The Last King of Scotland by Giles Foden

The Last King of Scotland

Giles Foden

Told from the point of view of Idi Armin's personal physician, this is a dark, but compelling read which delivers a chilling portrait of a tyrant ruler corrupted by power. But despite dealing with an horrific period in Uganda's history, the book does not dwell on the gory aspects, and it also gave me a broader view of life in this troubled country.

Extract
Groaning in the grass, Idi was convinced the wrist was broken, and he cursed me in Swahili as I bound it up. But I must have done something right because, a few months later, I received a letter appointing me to the post of President Amin's personal physician. That was Idi's way, you see. Punish or reward. You couldn't say no. Or I didn't think, back then, that you could.
Parallels
  • A Perfect Execution by Tim Binding
  • In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz by Michela Wrong