Our Man in Mbabane

As someone born and raised in South Africa, much of the setting and descriptions in the book felt familiar - it felt like reading a book written by an uncle or family friend. It was clear that the author has spent a lot of time in the areas described, and the descriptions were detailed and placed the reader in the middle of a world filled with beer, braais, and beautiful scenery.

Apartheid was before my time, and so is something I have only learned about through anecdotes and through school. Knowing that the book is based on the personal experiences of the author made it all the more interesting to read about. I have no idea what aspects of the story are fictionalised, but it all felt believable and well researched, if not experienced.
I enjoyed the mixture of commentary on his social life, and his contribution to the ANC's efforts. For me personally, the writing style and detailed backstories of the characters worked well and added a layer of context to the plot - an ex-pat seemingly enjoying a normal life is actually a political dissident. With that said however, I do feel to be categorised as a thriller, there could have been more detail about how his political views came to be and how they came to change, and about the tasks he completed on behalf of the ANC.
I would also have loved to see more about his trip at the end of the book - it felt like a sneak peek at something incredibly interesting.

Overall, I enjoyed the concept, the writing style and the level of detail behind the characters and everyday life during Apartheid. I feel like there was room for more detail in a few areas, but generally enjoyed the book. I didn't find myself desperate to read the next chapter at any point, but I also didn't find myself putting the kindle down too often. Pacing was mostly decent, with a slightly rushed feeling towards the end.
3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

Frank sees himself as a socialist and accepts a job in Swaziland (Eswatini) to run guns into South Africa for the ANC to aid in their fight against the apartheid regime.

This was a well written book, and it was researched well.

OUR MAN IN MBABANE

I really enjoyed reading this book. But if you go into it expecting the excitement, depth and nuance of le Carré or Graham Greene - well, just don’t. But it’s definitely enjoyable in a different sort of way.

It’s the story of Frank George, an American in his upper 20s, recently graduated with a Masters Degree from the London School of Economics. He moves to Swaziland (Eswatini) to transport guns and munitions into South Africa for the African National Congress in the fight against Apartheid.

With idealistic political ideas and the energy of youth, George describes in memoir form his life as an expat in Mbabane. Working for the Swazi government as a statistician during the day and socializing and partying the rest of the time, we follow George’s three year experience in Africa during the late 1970s.

One thing that I found especially interesting about this book is how, through George’s social and work situations, we are exposed to some of the horrible workings of Apartheid on a very personal level. A very pleasant experience, on the other hand, were the wonderful descriptions of the beauty of Africa. Outings to nature preserves, Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge and Crater in Tanzania, Kruger Park in South Africa, Kunduchi Beach, Mlilwane Game Reserve, and Sheba’s Breast are among the fabulous places George visited. Hiking on forest and mountains trails, discovering waterfalls, and swimming in natural pools and streams all sounded so spectacular.

I admired Frank George for having the courage and ambition to move somewhere totally foreign to his prior experience, and how he seemed to make the best of many difficult situations. I’m not quite sure how much of this book is actual memoir and how much is fiction, but it is enjoyable nonetheless.

I would like to thank NetGalley and K.E. Karl for the opportunity to read and review this book.