Nevertheless, even the tangents were interesting, especially the parts about the history of slavery and the transmission of food from Africa to Jamaica. _Collecting_the_World_ is part environmental history. I think Delbourgo is a good writer. If I would have run across this book outside of this class, I would have enjoyed reading it.

Your other point that I liked was about the lack of discussion of postcolonial theory. I agree that Delbourgo should have used the opportunity to address issues having to do with colonialism (or addressed them more than he did). A talented writer like Delbourgo should be able to weave some discussion of theory into his book in a readable and indirect way. I suppose that’s like a doctor giving a patient bitter medicine with enough sugar to make the medicine go down easily.

Now, I want to try to remember a historian who is a good example of weaving theory into history. The first one that comes to mind is Michel Rolph-Trouillo and _Silencing_the_Past_. At least, to me when I read that book last semester it seemed like a good example of combining history and theory. I am curious if you have any examples of historians who handle theory well.