The Eye of the Leopard

De: Henning Mankell

Narrado por: Saul Reichlin

Hans Olofson is the son of a Swedish lumberjack. His early life is isolated and difficult, overshadowed by the disappearance of his mother. When he loses both his best friend, and then his girlfriend in tragic circumstances, his only remaining desire is to fulfil her dream of visiting the grave of a legendary missionary, deep in the remote hills of Northern Zambia.On reaching Africa, Olofson is struck by its beauty and mystery. After fulfilling his initial quest, an opportunity of employment in the region tempts him to stay, and before long he takes sole responsibility for the farm he manages. Despite his early optimism, he is shocked by the attitude of the local white population to their adopted country, as well as their pitiful vulnerability to alcohol and malaria. As relationships splinter and fray, Hans is soon to discover that his African dream is rapidly turning to a nightmare.The Eye of the Leopard is a first-rate psychological thriller from the bestselling author of the Wallander Mysteries, delving deep into the mind of a man lost in an unknown world.

©2008 Henning Mankell (P)2009 Random House Audio

A long and melancholic saga of life in

A long and melancholic story of a boy's life in a small inland town in Sweden and then his twenty two years living in Africa. An insight into the political and social structure in Africa and life for white farmers as they are murdered and driven off their land while the country slides into ruin. Not the most interesting of Henning Mankell's books, but made all the more palatable by Saul Reichlin's excellent narration. A sad reflection of the way a rich country is turned into a third world country by corruption and the abuse of power. This is the only one of Henning Mankell's books that is not in the top tier of my library, but the second. I do not regard this as less of an effort by the author, compared to the rest of his books, I just don't care for the subject matter.