The Floating Island: - a tale of Africa

by George Macpherson

Adventure and romance in Africa In 1961 newly-independent Tanzania is set for change - Africans are taking power. They intend to raise people out of poverty, combat witchcraft and stamp out corruption. A few disgruntled whites are leaving for Rhodesia and South Africa. Other more dedicated ex-patriates stay on. In the villages little has changed in half a century but newcomers from Europe and Asia, of contrasting lifestyles and keen to contribute, are arriving in this tropical setting. They have a lot to learn about 'maendeleo' - development. Two young people from very different backgrounds become entangled in this melange of language, work and cultures. Charles Johnson, product of a typically English public school is, despite his veneer of confidence and boyish enthusiasm, still unsure of who he is or what he wants from life. Leaving his first love, Carol Libby, in England has been a wrench but they both know that his restless nature needs wider vistas than those offered by a Cornish fishing village. In Northern China, Yi Zhang Li is training as an anthropologist. Her interest in prehistoric wall paintings leads to her being sent to help plan a railway from Dar es Salaam to Zambia. She has much to lose if she fails to uphold Communist Party principles but her natural charm and classical beauty ensure her acceptance amongst villagers, officials and fellow workers. One person who desperately seeks her attention and approval is Charles but to Zhang Li he seems to be a conceited young foreign devil.

312 pages, Paperback

First published July 7, 2010