"Red Gold of Africa is researched with a depth of scholarship that will leave future historians green with envy. It is also written with a literary eloquence which makes each new idea a joy to savor. The judgements are made with humane detachment and cool humor to enhance their persuasive force. The book is a masterpiece."—Journal of African History
"Eugenia W. Herbert addresses the subject from a multidisciplinary perspective, examining technology, history, oral tradition, economics, symbolic anthropology, and archaeology."—American Historical Review
"Red Gold of Africa is a sensitive piece of scholarship, an important addition to the literature for those who seek understanding of culture through its material and technological rendition."—Technology and Culture