BOOK REVIEWS187Made in Zimbabwe Bv S.M. Made. Gwelo, Mambo Press, Writers Series,English, 6, 1980, 200 pp., ZS3.Q0.This autobiography begins with what the author appropriately describes as 'in thebeginning', where he gives a vivid description of his home village, Befa, and a verysuccinct physical description of the area and its environs. The description of DowaPurchase Area and life at Farm No. 4 typifies life in many African small-scalecommercial farms. Of interest, of course, are the chores that Made himself did onthe farm: it was a hard and persevering life which adequately prepared Made for hishard road to the top. The games that Made played during his childhood wereequally hard and testingŠboxing with bare fists was one of them. His children willonly know about them from reading their father's autobiography.Made's early education is a credit to his father, who though not educatedhimself, found it necessary to educate his son. Although he aimed at his son'sbecoming a teacher, the taste of education soon made young Made aspire aftermore and more education. But despite his thirst for better education, Made wasvery well aware of his responsibilities, at home, to educate his younger brothers andgive financial assistance to his mother. To an African who went to school duringMade's days, the difficulties and uncertainties of securing the next term's fees, longand foodless school days were the order of the day. The assistance given bymissionaries to Africans cannot and should not be underestimated, however;without them Made, and many other Africans now in senior jobs, would not bewhere they are today.Throughout the book the author is modest about his achievementsŠin hisvery good school results, his sportsmanship, in music and choir conducting, in hisprivate studies. The author emphasizes the hard work that he put into everythinghe did. He put all his effort and concentration into whatever it was. It is obvious thathe was a gifted all-round sort of person; but despite that, he worked hard to achievewhat he wanted. Dedication to his work also cost him a degree at Roma University.This is a very good lesson particularly to younger readers of his autobiography thatnothing comes one's way without sweat. Even now Made still puts all his effort intoeverything that he does.That Stan Made is a man of principle is adequately portayed by the way hestuck to the decision that had collectively been agreed to by him and all the otherteachers at Kutama Mission to resign if their requests were not met by theauthorities. Although all but one of his colleagues reneged on their decision Madefelt it imperative to honour his word regardless of the consequences.On his way to the hill-top Made met many disappointments: his failure atRoma University; the death of his father; his failure to get a job at the university ofhis own country while younger, less qualified and less experienced Whites weregiven the jobs; his troubles in Malawi. Yet he never let himself lose his sense ofdirection. His humility in coming back home to take up a very junior post at theUnited College of Education and Mkoba Teachers' College again reveals theauthor's desire to serve his own people. He could easily have got a top job outsideZimbabwe but he had made up his mind to serve his own people, so he came back.His wise decision paid dividends and his long-cherished wish to work at theUniversity was fulfilled, and at an even higher level than he had hoped for.Made's autobiography is not only a history of his life; it includes valuableinformation about African education in Zimbabwe, life on the Tea Estates, the188BOOK REVIEWbeginnings of African Purchase Area farms, and, in brief, the social and economiclife of the African during the period covered. We find that to Made no man is toolow or too high for his class. He is a man 'of the people', liked by compoundworkers, juniors, equals and senior people. He still has not changed at all: he is evenmore at home with those considered by the class-conscious snobs as 'low class' and'middle class', and still has all his 1950s Kambuzuma and farm friends, eventhough he holds one of the most coveted positions in the country. The autobio-graphy is well written, and stands among the first autobiographies by ZimbabweanAfricans who have 'made it' in life.National Archives, SalisburyB.L.B. MUSHONGAA Town Called Victoria: Or, The Rise and Fall of the Thatched House HotelBy K. Sayce. Bulawayo, Books of Rhodesia, 1978, 127 pp., Z$5.52.This modest book does not go beyond 1914Š15 and the history of the town oftenbecomes merged into that of the region and indeed Southern Rhodesia. Therefore itis hardly serious urban history but the author has done some groundwork in thearchives and secondary sources.R.S.R.