Having just reread this book, I remain as impressed by it as ever and continue to recommend it to anyone interested in either Rhodesia or the SAS. It's a great contribution to the history of the Rhodesian war and as time proves Smith was right all along about Mugabe, a remainder of much that was lost.

This is truly a one of a kind, straight up and informative look into a people who stood up to the world but in the end were ganged upon and betrayed by the so called world leaders of the day.. They did so much with so little and yet made a difference. My hat goes off to all the Rhodesian units. Counter insurgency>this is it.. p>s More men more time, Hmmm ,Could have been a different ending. Five stars all the way, IB

Simply put, this is the best Non-Fiction unit history I have ever read...the amount of research that went into this book is phenominal. You MUST READ this book! The only question that remains is...Where can I get the "Elite Pictorial? "...if someone knows...EMAIL ME!

TE

I have worked in Zimbabwe for two years as a photographer and film maker. Of Spirits and Madness gives western thinking a new vantage point. Remember, there is no reality only perception. One of the best books I have read on Shona culture. The spiritual basis of life forms all other truths in Africa. Great Book, wonderful to read.

I bought this book to be polite. When a friend of 10+ years writes a book... you buy it. And the day before his reading... you start the first chapter. What I did not expect was that I would absolutely inhale the text. My brain lit up with pleasure. There are so many good things about this book. Not only is the writing itself excellent, the information that Paul tucks into the narratives of each patient is downright fascinating. He takes up politics, economics, spirituality, culture, context, and mental health. The story of each patient's illness is refracted through Paul's Western training, his good heart, and his growing understanding of the local explanations for why things happen as they do. Along the way he provides a terrific set of curbside lectures about a wide spectrum of mental illnesses. He interweaves factual information about disease states with tender compassion for and curiosity about the people he served. I learned a lot from this book and plan to read it again. Maybe I should be polite more often....

Dr. Paul Linde's book "Of Spirits and Madness" is a wonderfully entertaining and insightful look into the culture and psyche of the Zimbabwean people. As an American psychiatrist in this third world African country, he becomes immersed in a cultural quagmire of ancestral spirits, evangelical Christianity and traditional healers all colliding with modern Western medical practices. The results, a train wreck of frequently amusing and sometimes very sad situations: experienes which challenged the author's intellectual and medical skills while raising questions in his own mind about the modern world's pursuit of indivudual gain and blatant consumption. This is a great book which will make all readers laugh, think and reevaluate one's own views of what is truly important. The best book I've read this year!

In 1967 while still a high school student my Sunday School class was shown a documentary about the Falashas of Ethiopia. While I can barely remember details of documentaries that I saw last week, I still vividly recall details from that documentary I saw in 1967. When I saw this book, saw that Parfitt had also written about the Falashas, and this was yet another group of people who believed they held onto an ancient Jewish tradition.

To my surprise this book was even better than I expected; I couldn't put it down. Parfitt weaves the oral tradition of the Lemba people, historical scholarship parsed mostly from travel diaries, anthropological observation together into a travel monologue that both reveals a great deal about modern Africa while also tracing the Journey of the Lemba people. Eventually the journey he takes to find out about the Lemba becomes more interesting the the answers he may have found.

I am a great fan of travel adventure stories and rate this book as one of my favorites. Tudor Parfitt seems to be an unusual combination of intellectual and adventurer. Journey....is well written, entertaining and informative. I envy his students back in England as his classes must be the highlight of their college education. How exciting it must have been to be able to prove that the Lemba Tribe's oral tradition was correct. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Africa, travel, cultural anthropology or Jewish studies.

Parfitt starts with a simple question: why do the Lemba tribe of southern Africa believe they are Jews? His research reveals the limits on the transmission of self-knowledge through oral history. He also shows how diverse African culture really is. These are indispensible to understanding civilizations.

Westerners tend to assume that our received wisdom scripture is infallible. But its written form must preserve the final state of an early oral tradition. By following the oral memory of the Lemba backwards in time and geography, Parfitt vivdly shows how their tribal memories merge and diverge under the influence of nearby cultures and events. All Lemba regard themselves as Jewish, and say the Hebrew "amen" at the conclusion of prayers, but many of them also recite Moslem formulas in Arabic. So, were they originally Islamic, with Jewish ideas introduced under the recent influence of Christian missionaries? Or the reverse? What do their memories have to tell us about our own traditions?

Along the way, he meets chieftans, beaurocrats, and ordinary Africans, all of whom he reveals as distinct personalities. He patiently tracks down clues found in every version of the Lemba histories. As his collection of evidence grows, the mystery enlarges. This is detective anthropology, written stylishly, and with urgency. The Lemba are forgetting their myths and the traditions are vanishing.

I highly recommend this book for revealing nuances of African culture and history in a matrix of travel, character, and discovery.

Jean Phillips' book RESCUE not only was very interesting but it gave me a new perspective on life. I particularly appreciate the last chapter concerning trials and affictions. It was the most straight forward and easy-to-understand explanation I have come across.

This book is, to put it simply, a record of one woman's walk of faith. It is a depiction of God's servants being repeatedly led into the "valley of the shadow of death" and experiencing divine deliverance.For those who consider foreign missions "pie in the sky" preaching to the heathen, this book will immediately disabuse them of such a misconception.As a teenage friend, college suite mate, and bridesmaid to the author, I have intimate knowlege of her early dedication to God and His calling in her life. This book is a lifelong record of her answer to that call.The comment has often been made that some Christians are "so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good". One of the most appealing facets of this book is the revelation of the oh-so-human emotions of the author and her husband, as they faced many hardships and even death while fulfilling the ministry to which God called them. She makes no attempt to hide nor deny these emotions, but reveals them to the reader, and in so doing shows us that by facing our humanity and turning it over to God, He is able use us to glorify His name, regardless of where our place of service may lie.The author presents to the reader not only the nitty-gritty aspects of day-to-day mission work, lived out with her husband over a period of more than 40 years, but also, the simple joy to be derived from seeing lives changed by God's working through His devoted servants.After many years, during which our paths took different directions, it was a blessing to recently renew our friendship and observe, first hand, how the many trials and tribulations the author and her family have endured have matured her faith and her love and acceptance of all God's creatures.

The Phillips' journey of faith in Africa, which lasted over 40 years, is one that can be an encouragement to all. The watchcare of God over them, even in the midst of the Rhodesian Civil War and many other hazards, is a miracle. God honored their faithfulness with His faithfulness to them during their lifetime of service.

An excellent read. The book really took me back. I grew up pre-Zimbabwe and was 14 years old at the independence of Zimbabwe. I left in '87. The book is a great account of the "bush war"..you're really there!

His association of music with periods in his life "took me back" too. I remember dancing to ABBA "dancing queen" on a farm in Karoi..I grew up in Karoi and went to the Primary school there..I remember seeing the helicopters landing on the rugby field near the police station, directly opposite the school. I remember talking to the "army guys" and eating "rat packs",...convoys to Makuti, stopping halfway at a motel called "Elephants Walk". I went to school and was a border at Ellis Robins. I remember the seniors bringing rifles to school and handing them in to the house master at the beginning of a new school term....Alot of memories and this book brought them flooding back!...Although there was war, I would not have traded my upbringing, barefoot and running around the farm, for anything!

Once again, it's a great book to read.

This book reminds one of the horrors of war much like All Quiet on the Western Front did. The author starts out a middle class idealist, and concludes a hardened killer who in his early 20's needs to make sense of all the senseless deaths that surrounded his formative years. The Rhodesian "bush" war was bloody, and appears to have accomplished nothing, in that the present state of Zimbabwe almost makes those who fought against the "terrorists" heroes for trying to keep Rhodesian and southern Africa out of the hands of despots like Mugabe. I hope the Movement for Democratic Change really is a movement for democratic change, and that some day all Zimbabwean's will be free to participate in their country.

Great book, and don't forget to read the sequel "Survival Course".

Bloody good book - told as it was. Everyone should read it.

Nineteen compelling, "nearly true" tales set in southern Africa during the late 1970s and 1980s comprise a debut work for this promising writer. The book, essentially a memoir dealing with Howard's coming-of-age experiences in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe during and after its war for independence, is a labor of love -- love for the land and its inhabitants: black, white, colonial and indigenous. As an American youth studying veterinary medicine in South Africa, Howard, afflicted with wanderlust, chanced to hitchhike north to Rhodesia on school holiday, whereupon his life was forever transformed. Upon marrying a Rhodesian girl and beginning a veterinary practice in the quaint colonial town of Marondellas, his soul became an irreversible part of the hard, red African clay. Now practising in New Zealand, Howard has experienced that teawakening of midlife, when many of us feel an urge to do an accounting of our lives. Howard is eminently successful in this accounting, and has shared his impressions and experiences in a way that makes this reader, a resident of Zimbabwe in the 1980s, want to see more. His stories, some comedic, others tragic, will evoke fond memories and nostalgia in all who once called southern Africa home.

Talk to most people about southern Africa and they will recount images of political unrest and violence. "Drive-By-Duck and other stories" offers the reader a different viewpoint. Human emotions and experiences of everyday life are interwoven in stories that reflect the depth of these nomatter where in the world you live. The only difference is the backdrop of the majesty that is southern Africa. For the reader brought up in southern Africa, the book will evoke many special memories. For the reader who has a curiosity for this part of the world, it will fuel your urge to visit one day. And for anyone who just wants a 'darn' good read, you WON'T be disappointed. If you only buy one book this year, let it be "Drive-By-Duck and other stories"

As a young man in the South African conflict in Namibia and Angola these books (Faces and Images) brought back many memories and a large lump in my throat - anyone who has served in that conflict or wants to see another side to war should buy these book.

The Faces of people fighting a war are haunting. Peter Badcock knows how to capture their warness, their tireness, their humor, that you can almost touch them and after a while they become familiar as friends.

Tons of beautiful tracings of prehistoric art and some beautiful photographs. The tracings are just as exciting as the photographs. I've barely glanced at the text, but it's an art book - who reads em?

With 185 black-and-white figures and 36 color photographs, this book is a treasure trove of ancient art. Since I bought this book mostly for the graphics, I was well pleased. 176 pages total

Wow! That is all you can say after reading Fireforce. C.J. Cocks has written one of the finest accounts of war ever put on paper. Fireforce tells everything the hours of boredom waiting for a call out, the adrenaline rush when the call out comes, and the horrors of combat. Even if you have no interest in the Rhodesian scene this is a must read. Cocks captures the terrible strain that combat causes on young men making them age way past their years. The pictures in the book show the evidence as the men show signs of combat fatigue and Cocks himself looks as he has aged 10 years in the four years covered by this book. The firefights are very descriptive and at times the reader feels the AK rounds whizzing by their ears. This is not just a story of combat but also a story of young men fighting for a country's independence that no one gave a damn for. Cocks describes the final years of Rhodesia's struggle for independence in one of the countries elite units. This is the modern version of All Quiet on the Western Front. I recommend this book to anyone interested in what war is really all about.

Great book! Chris Cocks really brings into clear focus the horror of war. This book is not about the "big picture." If you want an overall history of the Rhodesian war or the politics involved etc look elsewhere. If you want an excellent read based on one man's experiences then this is it. I particulary found his description of the kit used by the soldiers interesting, who carried what, why, what worked, what didn't. As a bonus the photos are superb! Very clear, crisp and many in color. Strongly recommend this book!

You cant put down this book once you start reading it. I cant wait to read his follow up book "Survival Course".

LTC Ron Reid-Daly has written a superb book on the finest killing machine in Africa, the Selous Scouts. LTC Reid-Daly was the founder and commanding officer of this psuedo counter-insurgency force. The author gives us the insight into the bravery, courage, and brutality of his men while performing their operations. This group of highly skilled black and white operators wrecked havoc on the guerilla forces inside and out of Rhodesia. Because of his availability to intelligence Reid-Daly also gives the reader a overview of the conflict and the politics behind the decisions. This is a great read on special operations and Reid-Daly gives a great narrative of the missions and the background for them. This is a great story of an exceptional group of men written by an exceptional soldier and is a must read!

Pamwe Chete is without question one of the most interesting accounts of counter-insurgency operations ever written. LTC Reid-Daly formed the Selous Scouts in the early 1970s' at the behest of the Rhodesian Army Chief of Staff. What follows is the most famous (or infamous) counter-insurgency campaign in recent history. The Selous Scouts were the finest counter-insurgency force ever to take to the field and hunt down guerillas. LTC Reid-Daly has written an honest, detailed account that draws the reader's interest on the first page and never lets go. This book is a must read for any military historian. Reid's engaging book is chocked full of incredible stories about the incredible challenges the Selous Scouts overcame and the unbelievable but true successes they achieved.

This book should be a mandatory read for Non-commissioned officers and Officers serving in special mission units or special operations the world over. In the counter-insurgency / low-intensity conflict arena there are many valuable lessons to be learned from this text, and for the armchair historian or casual reader the story is still gripping enough to keep you enthralled to the last page. Basically this is story of the birth and death of one of the most feared insurgency units of the time, as told by the founder of this outstanding unit; Ron Reid-Daly. It covers the units training, selection, operations, and personalities of the unit with the war being the tool that propels the story and evolution of the unit. One of the most remarkable aspects of Selous scouts was their employment of pseudo-terrorist techniques, which were used to melt into know terrorist cells, to either eliminate the terrorist themselves or direct other assets to the known cells to be neutralized. While conducting these type operations the Selous Scouts maintained the cover of being a combat tracking (mantracking) unit, as to keep their true purpose under wraps from the rest of the Rhodesian Security Forces. I would also like to point out they were truly all trained tracks and maintained this capability to superb levels of proficiency. This book is a re-release and completely revamped version of "SELOUS SCOUTS - Top Secret War" (original title). If you read the original edition you will enjoy this one much better. Many areas in the book have been rewritten and their many additions and details added to the text. Many of the names of individual have added into this text, originally kept exempt for security and safety reasons. Also there are many new photographs added and the Illustrations are a lot crisper. One of the biggest treats in this edition is the added appendix covering; roll of honor, wing nominal roll, awards and citations. Bottom line is this version truly opens the door to this once 'Top Secret" organization of combat trackers turned pseudo-terrorist specialist.