Overview

A British couple with their two young children leave dreary, post war Britain in 1952 and emigrate to Kenya in the hope of a better life. But the British empire is in terminal decline and they arrive just as the Mau Mau rebellion against colonial rule is breaking out. A cycle of atrocity and brutal repression sets in and the Cook family are constantly on the move, seeking safety and a secure livelihood. When the rebels are finally defeated and tens of thousands of Africans are herded into prison camps, the family settles down into a happy, adventurous life in the sunshine. But independence is inevitably approaching, and uncertainty about their future is settled by a sudden personal tragedy. Seen through the eyes of a child, but framed by adult knowledge, this is a story about the last hurrah of the empire, when a community of about 50,000 white settlers hung on to their privileged life until the bitter end.

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9781738459827

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Author Information

Stephen Cook is a former journalist and author with extensive experience in national newspapers and magazines, including 18 years at The Guardian. He edited the magazine for charities and voluntary organisations, Third Sector, and he has published five novels and two non-fiction books.

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