African Kaiser: General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck and the Great War in Africa, 1914-1918

African Kaiser is probably the best book about one of the most fascinating and overlooked episodes of WWI, the German East Africa campaign. The war on this tropical front didn't bog down into trenches but was characterized by continual maneuver and sabotage in exotic settings with famous African big-game hunters and romantic stories one finds in The African Queen. Such it was with General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck who remained undefeated despite overwhelming odds. The stories are wonderful the stuff of legend, but hardly known in the English speaking world, probably because Lettow emerges the hero, morally and otherwise, while the British are the bumbling fools and abusers. Robert Gaudi has written an absorbing and transporting account of show more this amazing time and place. Gaudi's writing is first rate, I would read anything by him again, he is at the top of the form in creative non-fiction. My only complaint it isn't a longer book. show less

Written in the style of a novel and with all too many schoolboy inaccuracies it reads fairly well and contains much interesting detail. However, the errors intrude all to often and leave the reader wondering just how much of the remainder is accurate.

A much better book on the subject is "Tip and Run", I'd recommend you buy that instead.

Very interesting narrative about the Great War in Africa. Lettow-Vorbek serves as the main trunk on which the story is centered, but the author goes fairly far away in giving large pieces of the story. The events are fascinating and lend themselves to an entertaining book, which the author has written.

Great biography on an extremely interesting figure.

Really good!

Paul Von Lettow-Vorbeck is my new hero. This was a great book about an amazing commander and I am going to recommend it to all of my friends.