Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: Tropical Gangsters gives you an interesting look into Equatorial Guinea through the eyes of an economist, but also a human. If you're interested in development, foreign aid, etc you'll find this book fascinating. No groundbreaking theories are found here, but the practical side is conveyed clearly and precisely. It reads like a diary of sorts, there are insights into cultural differences, personal life and political science questions.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Tropical Gangsters gives you an interesting look into Equatorial Guinea through the eyes of an economist, but also a human. If you're interested in development, foreign aid, etc you'll find this book fascinating. No groundbreaking theories are found here, but the practical side is conveyed clearly and precisely. It reads like a diary of sorts, there are insights into cultural differences, personal life and political science questions.
Rating:
Summary: The author as Foreign Aid Surfer Dude
Review: What initially attracted me to Tropical Gangsters was surfing. As a surfer working at the time for AusAID, Australia's government foreign aid agency, I was fascinated by Robert Klitgaard as Foreign Aid Surfer Dude. He surfed and worked in Equatorial Guinea, paralleling a particular dream of mine, which I eventually played out in the Pacific. But his book goes much further than simply surfing the Third World: it gives a quirky and realistic picture of the difficulties (and joys) of working in a developing country. Unlike most books on development, it is a personal testament from someone who's been there and done that, and which makes an engaging read. Highly recommended.
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