Prompt – A fiction or non-fiction book about a world leader.
Medium – Book
About the Book – Written by Ben Freeth, and based on the BAFTA nominated documentary, this book investigates the Land Seizure Programme instigated by Robert Mugabe in 2000, from the point of view of one family. The Land Seizure Programme sought to remove the land and property of thousands of white farmers, through the use of illegal means, including torture, rape and murder. Many white families abandoned everything and left Zimbabwe in fear of their life. However, Ben and Lynn Freeth and their children, together with Lynn’s parents and brother determined to stay in the lands that had been their home for so long, and mounted a legal opposition to the seizures and particularly to Mugabe, through the international courts. However, they were not unscathed in the resulting backlash against them.
My Rating – 6/10. The first thing to say about this book is that the subject matter is extremely important. Racism of any kind is disgusting, and the atrocities which were wrought in Zimbabwe and in other areas of Africa (including Apartheid in South Africa) were truly horrific. Freeth describes the way the white and black farmers and farm workers were tortured and killed in chilling but necessary detail. From Freeth’s own sister-in-law who caught malaria from resettled farmers and died whilst pregnant with twins, to the farmer who was shot and left to die with his little dog next to him, Mugabe’s land seizure programme, and the violence that was mandated alongside it, was horrific. It enriched the rich ruling class, whilst impoverishing the white farmers and the black majority. Freeth is a strong Christian, and I found his sure and certain faith in the face of such evil inspiring. His father-in-law’s resilience and ability to forgive the men that had beaten him almost to death was something I take away from this book with clarity.
So, why, if the subject matter of this book is so excellent, and important, am I only giving this book 6/10? There are two main reasons, neither of which have anything to do with the core content of the book, but both of which affected my reading enjoyment. Firstly, this book seriously needed an proof-reader. There are a number of grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors, which being a bit of a pedant, made me lose track of the important bits of the text. Secondly, the book seriously needed an editor. There are several chapters which include in depth legal jargon and the infighting in a series of different groups – none of which really, in my opinion, added much to the book. I think finally, it’s just a matter of choice. I wanted to read this book and I am glad I did. But did I enjoy it? No. It’s a good depiction of what happened, but in comparison with other books I have read this year, it wouldn’t be my first choice to pick up and read again.
Would I read it again? Probably not, see above! I have passed it on to my husband though.
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