So I had some people around for a braai (barbeque) on December 26th, commonly known as boxing day here in SA and somehow found myself in conversation with a friends dad about Vincent Van Gogh...I'm unsure how we got onto this topic but after a rather interesting story about the painter of my favourite art work - Starry Starry Night, previously unknown to me we recognised the fellow amateur historian in one another it was game on.
I raced for my bookshelf and pulled this out to see if he had come across it at all - he hadn't. Unsuprisingly you wouldn't find this book on a best sellers list - especially if you were of the school room opnion that the great trek was the most yawn worthy part of our history syllabus.
Anyway, I've since started reading it again and so I decided that I would share my thoughts. It really is a must read for anyone and everyone , whether you're from here and want to know a little more about our roots or a forgiener with even a mild interest in African histroy.
If you can get past an incredibly detailed style of writing (I find the same of Ken Follet...suuuuuuuuuuper detailed wiriting) and get into the easy to read narrative about the 'civilizing' [read occupation and dividing] of Africa by European powers following the 1884 Berlin Conference, then perhaps you will enjoy this excellent and well researched account as much as I did.
As a South African, I read a lot of African writers and have attended countless book readings which have shocked me to the core and reduced me to tears and I must say this book 100% moved me the most because it's proof that this poor country has been marred by greed and corruption basically since proper commerce started here and the 'white man' did away with the barter system.
Anyway, I'll leave it there. Happy reading.
