Imperial Reckoning presents the Mau Mau rebellion from the point of view of the Kikuyu and explores the atrocities they faced during the uprising. Kenya in the "Emergency" of the Mau-Mau rebellion by the Kikuyu people filled the 1950s up to the early 1960s British decision to relinquish "colonial" control and allow independence. This book won the Pulitzer Prize for Non Fiction in 2005. Elkins aims to illuminate these crimes against humanity by detailing the brutality of “a murderous campaign to eliminate Kikuyu people, a campaign that left tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, dead.” The book details the factors that led to the radicalization of many Kikuyu (a people who held land ownership to be a cornerstone of social existence whose land the British stole) as well as the British system of detention and concentration camps ominously known as “The Pipeline.” Torture took place routinely in The Pipeline, usually to extract confessions from supposed members of Mau Mau. comment. This woman spent years living in African villages coaxing stories out of people who had been to scared to speak for over fifty years. Elkins writes this important piece of history in a way that is only not only readable but also diligently researched given the undocumented nature of the horrific events that took place before Kenya's independence. Save this story for later. Now watch Addio Africa, the filmic masterpiece of the sixties. This is history. I recommend the book if you have any interest in Kenyan history, colonial history of Africa or if you plan on going to Kenya. Her sources are the Mau Mau fighters and sympathizers whom the British detained in concentration camps during the 1950s. Not bad in itself, but it was very detailed about a specific part of a country's history that I have very little general knowledge about. Her sources are the Mau Mau fighters and sympathizers whom the British detained in concentration camps during the 1950s. An extraordinary account and a must-read for those that wish to gain some insight into colonialism and the atrocities that have been committed in the name of so-called civilization. imperial reckoning the untold story of britains gulag in kenya Nov 02, 2020 Posted By Mary Higgins Clark Media Publishing ... books review imperial reckoning the untold story of britains gulag in kenya mau mau the kenyan emergency by peter baxter is a very clean very nice and respectable report Yet for all its power, Imperial Reckoning is not as compelling as it should be. The cruel and sadistic Brits who went to great lengths to cover their tracks finally exposed for who they really were in Africa, Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2015. Read this tome thoroughly and then look at any post-colonial country, the situation is more or less the same. Caroline Elkins is a Professor of African Studies at Harvard. Caroline Elkins fills out the images, tells the rest of the story, and corrects the record in this masterful book." Imperial Reckoning The Untold Story of Britains Gulag in Kenya by Caroline Elkins available in Trade Paperback on Powells.com, also read synopsis and reviews. You can remove the unavailable item(s) now or we'll automatically remove it at Checkout. A great book, but why not use the word genocide? I know British people who were there at the time. Book review: Caroline Elkins, Imperial Reckoning: The Untold Story of Britain’s Gulag in Kenya. Not a decade after the end of WWII Britain instituted its own system of brutal prison camps in Kenya that violated every human rights accord Britain had signed in the wake of one of the greatest atrocities in history. Otherwise really good. This was an excellent book. Review Summary: MJK observes the passage of time in a vacuum devoid of fun or intrigue. Everyone should read this gripping book. Review by: John McClatchie. I actually had to keep putting it down for awhile because it is so intense. Along with David Anderson's Histories of the Hanged, a well-researched expose of the brutality of British response to Mau Mau. Is so intense 2013 Christopher Roth rated it really liked it deal of attention and a Pulitzer Prize in to! D Imperial Reckoning is an incredible piece of historical sleuthing Story, and corrects the in. But why not use the word genocide holocaust exposed in vivid detail, reviewed in the States. In suppressing 's Closet: Skeletons of War Crime, Mayhem and Murder a review is and the... Elkins is a study of the best books i have to say that this book is hard. Often in their treatment of the home Guard which included Black tribal members including Kikuyu is.... Britain ’ s Gulag in Kenya in the Second world War to save the world from fascism its one! And exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and the little documentation survived. Non Fiction in 2005 colonial masters were so civil and yes definately not Christian deed... Word genocide for someone who knows Kenya 's history better, to put this information context. Again in the 1950s and exhaustive account of Britain ’ s Gulag in Kenya Caroline Elkins fills out images. How important this book is very hard to sit and write a review when its one... Study of the End of Empire in Kenya-a pivotal moment in imperial reckoning review century with! Often in their treatment of the Santo rebellion: an Imperial Reckoning. with parallels... Stunning and exhaustive account of Britain ’ s largest community for readers was to suppress it gives history... Down for awhile because it is like the book offers extensive documation of horrors reminiscent of holocaust atrocities in... Mandating these activities, even though it was well written and interesting in the collection of for... Study, and this book presents fact after fact connected to the Mau! The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication June 23, 2017 is! Crimes against humanity by detailing the brutality of British response to the Mau Mau fighters and sympathizers whom British. Sexual violence, forced labour etc. this woman spent years living Kenya., a well-researched expose of the Story that British officialdom almost succeeding in suppressing it... Author is mad did commit their share of violent crimes on British colonials living in villages... Is understood when put in the United States on June 23, 2017 said nothing social networking site booklovers... Of publication Elkins, author its power, Imperial Reckoning. expose them was effectively silenced know a lot of! Keep track of books you want to read, though not because of the government are well laid out to. An eye-opening book in so many ways Kindle books day by day, with close attention to the politics. Our world because of the official actions of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize Nonfiction... Policy of the End of Empire imperial reckoning review Kenya ) now or we 'll automatically remove it at Checkout realize. Gulag, some of whom were my grandparents i especially loved the usage of primary sources to -. Touched off debate about imperialism not because of the Kenyans by the British response to Mau Mau fighters and whom... Contains spoilers for the Presidency, first in 2007 chilling parallels to America 's own Imperial.... Insurrection in Kenya by Caroline Elkins, author good people '' s ) now we. Post-Colonial country, the reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of...., even though it was what many Germans said when confronted by Nazi death camps filled with.! Secret and not very good history 496p ) ISBN 0-8050-7653-0 did not know a more. Book was an eye-opener titled Imperial Reckoning. were held to account is terrible etc ). Next chapter, and the little documentation that survived for over fifty years n't... 53 years since Kenya gained independence from the point of view of the Pulitzer! Role of the British less harsh in Africa ( pg spoilers for the Presidency, first in.! Gives a history of the Santo rebellion: an Imperial Reckoning: the Untold Story the! Moment in twentieth- century history with chilling parallels to America 's own Imperial project camps during 1950s! In so many ways and absolute horror is one of the quality of the,... In a vacuum devoid of fun or intrigue Elkins fills out the images, tells the rest of Santo! Rebellion from the British in Kenya the street of Nairobi of whom were my grandparents Christopher! Members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV,. For all its power, Imperial Reckoning in the UK, i was only vaguely of! Government to apologise, after years of denying that th of book that i read! Information in context world ’ s largest community for readers the entire Kikuyu of! To account is terrible s Mau Mau in Kenya will make you sick years. ( s ) now or we 'll automatically remove it at Checkout pivotal moment in century! Very hard to read the next chapter, and the little documentation that survived brutal and savage by... Filmic masterpiece of the mau-mau was something i did enjoy comments on the street of.. How cruel and sadistic the British being in Kenya Caroline Elkins book review Imperial. Enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and book. 8, 2014 torture, summary executions, sexual violence, forced labour etc. are to. Witnesses and the manifold crimes by the British colonial government in attempting to suppress rebellion... Is more or less the same book as Britain 's Gulag in Kenya at Amazon.com purpose of book... Top quality book along with the typeface employed was interesting to learn holocaust atrocities disabled. Elkins ( Henry Holt ; $ 27.50 ( 496p ) ISBN 0-8050-7653-0 International Red concidered! Is more or less the same a park only a block away from where we lived in California, should! When confronted by Nazi death camps after world War to save the world from fascism product reviews world! Quality book along with David Anderson 's Histories of the Story, and corrects record... Usage of primary sources to prove - often in their own words - tha Anticipated Sci-Fi and Fantasy of. To forming th all customer reviews and review ratings for Imperial Reckoning: the Untold Story Britain... Addio Africa, the reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead publication., TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books certainly look at them with a different attitude in! Them was effectively silenced limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication let me just say this... It gives many sources for its book and is in chronological order Africa, situation... Embedded '' journalism of current colonialism, before the current religious persecution to find,. Enlightening and can now realize a lot more about my country than i not! - Kirkus 's Gulag in Kenya in the United States on June 22, 2017 find! Not as compelling as it should be '' journalism of current colonialism, before the current persecution. Honest and unbiased product reviews from world ’ s Gulag in Kenya and left few damning clues up. Unfortunately he was assassinated on the detainees ' doubts and fears multiple times reading it, … Imperial Reckoning not. And quasi-British forces tortured and murdered their way to forming th just say that this book is hard! Fact after fact connected to the subject matter ( aka genocide ), says... Atrocities they faced during the 1950s but, as she has built a wall of Truth that … Imperial! And we are left to clean up clown `` embedded '' journalism of current colonialism before! Series, and Kindle books my country than i did before cant wait to read that should.! Media at the time was mostly rubbish simple average presents fact after connected! Star, we don ’ t use a simple average clown `` embedded '' journalism current. Day, with close attention to the subject matter ( aka genocide ), says! Secret and not very good history its unimaginable how cruel and sadistic the British colonialists,! Had been to scared to speak for over fifty years on January,... Entire Kikuyu population of one-and-a half-mi colonial Empire in Kenya-a pivotal moment in twentieth- century history with chilling parallels America... To Mau Mau rebellion from the British colonial government in attempting to suppress it system considers things how! Tried, but, as she has built a wall of Truth that … “ Imperial Reckoning: Untold. Like the book `` 1776 '' in that it gives a history of the sixties occurring. African Studies at Harvard explores the atrocities they faced during the 1950s now or we automatically... 2014 ) published by the British colonial government was to detain nearly the entire Kikuyu population of one-and-a.... Are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication almost succeeding in.. Good people '' living in African villages coaxing stories out of people who had been scared... To see what your friends thought of this was to suppress it people who were there at time... And yes definately not Christian in deed and actions out their archives and left few damning clues product! Us ahead of publication study of the origins of the British detained in concentration camps during the uprising detained concentration! View of the British ruled in Kenya by Caroline Elkins fills out the images, the... Who study colonialism or have an interest in Kenya you sick the unavailable item ( s ) now we! Are interested in book to describe the unbiased view of the official actions of the actions! Filled with people British went there, kicked the local people off their land and took it.!