In this sequel to her first memoir, Alexandra Fuller centers the narrative on her mother, Nicola Fuller of Central Africa. The story traces Nicola’s life from her birth in Scotland to her upbringing in Kenya and her eventual marriage to Tim Fuller. It detail the family’s volatile history across the landscapes of Rhodesia, Malawi, and Zambia, documenting their survival through the Rhodesian Bush War and the loss of three children. The narrative culminates at the family’s fish and banana farm in the Zambezi Valley, characterized by the titular "tree of forgetfulness" where they sit to drink and recollect their past.
Readers interested in the complexities of post-colonial African identity and white settler history find this book useful for its unsentimental look at displacement and endurance. It appeals to those seeking a portrait of mental health struggles and the specific eccentricity required to survive political upheaval. The reader walks away with a detailed understanding of how a family reconstructs its identity after losing land and status, alongside a literal map of the geopolitical shifts that moved borders throughout the late twentieth century.
Inward-looking and clear-cut; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Empathetic Explorer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2011
- Language
- EN
