GRANT LEISHMAN
  • ABOUT
  • MY BOOKS
    • THE SECOND COMING
    • RISE OF THE ANTICHRIST
    • HOLY WAR
    • JUST A DROP IN THE OCEAN
    • PARANORMAL ALLEY
    • TORTURED MINDS
    • THE PHOTOGRAPH
  • ARE YOU AN AUTHOR?
  • MY BLOG
  • Be A Part of the LIMITLESS Anthology
  • BOOK REVIEWS
    • BOOK REVIEWS
  • CONTACT & LINKS
  • AFFILIATE - Rachel McGrath
  • THAT'S LIFE
    • FOOD - PINOY STYLE
    • THE GREAT BEETROOT HUNT
    • GETTING AROUND THE METRO
  • PHILIPPINES
    • PLACES TO VISIT >
      • BORACAY
      • OCCIDENTAL MINDORO
  • SPORT
    • NEW ZEALAND SPORT
    • PHILIPPINE SPORT
  • TRANSFORMATIVE POWER
    • THE SECRET
  • GALLERY
  • ABOUT
  • MY BOOKS
    • THE SECOND COMING
    • RISE OF THE ANTICHRIST
    • HOLY WAR
    • JUST A DROP IN THE OCEAN
    • PARANORMAL ALLEY
    • TORTURED MINDS
    • THE PHOTOGRAPH
  • ARE YOU AN AUTHOR?
  • MY BLOG
  • Be A Part of the LIMITLESS Anthology
  • BOOK REVIEWS
    • BOOK REVIEWS
  • CONTACT & LINKS
  • AFFILIATE - Rachel McGrath
  • THAT'S LIFE
    • FOOD - PINOY STYLE
    • THE GREAT BEETROOT HUNT
    • GETTING AROUND THE METRO
  • PHILIPPINES
    • PLACES TO VISIT >
      • BORACAY
      • OCCIDENTAL MINDORO
  • SPORT
    • NEW ZEALAND SPORT
    • PHILIPPINE SPORT
  • TRANSFORMATIVE POWER
    • THE SECRET
  • GALLERY
GRANT LEISHMAN

TRUTH, LIES, PROPAGANDA: IN AFRICA BY LUCINDA E CLARKE

30/6/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
​For me, memoirs either hit the spot and tickle my funny-bone, or tug on my heart-strings, or they don't. Truth, Lies, Propaganda: In Africa by Lucinda E. Clarke almost makes it in that respect.
There are numerous funny anecdotes in this book that will make you giggle, a few that will make you squirm and one or two where you'll say; "rather her than me." 
As the story of a woman obsessed with the dream to write and the path she took to achieve that dream, it is an interesting story and for those of us with a limited knowledge of Africa and particularly what it was like to be white and living in apartheid South Africa in the 1980's and early 90's, it was quite a revelation.
Clarke takes us on a journey from her earliest dabbling in writing and broadcasting, as a continuity announcer at a Libyan radio station during the repressive regime of Muammar Qaddafi through to her work as a teacher in a South African private school, where she was able to indulge her need to write, though stories, radio plays and television programmes for the state owned broadcasting unit, the SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation). Most of this particular book focuses on her days with the SABC and she is at pains to assure her readers that working on radio and television was far from the glamorous occupation it is often portrayed to be. There were many genuinely funny anecdotes from her work to produce "educational" programmes to try and improve the lives of the majority, poor, black population. As an expatriate Brit and as white as they come, some of the best stories came from her forays into the black townships to film, where she often faced real fear of violence or hatred. 
My only complaint, and it is a minor one, was that at times I found the tone of the story to be just a little patronising and insulting to the intelligence of her readers. Some of the explanations of various broadcasting terms, were I felt anyway, so obvious as to be totally unnecessary and a little disruptive to the flow of my reading. 
What comes through over and over again in this memoir is the author's innate desire and need to write, something I could readily identify with. Clarke is frank in an assessment of her own abilities, but like all writers, she tends toward self-deprecation perhaps more than is necessary. I've read a number of her books now and she is a talented writer and an excellent author of both fiction and non-fiction, alike. This is a good read and interesting and instructional as an insight into what it was like to be just another, ordinary white person working in apartheid South Africa and interacting daily with the black majority. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading her follow up book on the same subject; More Truth, Lies and Propaganda.         
I am happy to give Truth, Lies, Propaganda: in Africa, four solid stars. If you like reading memoirs of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, then I'm sure you'll enjoy this book immensely, as I did. 

Picture
You can check out Lucinda E Clarke's exceptional body of available work here:  

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Please Subscribe

    Author

    In this section I will review books I have read. All the opinions expressed here are my personal opinions only.

    Archives

    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    Categories

    All
    Anthologies
    Children's
    Contemporary Lit
    Dystopian
    Fantasy
    Fantasy/Romance/Erotica
    Historical Fiction
    Humour
    Mystery/Mayhem
    Non Fiction/Memoirs
    Non-Fiction/Memoirs
    Romance/Adventure
    Science Fiction
    Young Adult

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.