Motherland : A Journey Through African History, Culture and Identity

Author: Pepera, Luke

African history

Published on 23 April 2026 by Orion Publishing Co (Weidenfeld & Nicolson) in the United Kingdom.

Paperback / softback | 272 pages, 1 x 8 page colour inset
142 x 198 x 22 | 248g

Join historian and anthropologist Luke Pepera on a journey through African history to discover the stories that still shape our culture today'Absolutely riveting' OLIVETTE OTELE'A masterful achievement' TOM HOLLAND'A brilliant gift of truth' BETTANY HUGHES'I love when a non-fiction book can transport you to the past . . . an eye-opening, exceptionally important book' ????? reader review'Hugely readable' ????? reader review Where do we come from? What defines us? And how might knowledge of deep history affect our understanding of our identity?In Motherland, Luke Pepera traverses thousands of years to reveal the aspects of African identity that have characterised this epic history. From hip-hop's origin in traditional African word games to female-led societies, and from Mansa Musa to Chadwick Boseman, this is a personal, relevant and beautifully told account of the stories that have shaped Africa.

'A book we've been waiting for for far too long' PETER FRANKOPAN'Magisterial, brilliant, capacious and transformative' KATE WILLIAMS'Idiosyncratic, surprising, brilliant' SPECTATOR