A Dissolving Dream: A New Zealander in Amin's Uganda

by Heather Benson

The author, as a young student at Victoria University in New Zealand, met and married a Ugandan man. This book recounts her experiences after she went to live in Uganda in 1964. The six years spent there under the dictatorship of Idi Amin gave her a unique insight into the violent and tragic consequences of Amin's rule.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel, Africa

243 pages, Paperback

First published October 23, 1992

Reviews

[Em's Adventures · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ubrupt ending. A book with this magnitude of violence, upset and domestic dispute I think deserves an epilogue because I have no idea what happens next! What happened to the author when she came back to New Zealand? What did Joe do once he realised they had gone? What happened to Uganda? Did Amin get taken out? Are all the friends mentioned in the book okay? So many questions, I am so disappointed.

This book is not for the faint of hearted. While it reads easily and has some amusing and nice stories, it deals with very, very heavy subjects like torture methods, all kinds of violence and domestic problems as Heather's husband is unfaithful, lazy and unkind. A very difficult read.

[Ruth Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horrifying account of the Amin era, and life in Uganda in 60,s and 70’s.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Facinating learning about what Uganda had to suffer in the early 1970s. I wasn't aware things were going on in the world at that time.

[Janet Mcdonnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uganda & Amin

[Celia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book years ago - at least ten years, even fifteen - and still remember it as being horrifying, fascinating and well written. Its out of print now though so could be hard to get hold of.