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The Triumph of Seretse Khama and His Nation
Published on 27. October 2016
Book
Paperback/Softback
432 pages
978-0-14-198570-1 (ISBN)
Description
The true story of a love which defied family, Apartheid, and empire - the inspiration for the major new feature film A United Kingdom, starring David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike
London, 1947. He was the heir to an African kingdom. She was a white English insurance clerk. When they met and fell in love, it would change the world.
This is the inspiring true story of Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams, whose marriage sent shockwaves through the establishment, defied an empire - and, finally, triumphed over the prejudices of their age.
'Reading the book, I realised that I had never seen an African love story of this cinematic scope. It spoke to me as an African, as a man, as a romantic' David Oyelowo
'A story of forgiveness and healing ... as relevant today as when the whole drama was being played out' Alexander McCall Smith
'Unmissable ... A love story for the ages ... One of the best films of the year' Daily Mail
'Irresistible storytelling' Guardian
'Genuinely moving ... Fascinating and timely' Time Out
London, 1947. He was the heir to an African kingdom. She was a white English insurance clerk. When they met and fell in love, it would change the world.
This is the inspiring true story of Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams, whose marriage sent shockwaves through the establishment, defied an empire - and, finally, triumphed over the prejudices of their age.
'Reading the book, I realised that I had never seen an African love story of this cinematic scope. It spoke to me as an African, as a man, as a romantic' David Oyelowo
'A story of forgiveness and healing ... as relevant today as when the whole drama was being played out' Alexander McCall Smith
'Unmissable ... A love story for the ages ... One of the best films of the year' Daily Mail
'Irresistible storytelling' Guardian
'Genuinely moving ... Fascinating and timely' Time Out
Reviews / Votes
A story of forgiveness and healing ... as relevant today as when the whole drama was being played out -- Alexander McCall Smith A gripping, heroic and darkly comic story of fading imperium * Sunday Times * Elegantly written ... Williams has done a masterly job * Guardian * An inspiring story ... [an] excellent and shaming book * Literary Review * Wonderful ... Deeply researched and grippingly written * Independent * A splendid book * Spectator * A pacy but judicious writer . . . her portrait of a love affair exposes the madness of the racial bar more effectively than a thousand anti-apartheid pamphlets' * Tablet * A hugely readable book. I couldn't put it down * Saturday Independent * As exciting as any detective story * Art Beat * A fantastic love story of modern times, one that is almost Shakespearian in its drama, intrigue and pathos * Tonight *More details
Edition
Media tie-in
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Edition type
Media tie-in
Weight
326 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-14-198570-1 (9780141985701)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
06/2007
1st Edition
Penguin Books Ltd
€9.49
Available for download
Person
Susan Williams is an historian and author of many books, most recently Spies in the Congo. The Race for the Ore that Built the Atomic Bomb (2016) and Who Killed Hammarskjoeld? The UN, the Cold War and White Supremacy in Africa (2011), which triggered a new UN investigation in 2015 into the death of the Secretary General. She grew up in Zambia and has worked in Britain, Zimbabwe and Canada. She is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London.