[Marxism] James Kilgore’s We are All Zimbabweans Now (with Excerpt) | Umuzi

[glparramatta <glparramatta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

http://umuzi.book.co.za/blog/2009/06/03/announcing-james-kilgores-we-are-all-zimbabweans-now-with-excerpt/

/Umuzi proudly announces the release of We Are All Zimbabweans Now by 
James Kilgore. Written from a California prison cell by this one-time 
fugitive author, the book occupies an important place amongst the 
fictional chronicles of post-independence Zimbabwe./

/We are All Zimbabweans Now/ tells the story of young American historian 
Ben Dabney who arrives in Harare in 1981, full of admiration for Robert 
Mugabe and Zimbabwe’s policy of reconciliation. His euphoria in this 
country he calls the “Land of Forgiveness” heightens when he becomes 
involved with disabled ex-freedom fighter Florence Matshaka who connects 
him with the emerging black elite.

His research, however, takes him down a different path. When he explores 
the case of a liberation war leader who died in a mysterious car 
accident, he receives elusive answers, then threats. An interview with a 
teacher in rural Matabeleland, propels him into the middle of the army’s 
offensive against “dissidents” and civilians in that part of the 
country. As he delves more into his research the dangers deepen and the 
connections of Florence to mysteries past and present force Ben to 
confront difficult decisions about career, love, parenting and political 
principle.

/We are All Zimbabweans Now/ is an accomplished and compelling novel. 
While written in the style of a detective thriller, the story deftly 
analyzes the complex struggles for power in post-independence Africa. 
The characters and events of this fascinating tale will resonate loudly 
for South Africans as well as those familiar with Zimbabwe.

Read an excerpt: 
http://umuzi.book.co.za/files/2009/06/chapters-2-3-from-waazn-kilgore.pdf

_About the author_

*James Kilgore* first made news in South Africa when he was arrested in 
Cape Town in 2002. He had been living under the alias Dr. John Pape and 
become a respected academic at the University of Cape Town. U.S. 
authorities extradited him to California where he served six and a half 
years in prison. He was released 10 May 2009.

Kilgore grew up in California and lived in the volatile San Francisco 
Bay Area during the late 60s and early 70s. He became immersed in 
left-wing politics, eventually linking up with the Symbionese Liberation 
Army (SLA). His involvement with the SLA led to an indictment for 
possession of explosives in 1975. Kilgore then fled the law for 27 
years, living in Zimbabwe, Australia and South Africa. He abandoned the 
politics violence, focusing on a career as an educator. He resided in 
Harare, the site of /We Are All Zimbabweans Now/, from 1982-91. There he 
met his wife, Terri and also wrote a doctoral dissertation on the 
history of domestic workers in Zimbabwe.

 From Harare Kilgore and Terri moved to South Africa where he worked as 
an educator and director for both Khanya College in Johannesburg and the 
International Labour Research and Information Group (ILRIG) in Cape 
Town. He earned a reputation as a champion of workers and the poor.

The author currently lives with Terri and their two sons, in Illinois, 
U.S.A. /We Are All Zimbabweans Now/ is his first novel and his first 
publication under his real name. He is currently working on manuscripts 
of seven other novels which he wrote during his incarceration. Umuzi 
looks forward to a long and productive relationship with this blossoming 
writer.



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