BOOK REVIEWS 191ambitious. There is in the poems an underlying escape from a problem or a set ofproblems into a protective optimism. As a result the anthology Ezivusa Usingadoes not contain any strong social protest or any criticism of social injustices. Itmight be referred to as poetry which does not speak, for the masses.Most of the poems in the anthology would seem to have been in "coldstorage" in the Literature Bureau or at Mambo Press waiting to be published, afactor which accounts for their limited relevance in the 1990s. Unfortunately,proof-reading and editing have not been of the highest order and the numeroustypographic errors tend to interfere with the smooth conceptualization of thepoems, since the reader has to spend time 'rewriting" and subsequentlyreinterpreting some terms.Despite the basic weaknesses, the anthology has much to offer to thestudent of poetry as well as to the researcher interested in the 'hidden'subconscious and conscious working of the Ndebele poetic mind. It is a bookwell worth reading in terms of the variety and scope of the poems as well as forthe potential that it has for providing room for poetic discoveries.University of Zimbabwe J. ZONDOFamily Law in Zimbabwe Bv W. Ncube. Harare, Legal Resources Foundation,1989, xxviii, 227 pp., ISBN 0-908312-01-6, ZS25.OO.The author tells us in the preface of this work that his aim is to provide a'concise and comprehensive overview of family law in Zimbabwe both undergeneral and customary law". There is no doubt that Ncube has written anadequate reference work that will be useful to various professionals who need toknow the law as well as, obviously, the legal practitioner and law student. Itsdefect is that it is rather more concise than comprehensive. A person seeking ananswer from this work is likely to be frustrated in being able to extract onlygeneral guidelines to the law. thus requiring further research in order to find aspecific solution. This is unfortunate in view of the large number of semi-trainedpeople administering the law who would benefit from a comprehensive text aswell as many legal practitioners who are themselves operating without referenceto a full library.However, the book's real strength is in bringing together, for the first time,what the law is in respect of families under the two systems of law in Zimbabwe.By collating this information from previously dispersed and sometimesinaccessible sources, the book is of tremendous value. Its pitch will limit its useto those familiar with the law rather than provide an easily understandablesource for the layman. Throughout the book there is a sense that the author wasin haste to complete and publish the manuscript. This feeling pervades from thefirst part Š also the weakest Š where the inherited legal system is discussed inrhetorical rather than historical terms through to the final chapter which ends soabruptly that the author's relief at having reached the end of his labours is almosttangible.Having looked at how the two systems of law co-exist, Ncube then examinesthe different issues that can give rise to actions between parties. Each of these192 BOOK REVIEWSissues are discussed in relation to their implications under the general andcustomary legal systems. In the first and second sections, the author rarelycomments whether the courts had, in important post-Independence cases, reachedthe correct decision. On page 129, for example, the Supreme.Court appears inDolby v. Lewis SC No. 34 of 1987 to have come to a blatantly political, ratherthan legal, decision regarding the removal of a child (of divorced parents) fromits jurisdiction. It is important, in a legal system governed by precedent, tochallenge potentially wrong decisions so that they can be overruled if necessary.In the second section, the author considers the law as it affects children. Awide range of interesting and topical points are discussed, including the status ofchildren conceived through artificial insemination, where Ncube gives a succinctappraisal of what he believes the legal situation to be. A hint of the haste earlieralluded to can be seen on page 77 where the author has omitted an importantalternative to Section 62 of the Adoption Act (Chapter 33). The text makesreference only to potential applicants who are known to the parents and completelyomits paragraph B of Section 62(a)(ii) which allows the court to select applicantson the register of the Director of Social Services.Ncube seems more sure of himself in the section on marriage. His previoustendency to disregard anomalies and contentious decisions is replaced by a suretouch, especially when discussing the proprietary consequences of the breakupof a marriage under both systems of law. Ncube sensitively discusses the needfor the courts, when splitting the matrimonial property, to be aware of obligationsboth parties Š but particularly the man Š may have to future families. Then,suddenly, after this excellent analysis, the last paragraph is abruptly reached.As is inevitable with a text of this nature, it will be out of date as soon as the(constantly referred to) Customary Law and Primary Courts Act (No. 2 of 1990)becomes operative. It is hoped that in future updated versions, Ncube will takethe time to provide the comprehensive cover promised in the preface of this firstedition.MARY STOCKERThe Conundrum Trees By C. Emily Dibb. Harare, Modus, 1989, vi, 153 ppillus., ISBN 0-908309-03-1 (pbk), Z$29,28.Few authors can write successfully about their attitudes towards animals andnature, possibly because nature inspires such intensely personal feelings'. Thislittle book of recollections is written by someone who clearly loves theZimbabwean bush and the author's enthusiasm is strongly evidenced. Unfor-tunately, there is no clear theme to the book and it comes across as a series ofsmall stories with only the author's love of nature and outdoor life in thiscountry to connect them. Although the book is well written I had some difficultyin reading it because, at times, I could not be sure what the point of it all was.The first part of the book ('On Safari') deals with incidents that the authorand her family experienced in the Zambezi Valley. Having myself lived in theZambezi Valley for several years, I have heard many similar stories, embellishedto varying degrees, and there was nothing novel in this section for me. Thesecond part of the book ('Simple Pleasures') was, I thought, rather better as theexperiences it describes are simpler, less dramatic and so better written.