I love to read and I read lots. LOTS! If I can't be a published writer then I will read and read and read! Remember, "Great writers read as much was they write." In my case, at least I will have half of the formula down.
Most of the books that I read either get returned to the library or Bookcrossed. Bookcrossing is a website where folks can enter a book's ISBN and then get a unique code for that book (Unique for Bookcrossing's system as ISBN' are unique codes in the first place. Mr. Smartypants.). You then log that book in the system and leave it in a public place with the hope that someone will find it! The finder uses the code to log onto the site and then say where they found it and, later, what they thought of it. Then they release it and the circle continues. It all sounds a lot funner when you read what the actual Bookcrossing site has to say about it.
I bookcross books that I like and dislike. I can like a book, but not enough to let it sit on my self. My bookshelf is actually pretty lean and focused on specific authors more than random books. But I do find these single books that I really enjoy and that I can't bookcross because I want to keep them. I know I will re-read these books even though I might not become the author's groupie. So, when one of these books comes up, I will blog away! Bookcrossing lets you put books in your permanent collection, but I feel the purpose of the site is to release, so permanent collection be damned!
Releases in 1998, Giles Foden's Last King of Scotland has come back into the forefront due to the much-celebrated recent movie of the same name. I have yet to see the movie, but I got this book from my lovely gf, Amanda, because I do want to see it. I hear it is quite good and so is the book.The book is a historical novel. There never was a Scottish doctor named Nicholas Garrigan who became Idi Amin's personal physician, but there was an Idi Amin and his associates. The novel comes from Foden's 20 years in Africa and incredible research/first-hand interviews into the Amin rule. The historical aspect reads quite well. Foden chooses to present the work as Nicolas' journal from his quasi-exile in the Scottish boonies. This justifies any expository paragraphs that Nicholas inserts for the help of "his" own readers. With historical stories, I tend to prefer those that take a long time to get to the actual history. A writer can focus on the events and forget to create a decent context. Foden paints Uganda here with lengthy descriptions of flora, fauna, food, landscapes, and people. I am a sucker for exposition.
If this book weren't based on so much reality then it would be hilarious! If you replaced Uganda with some made up country (Logo-Pogo or something) and renamed Idi Mufasa Jones then the entire story would make up a great dark comedy. A sort of gallows humor. I could see this version in film too, except it would be a Mel Brooks picture set to songs like "African Kilts" and "Kampala Highlanders." History does some of the writing itself. Idi's self appointed title was, "His Excellency President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea, and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular." I thought "esq." was nice suffix, but that is pure comedy gold. I like how Idi gave himself Aquaman powers with the "fishes of the sea" part. His title re-affirms his charisma. How could you not want to meet a guy that calls himself that!?
Of course, it's all very true. Foden does well at creating Idi's "Instant Stockholm Syndrome Effect." The modern readers knows that Amin murdered about 300,000 people, but we can't help, but smirk at the guy who bursts out of hotel pool on an underwater elevator or wears an orange jump suit (For when Uganda goes to the moon!) to an interview. Or who pushes back his plate saying "Done!" at a state dinner. The man who created a navy in a landlocked country.* During the scenes where its just Idi and Nicolas, the reader doesn't observe, but acually feels the conversation. Even when he takes Nicholas to the torture chambers, Foden keeps up Idi's smooth talking. He is never left speechless, even when challenged by his own horrors. My favorite line in the entire book is when Tanzania has invaded Kampala and forced Idi to run. History shows that he ran to Libya and then lived out the rest of his life in exile. The book portrays this, but first shows how Idi gets out of Uganda. I would like to research the actual historical accuracy of this, but as the Tanzanians come into Kampala, Idi hides in secret underground passage beneath one of his mansions. Nicholas confronts him and Idi says that he is not afraid. He will find some way of the country...
Nicholas: "But how will you get out of the city? It's swarming with Tanzanians. How will you get out of the Lodge?"
Idi: "Doctor Nicholas, you know I am the best commando in the world, and also a master of disguise."
I didn't know that anyone actually used the phrase "master of diguise." I thought it was just that, a phrase, a lot like "rocket scientist" or "bar keep." And you have to keep in mind that Idi was a BIG guy. Best commando? Maybe if you were battling the fourth King of Tonga.
The book was a bit sobering as it revealed that I , like most Americans, know absolutely nothing about Africa. I like to think of myself as a pretty well-educated person. While in college, the African Students club did a study where they asked people to name five countries in Africa. Just five countries. All of this is second hand, but some of the anecdotes were just ludicrous. Most people could barely name one or decided to act like jackasses and provide horrible answers like "Nigger Land." I could name five countries in Africa, and I guess that made me better than the rest, but certainly not enlightened. It's also sad that being able to reiterate a map puts you above others. I don't have any studies to back this up, but I know that no matter how educated I try to sound/be, I am a complete idiot when it comes to African history. I hope I can make up for this and slowly learn more and more.
My only gripe about the book was the journal style. Sometimes it was a bit difficult to figure out whether Nicholas was writing about the past or present. However, this makes for a very minor personal nitpick in an amazing book. I can't wait to see the movie and I hope you can read/see it too!
Peace!
*I only inserted this because the author/book chose to mock Idi on it. Uganda might be landlocked, but it is ridiculously wet. Lakes everywhere, and BIG ones like Lake Victoria to boot. The "source" of the Nile! If I were president I would make some sort of freshwater navy, but I guess it is still a bit silly.
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