Idi Amin

Mark Leopold is Lecturer in Social Anthropology at the University of Sussex.

“[T]his sharply written, forensically researched book...succeeds as a meticulous re-examination of Amin’s life, producing a narrative packed with original evidence, and one that strives at all times to be scrupulously well balanced. ”—Paul Kenyon, The Sunday Times“Sizing up the challenge of separating fact from fiction, Leopold adopts a novel approach, abandoning straightforward biography in favour of a meticulous examination of the reliability of the various accounts written as Amin rose to prominence...Leopold picks off the myths, one by one.”—Michela Wrong, The Times  “A welcome new perspective...The best parts of the book show well how the myth of Amin developed not simply through Amin's actions, but through the consistent tendency of British observers.”—Justin Willis, Times Literary Supplement‘At last, we have a nuanced and sophisticated examination of one of the most misunderstood, and caricatured, figures in modern African history. At once gripping, empathic, and deeply researched, this book is a hugely important contribution.’—Richard Reid, Professor of African History, University of Oxford ‘Instead of the caricature of a merely evil buffoon, the Idi Amin who emerges from this fascinating book is all too chillingly human.’—Andrew Harding, BBC News Africa Correspondent‘A wonderfully written, original account of the enigmatic Idi Amin.'—Simukai Chigudu, author of The Political Life of an Epidemic‘Amin was a much more complex person than most think. And his relationships with Britain were also more complex than it is often safe to admit. Leopold's book restores complexity and detail to the man in a way that instructs us never to look superficially at tragedy.’—Stephen Chan, author of Grasping Africa