Mukiwa : A White Boy in Africa

OK, close enough to the end of 2017 for me to determine my favourite reads. Mukiwa is my 2017 BEST BIOGRAPHY.

This is a fantastically well written autobiography. It really puts a human face to the white Zimbabwean's who are stereotyped as racist bigots, seen as on the wrong side of the black majority/white minority history of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe.

Godwin's recollection of his childhood, and the writing style he employs for this section of the book is perfect. He writes the way he felt, interpreted events, and experienced his childhood - not a more recent interpretation of those events. It is very well done. And not an innocent childhood - it was a childhood you would consider harsh, and in some aspects, he grew up very quickly - the murder of a local man, and experiences with his mother - a doctor often called on to perform autopsies (which as a child he attended). There are some genuinely hilarious moments in the first half of this book.

Unfortunately for Godwin, this all changes with the civil war, which starts out as terrorist attacks / rebellions, and soon turns into war proper. Godwin (like all Rhodesians) is drafted in to the military, and the second part of his book tells of his military service. And a very capable soldier he turns out to be, but a soldier with a rare compassion and understanding of the problems. Again the author writes incredibly well in articulating a complex situation he finds himself in.

This book does well to explain in simple terms the Rhodesian rebellion / civil war. It was not as simple as a black rebellion against the white minority. There were factions - the ZAPU (led by Joshua Nkomo) and the ZANU (led by Robert Mugabe), who were are much fighting each other as the Rhodesian Security Forces (whom Godwin fought for). For years he petitioned to be released from military service to attend University, and finally he was permitted an exit visa. A sad family event followed, for which Godwin returned, only to be told he must re-inlist to complete his service.

Finally he was again allowed to leave to complete his University, whereupon he embarked on a short career as a lawyer, then moved into journalism, where he was posted to various parts of the world (which are given around a page in this book). His return to southern Africa, as a journalist is described in the third part of the book. More than a journalist, Godwin regularly puts himself at risk, and in danger to be able to report the atrocities in Zimbabwe (as it was now know), the systematic campaign of murder and torture, striving to tell the truth and expose the propaganda and lies of the government. Some of the stories he tells in this section are a terrible reflection of the way the human race can behave.

What becomes obvious throughout this book, as the stories unfold and interweave where Godwin has some absolutely miraculous escapes, is that his past deeds and behaviour seem to come back to reward him with opportunities and good fortune. His past relationships, his past actions, and some incredible luck mean he is alive to tell this story.

I enjoyed this book a lot, despite is grizzly content, and I will seek out more of his writing.

5 stars.