The Founder: Cecil Rhodes and the Pursuit of Power

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Quotes
Review: What makes this biography so unique is that it is, in fact, very well researched. The book if full of direct quotations from intimate correspondences and the like. As an avid reader and researcher of sub-Saharan history, this book is a treasure-trove of wonderful snippits of reactions to pivotal moments in Rhodes' life. That said, there are two shortcomings to this book: 1) The book is sprinkled with psychology babble from a contributer, other than Rotberg that really detracts, rather than enhance the read; and 2) the book can be repetitive, i.e. the same quotations - while great - are used over again, as are basic facts. In sum, the book is nevertheless a valuable contribution to the study of Rhodes and to the history of the southern African region.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Quotes
Review: What makes this biography so unique is that it is, in fact, very well researched. The book if full of direct quotations from intimate correspondences and the like. As an avid reader and researcher of sub-Saharan history, this book is a treasure-trove of wonderful snippits of reactions to pivotal moments in Rhodes' life. That said, there are two shortcomings to this book: 1) The book is sprinkled with psychology babble from a contributer, other than Rotberg that really detracts, rather than enhance the read; and 2) the book can be repetitive, i.e. the same quotations - while great - are used over again, as are basic facts. In sum, the book is nevertheless a valuable contribution to the study of Rhodes and to the history of the southern African region.