Tim Keegan (1)

A surprising, fascinating, brilliantly written book which presents Dr Philip and his amazing wife as solid ground amidst the fissiparous missionaries, cynical and overwhelmed colonial governors and rapacious settlers. All Philip’s personal papers were lost in the 1931 fire in the Wits library. But I doubt we missed any jokes - of which I did not find one in the whole book.The narrative fully conveys the unbounded energy of the protagonist, never shrinking from a disagreement, and always show more seeing hopeful signs in every new arrival, even as early optimism is dashed, again and again. show less