This textbook surveys more than four centuries of the history of the Atlantic world. The emphasis is on how societies were transformed by the convergence of cultures that followed Christopher Columbus's 1492 voyage. Three of the book's five co-authors have devoted much of their academic careers to the study of Africa and people of African descent, while the other two are specialists in colonial American history. Each of 14 chapters concludes with some suggestions for further reading. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)