S is for Samora

A Lexical Biography of Samora Machel and the Mozambican Dream

Sarah Lefanu

 

Synopsis

Samora Machel led FRELIMO, the Mozambican Liberation Front, to victory against Portuguese colonialism in 1974, and the following year became independent Mozambique's first President. He died eleven years later in a mysterious plane crash. Drawing on stories, speeches, documents, and the memories of those who knew him, this biography presents the many different faces of the man Nelson Mandela called "a true African revolutionary."

Review

This A to Z of Samora Machel, the first president of Mozambique, looks at first like an extended index but the device works brilliantly. Whether you want to read from beginning to end or dip in, it is packed with history and many new and fascinating details. It should become a classic and could start a new trend. - Richard Dowden

Author

Sarah LeFanu is an author and broadcaster.