Mukiwa was a book club choice from a neighbour who grew up in Zimbabwe through many of the conflicts described in this autobiography. It was interesting to learn the history behind the wars and massacres that reshaped Rhodesia into modern Zimbabwe, told from the perspective of a white settler who was eventually exiled from the land he loved. Peter's greatest strength in his writing is his ability to present a nuanced and unbiased account of the war, despite having been conscripted to fight against the guerillas. He avoids the temptation to depict the country's violent history through a modern, liberal lens, refusing to gloss over the atrocities committed by both sides, and the senseless loss of innocent lives caused through the collateral damage and corruption. Anyone hoping for a Guardian style account of 'white man evil, black man innocent' will be left disappointed.
As with many true life historical accounts from someone who lived through such times, the reader will be subjected to a range of unpleasant emotions, predominantly anger at the cruelty and barbarism on display. This is certainly no read for the faint hearted, as it deals with some very distressing themes and recounts a whole slew of personal tragedies. One is given the sense of how cheap human lives are. Although Peter does an adequate job of describing the war, I don't have a head for politics so was frequently baffled by the different factions, leaders, and warring tribes. I often didn't understand why people were killing one another, and I also got the sense that, neither did they. Unfortunately, nothing has changed in Africa, it remains the same old bloodbath as it was during Godwin's time there. Still, it remains a land of exquisite beauty and wonder, but perhaps not fit for human habitation.
Rating: 3/5
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