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Twenty-five down! I will post tomorrow reviewing my progress at this major milestone, but tonight I will limit myself to a review of Winston Churchill’s My African Journey. In 1905, Churchill was appointed Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. He undertook an informal tour of British possessions and protectorates in Africa, reporting in serial fashion to newspapers. In 1908 he assembled those reports and published the result as My African Journey. I have made no secret of my Churchill obsession. He is one of the most fascinating individuals to grace the pages of history. This book, like his others, drips wit and personality from every page. I am not blind to Churchill’s flaws, and many are on display in My African Journey. His antiquated view on race relations and the superiority of the European to the African natives would be unbearable were they espoused today. While his views certainly evolved after 1908, they represent his unique position straddling the Victorian and the modern eras. It was this conflict between two ages that helped shape Churchill into the guiding light for Britain in the darkest days of World War II. My African Journey offers a look at the man before he was a legend. Churchill’s extensive literary output over the course of his life gives readers the rare chance to watch him grow from ambitious youth to national hero. My African Journey is an entertaining stop along that journey, and I wholeheartedly recommend it as such.
The Current Count:
25 Read, 75 To Go
1 Year, 100 Books 