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Rhodes - The Race for Africa
Paperback
Published January 1, 1996
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January 11, 2026
This is an exceptional book about an extraordinary man, truly a Colossus that was Rhodes. Interesting concept, this is a biography that starts with the death of its subject at the age of only 48 years and then works through his life in chronological order.
The overall picture presented of Rhodes here is of a single-minded, hugely successful businessman mainly in the risky fields of diamonds and gold. He was a devious and cunning individual with charm and who was meticulous in planning grand schemes to make money under the cloak of imperial expansion. He added a million square miles to Britain's African empire and gave his name to a country- Rhodesia- that was larger than England, Germany, France and the Low Countries combined.
Rhodes clearly had charisma. He moved in a world of plenty of fascinating characters and believed every man had their price (he had no time for women, except where they enabled him to achieve some objective). Evidently, he was also an inveterate liar, cunning and devious and frequently bought off opposition. He was not averse to achieving objectives by force of arms, violence, or verbal clashes. To his contemporaries he was a hero, a giant, a major historical figure whereas modern day sensibilities seem more concerned with his influential role in apartheid and whether his statue in Oxford should be removed.
This is a fascinating read with plenty of photos of many of the main players and the places mentioned in the text. The narrative includes the author's views on previous (to 1996) biographies of Rhodes. Overall, an impressive collation of material about a man whose achievements and influence upon events even to this day should be studied.
The overall picture presented of Rhodes here is of a single-minded, hugely successful businessman mainly in the risky fields of diamonds and gold. He was a devious and cunning individual with charm and who was meticulous in planning grand schemes to make money under the cloak of imperial expansion. He added a million square miles to Britain's African empire and gave his name to a country- Rhodesia- that was larger than England, Germany, France and the Low Countries combined.
Rhodes clearly had charisma. He moved in a world of plenty of fascinating characters and believed every man had their price (he had no time for women, except where they enabled him to achieve some objective). Evidently, he was also an inveterate liar, cunning and devious and frequently bought off opposition. He was not averse to achieving objectives by force of arms, violence, or verbal clashes. To his contemporaries he was a hero, a giant, a major historical figure whereas modern day sensibilities seem more concerned with his influential role in apartheid and whether his statue in Oxford should be removed.
This is a fascinating read with plenty of photos of many of the main players and the places mentioned in the text. The narrative includes the author's views on previous (to 1996) biographies of Rhodes. Overall, an impressive collation of material about a man whose achievements and influence upon events even to this day should be studied.
Displaying 1 of 1 review