I bought this book because I knew almost nothing about Mau Mau and the end of British colonialism in east Africa. I just wanted to fill in some of the blanks. I am glad I chose this book.
The book is a scholarly treatment of the period. It is well-researched and amply documented with footnotes. Although I am not an expert on the area or topic, my sense is that this is a very thorough study. For scholars, students and anyone with an advanced interest in the period or region, this will be an important book and a necessary read.
For the non-professional, casual reader like myself, this is also a good choice. The style is fluid and engaging. Although packed with factual information, it does not become stiff and dry like so many scholarly works. The use of footnotes segregates a lot of the details that the general reader might wish to ignore while following the thread of the narrative. I enjoyed reading it.
The book revealed a shocking tale of which I was largely ignorant, but which also often sounded depressingly familiar. It relates to the brutality that often accompanies changes in power anywhere in the world. Pick up any newspaper in decades since Mau Mau and you will find references to similar struggles, oppression, and abuse of power in several countries. Reading detailed accounts of past struggles like Mau Mau helps me put perspective to much of the similar madness we continue to see today.
I recommend this highly to historians interested in the region and the fall of colonialism in the last century. But I also recommend it to more general readers who might simply wish to become a little better versed in African history. For anyone interested in the broader scope of current (or past) events involving oppression, abuse of power, and human rights, this book adds depth to understanding. I find this understanding both helpful and disturbing at the same time. Sometimes choosing a book a little outside your usual areas of interest yields surprising insights. For me, this was one such book.
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Top reviews from other countries
Christopher Morris
Good student resource.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2019