'Kusimba's approach of presenting his ideas in accessible language has made his work highly readable to audiences even outside archaeology, history and anthropology. … Despite having read hundreds of publications and reports about the Swahili coast and vicinity, I benefitted greatly from reading this book. Combining multiple, interlinked sources to analyse and write about the Swahili worlds makes Kusimba's volume exceptional. Without any reservation, I recommend it to anyone interested in learning about ancient African globalism but with a focus on the western Indian Ocean region.' Elgidius B. Ichumbaki, Antiquity