shonatiger's review against another edition
4.0
3.5, rounding up to 4 because I laughed so much, and because it's always nice to read about things you know. Quite entertaining. Some of it is really silly. A few lightbulb moments made it worth reading. I feel it will make me smile for a long time. Don't read it expecting any great insights, unless you experienced no part of the events leading up to, and of Nov 2017.
Ps. Some race-related things are pretty cringeworthy. Taking them at face value.
Ps. Some race-related things are pretty cringeworthy. Taking them at face value.
kulwanotes's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoyed this book, an easy read and nice flow of events.
Major take aways in this book
1) the 'revolution' was not people's centred. Was just a tussle between Lacoste Factiom, led by Emmerson Mnangagwa & Zimbabwe Liberation war veterans Association (ZLWVA) against G-40 (Generation 40, a group of people who are under 40) faction led by Grace Mugabe. The Lacoste faction with support of some Military didn't want to see Grace Mugabe as a 'heir' of her husband’s Presidency. Grace isn't a war veterans, to them it's a disqualification for presidency. This made also, MDC party (opposition party) to support the 'coup' mainly to remove Mugabe.
2) In the light of above point, no 'major changes' are to be expected in Zimbabwe as revolution was just power struggle within ZANU-PF party.
✍️We opened prized bottles of red wine and guzzled them like water that night, marvelling at the events of the last ten days.
I have to say it’s strange to be supporting Mnangagwa,” said my 82-year-old father. “It’s like watching a snake eat another snake.” A common enemy is a galvanising thing, though.
My mother was more circumspect, as was always her way. “It is exciting, but even if Bob goes it’ll be the same bus – just a different driver. Mark my words.” Those were her final words on Zimbabwean politics."--page 100
The ongoing incidents where the government is crushing the dissidents, proves this.
I wish to get the millitary side of the story.
Comment
Major take aways in this book
1) the 'revolution' was not people's centred. Was just a tussle between Lacoste Factiom, led by Emmerson Mnangagwa & Zimbabwe Liberation war veterans Association (ZLWVA) against G-40 (Generation 40, a group of people who are under 40) faction led by Grace Mugabe. The Lacoste faction with support of some Military didn't want to see Grace Mugabe as a 'heir' of her husband’s Presidency. Grace isn't a war veterans, to them it's a disqualification for presidency. This made also, MDC party (opposition party) to support the 'coup' mainly to remove Mugabe.
2) In the light of above point, no 'major changes' are to be expected in Zimbabwe as revolution was just power struggle within ZANU-PF party.
✍️We opened prized bottles of red wine and guzzled them like water that night, marvelling at the events of the last ten days.
I have to say it’s strange to be supporting Mnangagwa,” said my 82-year-old father. “It’s like watching a snake eat another snake.” A common enemy is a galvanising thing, though.
My mother was more circumspect, as was always her way. “It is exciting, but even if Bob goes it’ll be the same bus – just a different driver. Mark my words.” Those were her final words on Zimbabwean politics."--page 100
The ongoing incidents where the government is crushing the dissidents, proves this.
I wish to get the millitary side of the story.
Comment
lnatal's review
3.0
From BBC Radio 4 - Book of the week:
A thrilling, surreal, unbelievable and sometimes even funny true story of four would-be enemies who team up to help unseat one of Africa’s longest serving dictators, Robert Mugabe.
What begins as an improbable adventure destined for failure, marked by a mixture of bravery, strategic cunning and bumbling naiveté, soon turns into the most sophisticated political-military operation in African history.
A high ranking politician, an exiled human rights lawyer, a dangerous spy and a low-key white businessman turned political fixer. By virtue of their being together, the unlikely team of misfit rivals is suddenly in position to spin what might have been seen as an illegal coup into a mass popular uprising that the world – and millions of Zimbabweans – will enthusiastically support.
The author Douglas Rogers is an award-winning journalist and travel writer who wrote The Last Resort: A memoir of Zimbabwe. He was born and raised in Zimbabwe and now lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Read by Joseph Kloska
Abridged by Polly Coles
Produced by Clive Brill
A Brill production for BBC Radio 4
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0003tdy
A thrilling, surreal, unbelievable and sometimes even funny true story of four would-be enemies who team up to help unseat one of Africa’s longest serving dictators, Robert Mugabe.
What begins as an improbable adventure destined for failure, marked by a mixture of bravery, strategic cunning and bumbling naiveté, soon turns into the most sophisticated political-military operation in African history.
A high ranking politician, an exiled human rights lawyer, a dangerous spy and a low-key white businessman turned political fixer. By virtue of their being together, the unlikely team of misfit rivals is suddenly in position to spin what might have been seen as an illegal coup into a mass popular uprising that the world – and millions of Zimbabweans – will enthusiastically support.
The author Douglas Rogers is an award-winning journalist and travel writer who wrote The Last Resort: A memoir of Zimbabwe. He was born and raised in Zimbabwe and now lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Read by Joseph Kloska
Abridged by Polly Coles
Produced by Clive Brill
A Brill production for BBC Radio 4
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0003tdy
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