The topic raised in the monograph of Doctor of Historical Sciences T. M. Gavristova "Unknown Africa: History in biographies "(Yaroslavl, Filigran, 2014, 192 p.)* has not yet taken a firm place in modern Russian African studies, although there is no doubt that the movement for the study of history through the biographical method has passed the period of formation and it has received recognition in the world of humanitarian knowledge.

Almost every international forum on African issues, whether it is the conference of Africanists in Russia, the annual conference of the Association for African Studies (ASA) in the United States, the European ECAS, or any other conference dealing with Africa, today does not do without reference to biographical studies in which the subject of study becomes a person in a cultural context epochs.

For the first time in Russian African studies, T. M. Gavristova takes up the task of reproducing the intellectual and cultural history of twentieth-century Africa in a "portrait format" - by studying the biographies of several prominent representatives of the continent's cultural elite.

To introduce readers to modern Africa, the author chooses representatives of several creative professions: Ali Mazrui (Kenya, USA) is an outstanding African intellectual, historian and cultural critic, writer and publicist; El Anatsui (Ghana) is a sculptor and art theorist; Yinka Shonibare (Nigeria, Great Britain) is one of the most extravagant artists in the UK. T. M. Gavristova also contributes to her research and tender diversity by dedicating one of the most popular works of art in the world. four essays on the life story of an outstanding female writer, playwright, author of books for children, Buchi Emecheta (Nigeria, Great Britain).

The method of "personal history" chosen by the author provides a real opportunity to understand on the basis of African material how the cultural and historical whole becomes a part of personal experience. These evidences, as if deciphering and clarifying some historical facts, allow us to read and interpret them in a new way, expanding our research horizons. In turn, these sources, filled with inner psychologism, become a unique way of self-reflection and self-determination of a person in culture and society (it is no coincidence that "identity" is one of the terms most often used in the work).

The author defines the central theme of his research as "an attempt to represent the modern intellectual and cultural history of Africa by studying the biographies of outstanding scientists, writers, artists", rightly believing and textually proving that the study of individual life history makes it possible to analyze the complex, painfully dramatic ethno-cultural, spiritual routes of the creative person's life path in modern Africa on concrete material.

It is known that the productivity of biographical research is largely determined by the personality traits of a scientist. In this work, the author demonstrates a deep, if I may say so, African competence, high quality of the presented cultural knowledge, correct and careful attitude to the interweaving of public and private in the life of the studied figures. The author's research style of giving an honest, independent critique of the sources used is respected. The special value of this work is given by the fact that the essays are written on the basis of original materials collected during research trips and expeditions to Europe and Africa.

Despite the scientific style of presentation, the text of the monograph does not tire the reader with an excessive abundance of special terminology. Special grace is given to the text by artfully interwoven quotations from Russian, English, and German literature.

Such a study confirms the increased importance of the biography of an individual at crucial moments in the life of society, since it can serve as a manifestation of certain socio-cultural processes and modern problems of cultural identity.

N. L. KRYLOVA, Doctor of Historical Sciences Institute of Africa, Russian Academy of Sciences

N. S. NAIDENOVA, Candidate of Philology, Peoples ' Friendship University of Russia

* The monograph was prepared with the support of Project No. 235 as part of the basic part of the state research assignment at the P. G. Demidov YarSU. GZ-1163.

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