Marshall (Leeds Metropolitan U., Britain) describes how the trickster spider god of West Africa survived cultural metamorphosis and became symbolic of the struggles of black slaves through the African Diaspora. She examines Anansi's role in plantation Jamaica, but also traces Anansi's journey from his roots among the Asante of Ghana through to his contested position in contemporary Jamaican society. The study contributes both new data on Anansi in the Old and New Worlds, and new theoretical analysis of Anansi's potential as a resource for resistance against oppression. Distributed in the US by Longleaf Services, Incorporated. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)