Some embarrassing lapses in research

While most of the book is insightful and informative, when it comes to his analysis of the Rhodesian impasse and UDI he makes some assumptions which are reductive at best. There was racial segregation in Rhodesia, but nothing like what was happening in South africa at the time. The author erroneously says tat cinemas and buses were segreagated in RHodesia - this is not true;, private schools were non-racial as was the university. One is not defending segrgation but Mr Kenyon should have informed himself better rather than go on a white-bashing spree.
The Jameson raid he says was in 1896, when in fact it was in 1895; He mentions the discovery of diamonds in South Africa and asserts that the Transvaal was trumped by British colonial interests. The president of the Orange Free State, president J.H. Brand tried to oppose the annexation of Kimberley to the Cape Colony; the Transvaal or Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek did not. If such a lack of attention to detail is missing in just these two areas, Rhodesia and South Africa, one wonders how much else can be taken seriously in the book. As regards the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Kenyon asserts that the British government favoured it in order to control the recalcitrant white-settler government. He does not mention that the idea of Federation was already mooted before WWII and that after the Afrikaner Nationalist victory in SA in 1948, the British, government, according to some sources, wanted the Federation to to be a bulwark against Afrikaner Nationalism and the apartheid system. Rhodesia was not perfect, of course not, but more thorough research would have avoided some embarrassing porkies...

23 people found this helpful

Pictures!

This is a book full of beautiful pictures. You do not get the whole book here. I can’t believe it’s difficult to include a PDF file with pictures from the book.

4 people found this helpful

Wow! What a listen!

This book should be read by everyone & anyone who considers themselves worldly. Kenyon’s research is extensive - the stories are unreal and the performance by McLeod only enhances them. A must read and well worth the money!

3 people found this helpful

A revelation for Africans..of all colour and creed

A non fictional thriller in understanding African dictators and how the world made some serious errors in not getting natural Africans into public office earlier by more widespread gradual educational efforts.
We could have I feel worked together (black and white) far better in making Africa a safer better place.

The covert arms help given by China North Korea and Russia added fuel to the fire and the Cold War was the excuse for that.....but as my father always used to remind me...The human race has an ugly face and if so we can't all accept different creeds and ethnicity and stamp out racism then wars for shrinking resources will continue forever

As a start though can we please start getting rid of violent dictators quicker.... or does the old saying go...Better the devil you know than the six waiting in the wings!

The reader isn't perfect with his accents but otherwise is brilliant and if the accents upset you so much submit your own reading and stop missing the whole point of the story

Shame we can't have a vote for worst dictator of all but certainly not Cecil surely?!

2 people found this helpful

Comprehensive history, excellently narrated

It's embarrassing how little I know of non-western history, but I'm trying to remedy this. This book is a great introduction to understand modern politics in several African countries by beginning with their history.
I love how it's built up, by natural resources and by country. It gives the reader a good overview and understanding of the complexities.
The heavy material is made easier to follow by great narration.

I wish the people who say Africans have only themselves to blame, and therefore shouldn't get asylum in Europe would read this. Maybe they'd understand just how badly we imperialists have messed up much of the entire continent, and still do.

1 person found this helpful

Terrible narration

Let down by poor narration. Is there a producer on these recordings who can pull the narrator up when he constantly mispronounce words? His generic "African" accent sounded like one of the Germans on Hogan's Heroes and was borderline offensive.

1 person found this helpful

incredibly interesting

A hugely interesting book delving into elements of African history that are not necessarily well known. I really enjoyed the construct of going dictator by dictator.

What was interesting was that the author gives little opinion and conclusion on the actions of those in power. It is not a condemnation of Africa nor an absolution of white colonialism. I found it overall quite a balanced approach.

The narrator was good although at times his accent varied wildly and there was some strange an inexplicable mispronounciations or normal English words that rather grated.

1 person found this helpful

Wonderful book about a very sad topic

This book puts lots of different events in a wider context.

I don’t know what to take away from this book.

I’d say the most shocking revelation would be how quickly people are willing to turn to oppression of others.

1 person found this helpful

I was sad to finish it.

This audiobook is outstanding. To address the African tragedy of endemic dictatorship from the perspective of the looting natural resources gives a profound and alternative narrative to what is commonly portrayed only as “tribalism” and/or a “colonial legacy” (both of which remain valid perspectives).

Most of us know something of the story of blood diamonds and oil, but chocolate will never taste the same after you have finished this audiobook.

It flows like a story. Each chapter has its own theme, but the author competently demonstrates how interconnected events in different countries and continents are.

If you enjoy this then I would recommend The State of Africa by Martin Meredith, but be warned, whilst that is a magnificent and comprehensive work on post-colonial Africa, it is much heavier to digest than this.

Lastly, but by no means least; the performance of the narrator is excellent and shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Superb.

A smack on the face of mainstream perception of Africa

I laud Paul Kenyon for his painstaking and masterful display of western greed and the impact on post colonial Africa. Truly inspiring and though provoking.