The Best Books of 2013 on Africa

Nicolas van de Walle's Picks
The professor in the Department of Government at Cornell University selects the most important books on Africa reviewed during the last year. Here are his reviews, culled from recent issues of the magazine.

http://www.foreignaffairs.com/features/collections/the-best-books-of-2013-on-africa#

Capsule Review, February 15, 2013
External Mission: The ANC in Exile, 1960–1990
Nicolas van de Walle
The remarkably prolific Ellis has written a fascinating history of the internal politics of the African National Congress (ANC) in the 30 years during which it was banned in South Africa and was forced to operate from bases outside the country. Ellis’ research suggests that the South African Communist Party enjoyed a higher degree of influence on the ANC's decision-making than has been acknowledged by the ANC's leadership.
Poor Numbers: How We Are Misled by African Development Statistics and What to Do About It
Capsule Review, April 21, 2013
Poor Numbers: How We Are Misled by African Development Statistics and What to Do About It
Nicolas van de Walle
Jerven demonstrates with devastating clarity that African governments produce imprecise economic statistics that should not be trusted.
Authority Stealing: Anti-corruption War and Democratic Politics in Post-military Nigeria
Capsule Review, October 11, 2013
Authority Stealing: Anti-corruption War and Democratic Politics in Post-military Nigeria
Nicolas van de Walle
Although Adebanwi’s book ranges broadly across recent Nigerian history, its central purpose is to assess postcolonial Nigeria’s most serious campaign to eradicate large-scale corruption.