Book excerpt: Perspectives on New Gambia is a detailed chronicle of the ebb and flow of The Gambia's first-ever democratic transition of power. The First Republic was brought to an end in a bloodless military coup on Friday, 22 July 1994 that led to the political ascendancy of the then young military officer Lieutenant Yahya Jammeh. After two years in charge as a military leader, he ran for President in 1996 and went on to win three successive presidential terms until Friday, 2 December 2016 when he was defeated at the polls by an opposition coalition, led by Adama Barrow. Although Yahya Jammeh initially conceded defeat and later retracted his concession, he finally gave up power on Friday, 20 January 2017. In between these two monumental shifts, The Gambia tottered on the brink, threatening to tip over into an abyss. This book is a living witness to the mood and flavour of that turbulent moment in the political evolution of The Gambia. Divided into four interrelated sections, Perspectives on New Gambia traces the history of Coalition 2016, explores the political impasse and post-election peace in The Gambia, critically examines the first 100 Days of the Coalition Government, discusses public expectations and proffers strategic recommendations for re-building The Gambia.