Rollicking good story ( )

This book is my life. ( )

Opening Sentence: '...Mum says "Don't come creeping into our room at night." ...'

This is because Alexandra's parents sleep with loaded guns to shoot intruders. She was born in England but conceived and bred in Rhodesia during the civil war from 1971-1979. A dangerous time when children where taught how to load, strip and clean all the guns in the house, and shoot-to-kill. Fuller describes her parents' racism and the wartime relationships between blacks and whites through a child's eyes. Night curfews, riding in cars with guns to shoot back at snipers, mosquitoes, land mines, ambushes and lots of animals that can kill are the everyday occurrences of her childhood. She explains as a child best can how Robert Mugabe came to power, and how his strict control and reign of terror against his opposition began.

Some may find this memoir to be a little full on, and angry at her attitudes. It is a childhood that existed in a way of life that is fortunately dying out now. To a lesser extent it is the life of my childhood and I can understand how she can see, and relate, bigotry and racism, that occurred around her, without understanding the implications. I am not sure of how Fuller feels today - but I am horrified by racism - totally different to my parents who have a white supremacy attitude to this day. While there is war, atrocities and racism surrounding her - Fuller has much more important things in her life. The death of siblings, abuse by a neigbour, no food on the table, and a drunken mother. The rich and terribly beautiful life in Africa is just the backdrop to her family life. ( )

Wonderfully written, funny and poignant at the same time, sensual descriptions of Africa - made me want to go back to this powerful place. ( )

This was a very interesting look into one white family's life in south Africa (Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi) during the political turmoil of the 70s. Fuller's narrative is largely anecdotal, but I think this is an honest way to present a story that begins when she is a very young girl. The author does not romanticize Africa nor she sugar coat her family's life, attitudes or political beliefs. Though her family often seems callous and obtuse in their belief that whites "belong in Africa," their love for Africa is apparent on every page. ( )