A study of the women warriors of Dahomey, an eighteenth and nineteenth century Western African kingdom that shared with Sparta an intense militarism and collec-tivist spirit. Illustrated with b/w images. Index, bib, notes, map, xii, 280pp, UK. HURST, 1850653623

A volume in the Marxist Regimes Series, providing a brief introduction to the different histories and development of three countries, Benin, the Congo and Burkina Faso, former French colonies which have moved politically to the left. Index, bib, tables, maps, 300pp, UK. 086187482X

An analysis of political developments: the author reviews chnages that have occured with the demise of the autocratic left regime of the period from 1988 to 1993, and sketches in the roles of new political actors in recent years. French text. BNS, 396pp, FRANCE. L'HARMATTAN, 2738477682

Using a range of source material and documents, the author presents a history of Ouidah, from the seventeenth century to the end of the nineteenth, when the city was at the heart of the slave trade. Law discusses the development of the slave trade in the area and the transition from Dahomian to French rule as well as the impact of individuals such as Francisco Felix de Souza and King Glele. Index, bib, notes, maps, xi, 308pp, UK. JAMES CURREY PUBLISHERS, 0852554974

This book examines the cattle trade in the Republic of Benin and neighbouring countries from a West African perspective, making a significant contribution to the understanding of the strategies of the traders and how their trade functions. By combining economics, geography and anthropology, the author demonstrates how the West African cattle traders use their economic, social and ideological capital to make their market. Includes a summary of the book in Dutch and French. Refs, xiv, 299pp, NETHERLANDS. THELA THESIS, 9055380423

In 1812, Francisco Manoel da Silva, escaping a life of poverty in Brazil, sailed to the African kingdom of Dahomey, determined to make his fortune in the slave trade. Armed with nothing but an iron will, he became a man of substance in Ouidah and the founder of a remarkable dynasty. His one remaining ambition is to return to Brazil in triumph, but his friendship with the mad, mercurial king of Dahomey is fraught with danger and threatens his dream. 110pp, UK. VINTAGE

Women made up the elite force of Dahomey's army, and faced the French when they defeated and colonized the region in the 1890s. This book is a narrative history of these women and examines their role in Dahomian society. The author also describes their recruitment, training and battle experiences. Index, bib, notes, map, x, 196pp, USA. WESTVIEW, 0813337119