A Fistful of Shells: West Africa from the Rise of the Slave Trade to the Age of Revolution, by Senior Lecturer in Lusophone African History and Culture Dr Toby Green, has been shortlisted for two distinguished global literary awards.

In the book, Toby Green changes our view of West and West-Central Africa by reconstructing the world of these kingdoms, which revolve around trade, diplomacy, complex religious beliefs, and the production of art. He brings into focus the region's central place in shaping the modern world before European sabotage, as well as the powerful and also complicated legacy of this now. The book was hailed by critics including David Olusoga in the New Statesman and Ben Okri in the Daily Telegraph and the Financial Times.