Extant research continues to perpetuate a myth of Sub-Saharan African countries (SSACs) as ever stuck in the past and with incurable growth maladies. However, during the years just before the great global recession some of these countries performed better than countries in other regions. What explains this turnaround? How can it be ignited everywhere in the region and made to stick? The Political Economy of Economic Performance is among a few competitors that celebrate the successes of the region and argue for the positive economics of performance of at least some countries. Organized around two themes which are pursued in six chapters, the book provides a comprehensive, balanced, and thorough analysis of the factors and forces behind the unusually good performance of SSACs just before the great global recession, and shows that there is a way forward for them. The book makes a significant contribution to both policy and research, because while its structure is scholarly and logical, with a writing style that is coherent and easily understandable to all interested readers worldwide.