Journal Entry 1 by swan-scot from Inverness, Scotland United Kingdom on Sunday, January 04, 2004

Alexandra Fuller was the daughter of white settlers in 1970s Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. Her book is a memoir of an African childhood in a period of civil war. The author's parents fought in the civil war "to keep one country in Africa white-run," lost, left Rhodesia but stayed in Africa.

It's hard to write about this book. I feel sympathy for Fuller's family, because although they were part of the 'ruling class' they were poor farmers (although not as poor as the black workers on their farm), and lived in basic housing, with a basic diet. However they still saw themselves superior to the black citizens. There are parts of the book that feel so early 20th century or post-WWII, that I had to keep referring back to the dates to remind myself this all occured during the past three decades.

Fuller makes no attempt to analyse, excuse, or explain the racism and insanity of her family history. Rather than rationalising her parents' racist attitudes, instead she chooses to simply describe in her matter-of-fact voice precisely how the end of the colonial era was experienced by people implicated in it. She does not try to gloss her childhood experiences with politically correct hindsight, and in so doing seems to perpetuate the expat/European African idea of dominance over the black African majority.

Certainly a thought-provoking book and it makes me want to learn more of the recent history of these African countries.  

Journal Entry 2 by swan-scot at Ben Stack in Lairg, Scotland United Kingdom on Sunday, February 15, 2004

Journal Entry 3 by alex61 on Monday, March 08, 2004

I found the book wedged between the stones at the top of Ben Stack, none the worse for being up there three weeks.


CAUGHT IN SCOURIE SUTHERLAND SCOTLAND