Dead Leaves: Two Years in the Rhodesian War [Paperback]

Dan Wylie (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1869140052 | ISBN-13: 978-1869140052 | Publication Date: March 31, 2002

It is January, 1978. Groups of nervous, dutiful white conscripts begin their National Service with Rhodesia's security forces. Ian Smith's minority regime is in its dying days and negotiations towards majority rule are already under way. For these inexperienced eighteen-year-olds, there is nothing to do but go on fighting, and hold the line while the transition happens around them. Dead Leaves is a richly textured memoir in which an ordinary troopie grapples with the unique dilemmas presented by an extraordinary period in history - the specters of inner violence and death; the pressurized arrival of manhood; and the place of conscience, friendship and beauty in the pervasive atmosphere of futile warfare.

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: University Of KwaZulu-Natal Press (March 31, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1869140052
• ISBN-13: 978-1869140052
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,453,200 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #55 in Books > History > Africa > Zambia

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strong story from a territorial soldier, August 12, 2007

By 

Mr. Steve (FLORIDA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dead Leaves: Two Years in the Rhodesian War (Paperback)

Very good and very well written. Much better detail than Fireforce but not so romantic as Cocks novel deals with the RLI and paints a real macho story while Dead Leaves is the story of a territorial soldier caught in the mundane training and postings of a civil war. Vividly detailed, it is a must read for anyone interested in the Bush War.

17 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars pretty good, January 19, 2003

By 

Eric Burgess (mendon ma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dead Leaves: Two Years in the Rhodesian War (Paperback)

all i have to say is if you like rhodesian war books you'll like this one .it starts off slow and its not chris cocks's fireforce but its another good story on a subject i love to read about.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars too much poetry, March 23, 2011

By 

Bayan - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dead Leaves: Two Years in the Rhodesian War (Paperback)

Anyone who wants to read about the war in Rhodesia should stay away from this poetic diatribe. No offence to Dan but he should have jumped ship and gone to England while the REAL war was going down, because this is so befuddled that it could have been written during the Victorian Era with liberal doses of opiates involved. If you want the low down on the Rhodesian war then read Chris Cocks's excellent account "Fireforce" or Charlie Warrens "At the going down of the sun". The reading of this book is painfull at best and would probably best be used as a very thick drinks coaster, probably after page 3 by most people interested in the subject! Sorry Dan but stick to peotry!