In Books

In his studious and straightforward new book on the aftermath of Idi Amin’s reign of terror in Uganda, The Teeth May Smile But the Heart Does Not Forget, journalist Andrew Rice makes a point of saying that the more Sweeney Todd-like tales about Amin were most likely not true. But his purpose in saying that is not to discount the scars that this madman left on his country, it is instead the journalist’s drive to uncover the truth at any cost, even if that does mean dispelling some long-accepted notions. Rice writes that “Africa the place is forever obscured by the shadow of Africa the notion.” It is this mythical, frequently racist, “notion” of Africa that he helps to dispel by relating one horrifying but undeniably true story about what Amin’s rule did to one Ugandan family...

The Teeth May Smile But the Heart Does Not Forget is on sale now. You can read the full review at PopMatters.