The Dutch writer of this book, Femke van Zeijl (1971), is a freelance journalist, who travelled in many African countries. Often she stayed in the urban areas, where she got into touch with local people. In this book she describes life in several cities. She connects each town with a theme.

In Luanda the theme is the rerlationship between rich and poor.

In Bobo-Dioulasso she researches the culture of music.

In Jinja she focuces on sexual relations and other relations.

She spends time in Ibadan where she looks the meeting of old cultures and new cultures, including the spiritual world of this old, old town.

In Maputo she wealks the fringes of legal and illegal, in the area of trade and drugs.

Bukavu is a place to see how people survive in an age of war and violence.

Femke is a journalist and she knows how to write a good story.

Femke van Zeijl – Gin-tonic & cholera – Amsterdam 2010 – 368 pages