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21st out of 83 books
—
16 voters
House of Stone: The True Story of a Family Divided in War-Torn Zimbabwe
Blue mountains, golden fields, gin and tonics on the terrace--once it had seemed the most idyllic place on earth. But by August 2002, Marondera, in eastern Zimbabwe, had been turned into a bloody battleground, the center of a violent campaign. One bright morning, Nigel Hough, one of the few remaining white farmers, received the news he had been dreading. A crowd of war vet...more
Hardcover, 320 pages
Published
September 1st 2007
by Lawrence Hill Books
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House of Stone spans 32 years in the lives of two very different people, one black, one white. Nigel Hough is a rich white Rhodesian, Aqui is a poor black Zimbabwean; they come from very different backgrounds and cultures, but they share a country. The unfolding story traces the intertwined lives of these two, against a backdrop of destruction.
The author, Christina Lamb, is a foreign affairs correspondent for the British Sunday Times. She has been reporting on the situation in Zimbabwe since 199...more
The author, Christina Lamb, is a foreign affairs correspondent for the British Sunday Times. She has been reporting on the situation in Zimbabwe since 199...more
Since I am trying to learn all I can before returning to Zimbabwe, I chose this as one of my titles. I was surprised to learn that the severity of the racial discord in Zimbabwe continued until so recently, 2005. I was there in 2009 and quite ignorant as to the country's history. I knew about the killings of white farmers during the 80's fight for liberation but had not realized it was still going on. This book tells the stories of Aqui, a black African woman, and Nigel Hough and family, a white...more
I liked the way Lamb alternates
chapters between the point of view of a black woman working as a maid and nanny on a white-owned farm and her boss, a white man who grew up in Zimbabwe and whose farm was taken over by some of the young thugs who have flourished under Mugabe’s rule in the last 15 years. Though I felt Lamb was too kind in her assessment of white rule during the 100+ years that Rhodesians clung to power, she managed to bring out the excesses of the liberation soldiers during the war...more
chapters between the point of view of a black woman working as a maid and nanny on a white-owned farm and her boss, a white man who grew up in Zimbabwe and whose farm was taken over by some of the young thugs who have flourished under Mugabe’s rule in the last 15 years. Though I felt Lamb was too kind in her assessment of white rule during the 100+ years that Rhodesians clung to power, she managed to bring out the excesses of the liberation soldiers during the war...more
This is an eye opening story about the troubles in Zimbabwe written by a British journalist that has made several trips there over the past 20 years. She tells the story through the parallel perspectives of a white "Rhodesian" and native Zimbabwean over the span of their lifetimes. I found the story very interesting, but be prepared for a bit of a history lessons as she rattles on about facts of all of the political struggles of the country.
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This book is about black/white conflict in Zimbabwe. It follows the lives of a white Rhodesian man and a black woman, from childhood to adults with children, from 1970 to 2005, starting at the time under Ian Smith shortly after he declared independence from the UK. It clearly shows how the upbringing of children colours their view of their surroundings, and also how people can change, as their worldview widens.
Mugabe looms large in this book, first of all as a kind of saviour, then as a monster...more
Mugabe looms large in this book, first of all as a kind of saviour, then as a monster...more
A story that follows the lives of a white boy who grows up to become a farmer, and a black girl who through a turbulent life emerges as a nanny. A tale of two characters from two different backgrounds who are steeped in their own experiences of colonialism, independence and then Mugambe, Lord of the Plundered Lands.
This book is impressively written with excerpts from the two main characters carefully interwoven into the background text. I found this story far more fascinating, though perhaps le...more
This book is impressively written with excerpts from the two main characters carefully interwoven into the background text. I found this story far more fascinating, though perhaps le...more
I signed up for a volunteer abroad program in 2001 through my university to work with a children's orphanage in Zimbabwe. The group that went before me was contacted on their Gremany layover by the university president and were asked to return to the U.S. before they even got to Zimbabwe. I ended up changing my plans - the program has been closed ever since. Reading this book gave me a very good understanding why Zimbabwe is in such chaos while being run by a murderous zealot. I am floored by Mu...more
I read this book in 2009 whilst in South Africa having travelled down the east coast from Kenya - I didn't enter Zimbabwe because of the dire situation that is, shockingly, still present. My parents lived in then-called Rhodesia until 1978 but left when it was evident lives were about to change, and whilst I've heard many things about the country I was shocked to read these perspectives and just how awful things had become. This book shows there are two sides to every story, unfortunately both a...more
Jul 27, 2008
Mandy
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Readers of non-fiction, everyone
This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is riveting and nearly impossible to put down. I would highly recommend it.
House of Stone is written by Christina Lamb, an English journalist. In the opening passages I wasn't too sure if I trusted this author yet as I thought she was exaggerating (this is the scene where she describes a city's main market as reduced to rubble). I then turned the page to see a photograph depicting the rubble and it was there that my hesitation and disbelief diss
...more
It's so terrible to think that something like this can still happen in this day and age. Despite the problems the US has, I'm glad to live in this country. I liked hearing both sides of the story and you could see that neither side won in the end (no one ever totally wins though). The gaps in time made sense, but I was sometimes a little lost as to what occurred between. A little explanation would have been nice.
this is must reading for anyone interested in the current situation in Zimbabwe. It is very well written and a fascinating account - kept me riveted wondering how the two lives would ultimately intersect
As always, CL has an in depth knowledge and understanding of her subject. This is a disturbing book in many ways. Very well written, it will live with you for a long time after you have read it.
Great book, could not put it down once I started reading. Lamb does a great job telling this story.
Loved it. The narrator makes a parallel of the life story of two very different Zimbabweans: a white farmer and a black servant, who were born within a few miles of each other. She also interweaves this with the history of Zimbabwe and its struggle to become independent, as well as the descent into madness of Robert Mugabe and all the terrible consequences of his government to this country.
Brilliantly written book. Shows both sides of Zimbabwean Independance.
really liked the way this book mixed two personal stories in with national politics and african history. story of a white family whose farm is eventually taken over by their black neighours, including their maid. interesting look at what robert mugabe's done to zimbabwe, but very depressing.
The book goes back and forth between 2 points of view, but it skips large periods of time so I didn't get to understand the characters enough. It gets better towards the end, though, so I don't regret reading it. There is some basic information about Zimbabwe's recent history, so that's a bonus (or actually the reason I picked it up).
Interesting journalist-written history.
A tale of two citizens – at opposite poles of Rhodesian/Zimbabwe society over the last 40 years, living alongside but always on opposite sides, eventually clashing in the farm invasions, expulsions and land redistribution at the turn of the century.
Christina Lamb manages to get under the skin of both to describe their delights, and lay bare their excesses, corruption and violent abuse. But after all, it is a tale of hope and reconciliation, not without hope of national reconciliation some day.
Lamb tells the parallel tragedies of Nigel Hough, third generation British colonial settler and Aqui Shamvi, Zimbabwean native, from the 1970s until the Houghs gave up their farm and moved away. There are no easy answers here--the settlers were brutal and exploitative in their time in power, and Mugabe demented and spectacularly destructive in his, with both the black and white populations driven to poverty, exile and chaos.
Full of facts, this book is about an interesting subject, but it is a grinding read. I plowed through to the end and I learned that Zimbabwe is beautiful and a political and economic disaster. I'm glad I don't live there.
Lamb does a fantastic job of giving two very different perspectives of Mugabe's influence on life in Zimbabwe. Her interviews with Nigel, a white man, and Aqui, a black woman, make this non-fiction book come alive. I now have a much better picture of how and why life in Zimbabwe is devastating.
The more I read about Zimbabwe, the more complicated it gets. Lamb attempts to give an account of the current crisis from both sides, but I think her story leans to the European point of view never the less.
Apr 17, 2007
Sherry
marked it as to-read
Just got this book today after waiting for 3 months. It was highly recommended by our ranger, originally from Zimbabwe, during our trip to Mala Mala in South Africa this January. Can't wait to read it.
Very interesting! Thank you my friends for making me read it!!
I really enjoyed this book. It is very true to life and sad. It felt more personal because I knew the people and farm that was written in the book.
Mar 27, 2008
Liz
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who don't know anything about Zimbabwe.
This was a great book, very interesting and engaging. The punctuation errors were a little annoying, but I'm nitpicky.
I really loved this book. Such an amazing story of survival.
May 14, 2013
Cindy
marked it as to-read
I have never read this. Was put on wrong shelf.
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