Something of Value, by Robert Ruark

This book is about two boys, Kimani, a native African enslaved
on his ancestor's land, the other, Peter is a son of a European
who decided to come farm in Africa. The two boys grow up
together, playing and working, treating each other as near
equals. But as time passes the two boys part ways, helped along
by both societies' prejudices and old angers, until during the
Mau Mau revolt in 1952 they end up on opposite sides of the
conflict.

This book was very good. The writing was simple and clear, not
wordy. The characters felt very real, despite only existing in the
author's imagination. This a old book, and the africans are
considered quite beneath the white masters who run the show.
The are treated very poorly and routinely called names that
would be extremely racist today.

People who have a delicate stomach may want to skip this book,
as what it says on the cover is very true. "There is much blood in
this book. There is much killing. But the life of Africa was
washed earlier by blood and its ground was, and still is,
fertilized by the blood of its people and its animals. This is not a
pretty book, nor was it written for the amusement of small
children."
5 stars,
Emme