This anthology is a collection of rich material about Botswana from David Livingstone in the 1850s to President Ian Khama today. The anthology is divided into three parts, the Years of Danger 1852 to 1885, the Protectorate Period 1885 to 1966 and the Independent State 1966 to 2009. It is neither a comprehensive history nor a record of the key documents during those years. But it does seek to give the reader a feel for the country and a better understanding of those three well defined periods. The very varied material has been drawn from a wide range of sources. It includes extracts, some longer, some very short, from published books and newspapers, from unpublished letters, court judgments, and speeches. Each item has been selected because of its intrinsic value and interest. By using the comments of people, both local and foreign, the Anthology provides a balanced record of some of the events and personalities of those 157 years. Its underlying and unambiguous intention is to open doors which may previously have been closed, to inform, to excite, and with luck, entertain and perhaps even surprise.