The Last Resort

I very much enjoyed The Last Resort - A memoir of Zimbabwe by Douglas Rogers which tells the story of his growing up in Zimbabwe and the tenacious efforts of his parents to hold on to their property.  The book won Best Travel Book 2010 - British Guild of Travel Writers.  Douglas is based in America and travels to visit his parents and keeps in touch with the latest developments by phone.  This is a story where fact is stranger than fiction as the reader follows the tragedy of the gradual destruction of a once prosperous country.  Farmers are evicted from their properties, some murdered, as the farms are given to "war veterans".  The depth of the corruption of the country's ministers and the difficulties faced by citizens is almost too awful to be believed.  The strategies used by the Rogers to survive and remain on their property are shown in this story and the reader can only admire their resilience in the face of many adversities.  Yet there are moments of humour amidst some horrific times.  This is a gripping story. 5/5