary cultural and political landscapes as she talks to some of the most distinguished black thinkers of our times, including Nobel Laureates Toni Morrison and Wole Soyinka, and civic leaders First Lady Michelle Obama and Senator Cory Booker. We meet activists,...

The Rosetta Stone contains a decree written three times in Greek, Demotic and hieroglyphic that provided the key to the mysterious hieroglyphic script of ancient Egypt, and opened up 3,000 years of the country's history and culture. This book tells the fascinating story of one of archaeology's icons, from its creation in the second century BC, to its discovery in...

On 11 October 1899, the Second Boer War between the British and the Boers began. The war saw the most powerful professional army in the world pitted against the unconventional tactics of the undisciplined Boers. Although the Boers were finally forced to surrender in May 1902, the war had taken its toll on their opponents, who lost some 8,000 troops...

Beneath the waters of Abukir Bay, at the edge of the northwestern Nile Delta, lie the submerged remains of once-lost ancient Egyptian cities that sank over 1,200 years ago, but were dramatically rediscovered in the last years of the 20th century. Pioneering underwater excavations, begun in 1999 and still underway, are uncovering an array of ancient buildings and artefacts. Temple...

Sir John Soane's Greatest Treasure describes one of the most important antiquities ever found in Egypt—the beautiful calcite sarcophagus of the pharaoh Seti I. Discovered in 1817 in the tomb of Seti I in the Valley of the Kings by the flamboyant explorer Giovanni Belzoni, the sarcophagus now resides in Sir John Soane's Museum in London's Lincoln's Inn Fields. Leading...

A compact volume about the famous battle that sums up some of the best traditions of the British self-image: steadfastness against the odds, victory in adversity, and the thin red line. The British stand deserves to go down in history as one of the most heroic actions of all time. The story of a mere 150 British and Imperial soldiers...

The powerful image that the kings of Egypt presented to their subjects was so awe-inspiring and captivating that people today are still impressed by the compelling stories and imposing statuary of the Pharaoh. But the reality of Egyptian kingship was often much more complex, as Pharaoh: King of Egypt seeks to reveal.

A concise, illustrated account of Operation Crusader, which proved the ability of the British Army to defeat the Germans in Africa. On 18 November 1941, the British launched Operation Crusader against the Axis positions in Africa. The plan was to bring the armour of the German Afrika Korps to battle and to beat it in open warfare with the now...

Nicknamed the 'Libyan Desert Taxi Service' by the SAS, the Long Range Desert Group was tasked with strategic reconnaissance and raiding operations deep inside the enemy-held deserts of North Africa. Armed with light weapons only, and equipped with specially converted light cars and trucks capable of withstanding the harsh conditions, the LRDG quickly proved it could operate in parts of...

Specially commissioned artwork and thrilling combat accounts transport the reader to the far-flung and inhospitable East African theatre of World War I, where the Schutztruppe faced off against the King's African Rifles. In an attempt to divert Allied forces from the Western Front, a small German colonial force under the command of Oberst Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck raided British and Portuguese...

Since independence from Great Britain in 1963, Kenya has survived five decades as a functioning nation-state, holding regular elections; its borders and political system intact, and avoiding open war with its neighbours and military rule internally. It has been a favoured site for Western aid, trade, investment and tourism and has remained a close security partner for Western governments. However,...

‘. . . we need this book. Of course Africa needs it as well, because no other huge area of the planet is treated as such a singular region, and that has to change. But the rest of the planet needs It's a Continent because we miss out by not recognising the individual majesty, the complexity, the beauty, the culture...

This book tells the story of Task Force Ranger – a unit of US Rangers and Special Forces – and their attempt to capture the lieutenants of the Somali warlord Muhamed Farrah Aideed, during the 1993 United Nations' humanitarian relief mission. What started as a simple snatch-and-grab mission quickly degenerated into a desperate battle for survival when US Black Hawk...

Formed in September 1941 from the Western Desert Force, British 8th Army (comprising British, Commonwealth, Free French and Polish troops) went on to wage a lengthy, hard-fought campaign against Axis forces across the deserts of North Africa. The Desert War was unlike any other fought by the British Army, involving highly mobile operations covering vast distances. The hot, unforgiving climate...

Think that Ancient Egypt is just a load of old obelisks? Don't bet your afterlife on it. Ancient Egypt should be deader than most of our yesterdays. After all, it was at its height 5,000 years ago. Yet we still marvel at its mummies and ponder over its pyramids. It's easy to forget these people once lived and laughed, loved...

Dancing in the Glory of Monsters was selected as a Best Book of the Year by The Economist and the Wall Street Journal. At the heart of Africa lies the Congo, a country the size of Western Europe, bordering nine other nations. Since 1996, it has been engulfed in a brutal war that has claimed millions of lives. In Dancing...

In 1897, two Oxford archaeologists began digging a low sand-covered mound a hundred miles south of Cairo. When they had finally finished, ten years later, they had uncovered 500,000 fragments of papyri. Shipped back to Oxford, the meticulous and scholarly work of piecing together these fragments unveiled an extraordinary insight into the lives of those who lived in the ancient...

An essential guide for the discerning time-traveller: take a trip to ancient Egypt at the height of its power and prosperity in the reign of Ramesses II. More reliable than Herodotus and more upbeat than The Book of the Dead, this popular book in Thames & Hudson's successful Time Travel series takes the reader to Ancient Egypt in the time...

This book presents a series of sketches of lives, thought and impact of thirty-seven individuals in relation to Pan-Africanism. Offering overviews of movements, groups, and detailed biographies, the chapters provide insights into the individuals who have animated the Pan-African Pantheon. With forty accessible essays on the key intellectual contributions to Pan-Africanism, this volume offers readers a fascinating insight into the...

'Exploring the past, bringing it to vivid life with wonderful prose . . . Pedder writes with perspicacity and sensitivity . . . We need more books like this' Observer 'Fascinating and engrossing' Literary Review How did South Africa turn out the way it did? In Moederland - 'Motherland', in Afrikaans - Cato Pedder takes us on an eye-opening journey...

Mandela: His Essential Life chronicles the life and legacy of one of the twentieth century's most influential and admired statesmen. Charting his development from remote rural roots to city lawyer, freedom fighter, and then political leader, Peter Hain takes an in-depth look at Mandela's rise through the ranks of the African National Congress (ANC) and subsequent 27 years imprisonment on...

‘A lyrical investigation … both powerful and transcendent’ CHIGOZIE OBIOMA ‘Acutely observed, hauntingly rendered and deeply affecting’ AMINATTA FORNA ‘Both epic and intimate’ MARGO JEFFERSON An astonishing search for a missing person, the hidden tragedies of war and the truth of Nigeria’s history. Emmanuel Iduma never met his uncle, his father’s favourite brother and the man for whom he is...

An essential overview of great kingdoms in African history and their legacies, written by world-leading experts. From the ancient Nile Valley to the savannas of medieval West Africa, the highlands of Ethiopia, and on to the forests, lakes, and grasslands to the south, African civilizations have given rise to some of the world's most impressive kingdoms. Yet Africa's history is...

Dreaming the Karoo by Julia Blackburn is a spellbinding new book by the much-acclaimed writer, a journey to South Africa in search of the lost people called the /Xam. This haunting book explores the brutality of colonial frontiers and the fate of those they dispossess. In spring 2020, Julia Blackburn travelled to the Karoo region of South Africa to see...

The massive bestselling life story of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt - 350,000 hardbacks sold in 22 weeks on New York Times List. Cleopatra's palace shimmered with onyx and gold but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. Though her life spanned fewer than forty years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world. Famous long before she was notorious,...

One of the most compelling and controversial figures in history, Akhenaten has captured the imagination like no other Egyptian pharaoh. Known today as a heretic, Akhenaten sought to impose upon Egypt and its people the worship of a single god - the sun - and in so doing changed the country in every way. In this immensely readable re-evaluation, Nicholas...

A major new look at how Africa’s geological history, climate, geography and biology resulted in the wonderful diversity of life found there. It is also the story of how it was the crucible for the evolution of the most extraordinary species on Earth – Homo sapiens. Origin Africa examines the unique properties of the African continent, demonstrating how they ensured...

GUARDIAN: BOOKS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2024 WATERSTONES: JANUARY’S BEST BOOKS BBC: BOOK HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2024 ‘GRIPPING’ THE TIMES This is an immersive and revelatory history of the survivors of the Clotilda, the last ship of the Atlantic slave trade, whose lives diverged and intersected in profound ways. The Clotilda docked in Mobile Bay, Alabama, in July 1860 –...

‘A lyrical investigation … both powerful and transcendent’ CHIGOZIE OBIOMA ‘Acutely observed, hauntingly rendered and deeply affecting’ AMINATTA FORNA ‘Both epic and intimate’ MARGO JEFFERSON An astonishing search for a missing person, the hidden tragedies of war and the truth of Nigeria’s history. Emmanuel Iduma never met his uncle, his father’s favourite brother and the man for whom he is...

An exhilarating and tragicomic debut novel about the indomitable child of a scorned, formerly land-owning family in the wake of Ethiopia's socialist revolution. Extraordinary - Maaza Mengiste Exhilarating - Elif Batuman Selam is the youngest child in a large turbulent family. Even before she is born, her omniscience animates life in a small town in 1980s southwestern Ethiopia. Selam and...

A new collection of literary criticism and brilliant insights from one of the giants of contemporary thinking. Who owns language? In Decolonizing Language and Other Revolutionary Ideas, Ngugi wa Thiong'o presents a series of essays that build on his vast wealth of work on language and its constructive role in national culture, history, and identity. Intricate, nuanced, and accessible, it...

A lost imperial city, full of wonder and marvels. An empire that was the largest the world had ever seen, established with astonishing speed. A people obsessed with travel, knowledge, and adventure. Winner of the Indie Book Awards 2023 Non Fiction Book of the Year Shortlisted for the BookPeople Non Fiction Book of the Year 2023 When Richard Fidler came...