Peter Godwin spent his childhood in Rhodesia, the present-day Zimbabwe.  Those were the days of the white minority regime led by Ian Smith. He took his university studies in Oxford and Cambridge. But he never lost the love for his native country.

President Robert Mugabe has a love/hate relationship with everything Britisch. He does not like British journalists. Especially when they come to his country in difficult times and send stories to the former imperial power about the deeds of comrade Bob.

In 2008 Mugabe is defeated at the elections, but he does not accept the results. State-sponsored terror starts, or better is expanded, so it is no easy task to live in Zimbabwe.

Peter Godwin (who had previously written a book about his childhood) decides to stay in Zimbabwe and he keeps working as a correspondent. He has many contacts with people in all layers of society, so he is able to travel around without too much publicity. He reports the violence in the country. He reports the terror by a small group of Mugabe-sycophants. He reports the resistance of the people who are beaten up. He reports the brisk attitude of the black ambassador of the U.S.A., who does not want to be intimidated by the crooks of the government.

It is a sad book. Because of all the violence and the injustice in this country. The title is FEAR. and fear we do encounter in this book. But also do we read about courage and resilience in the face of adversity.

Peter Godwin – The Fear- The last days of Robert Mugabe – 2010