Canadian historian C. Brad Faught sets out “to show that [Winston] Churchill’s knowledge and understanding of Africa and Africans was more nuanced and of greater sophistication than is often believed.” By the end of the book, he largely succeeds in proving that “throughout much of Churchill’s long political career his view of what used to be called ‘Black Africa’ was relatively enlightened.” The only real problem with this book is that there is too much chaff before you get to the wheat, but the grist is worth the grind.
This short study consists of eight chapters. Only the last four are worth reading for those already familiar with Churchill’s life. These episodes have been well documented, starting with Churchill himself and followed by scores of biographies and specialized studies. In these areas, Faught’s text is plain boilerplate.
