Colour Bar: The Triumph of Seretse Khama and His Nation - Softcover

Williams, Susan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0141026138 ISBN 13: 9780141026138

Publisher: Penguin, 2007

Synopsis

Sir Seretse Khama, the first President of Botswana and heir apparent to the kingship of the Bangwato people, brought independence and great prosperity to his nation after colonial rule. But for six long years from 1950, Seretse had been forced into exile in England, banned from his own country. His crime? To fall in love and marry a young, white English girl, Ruth Williams. Delving into newly released records, Susan Williams tells Seretse and Ruth's story - a shocking account of how the British Government conspired with apartheid South Africa to prevent the mixed-race royal couple returning home. But it is also an inspiring, triumphant tale of hope, courage and true love as with tenacity and great dignity Seretse and Ruth and the Bangwato people ovecome prejudice in their fight for justice.

About this title

Review:

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)

About the Author:

Susan Williams is the author of many books, most recently The People's King: The True Story of the Abdication (2003), The Children of London (2001) and Ladies of Influence (2000). She grew up in Zambia and has worked in Britain, Zimbabwe and Canada. She lives in London and is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London.

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0141026138
• ISBN 13: 9780141026138
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 407