What do you think?
Rate this book
The Last King of Scotland
Shortly after his arrival in Uganda, Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan is called to the scene of a bizarre accident: Idi Amin, careening down a dirt road in his red Maserati, has run over a cow. When Garrigan tends to Amin, the dictator, in his obsession for all things Scottish, appoints him as his personal physician. And so begins a fateful dalliance with the central African leader whose Emperor Jones-style autocracy would transform into a reign of terror.
In The Last King of Scotland Foden's Amin is as ridiculous as he is abhorrent: a grown man who must be burped like an infant, a self-proclaimed cannibalist who, at the end of his 8 years in power, would be responsible for 300,000 deaths. And as Garrigan awakens to his patient's baroque barbarism--and his own complicity in it--we enter a venturesome meditation on conscience, charisma, and the slow corruption of the human heart. Brilliantly written, comic and profound, The Last King of Scotland announces a major new talent.
In The Last King of Scotland Foden's Amin is as ridiculous as he is abhorrent: a grown man who must be burped like an infant, a self-proclaimed cannibalist who, at the end of his 8 years in power, would be responsible for 300,000 deaths. And as Garrigan awakens to his patient's baroque barbarism--and his own complicity in it--we enter a venturesome meditation on conscience, charisma, and the slow corruption of the human heart. Brilliantly written, comic and profound, The Last King of Scotland announces a major new talent.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
About the author
Giles Foden
36 books50 followersGiles Foden was born in Warwickshire in 1967. His family moved to Malawi in 1971 where he was brought up. He was educated at Yarlet Hall and Malvern College boarding schools, then at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, where he read English. He worked as a journalist for Media Week magazine, then became an assistant editor on the Times Literary Supplement. He was deputy literary editor of The Guardian between 1995 and 2006 and is currently Fellow in Creative and Performing Arts at Royal Holloway, University of London. He is a Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, and still contributes regularly to The Guardian and other journals.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 355 reviews
Read
March 7, 2024
The Last King of Scotland: Here it is, in Chapter 26, the crux of the novel's drama and moral conflict: Idi Amin said Hitler was right to burn Jews alive with gas. When Nicholas Garrigan, the tale's narrator, hears Willie Brandt, the West German Chancelor, call this statement “an expression of mental derangement,” Nicholas reflects, “I agreed with him, obviously, and yet there I was in the middle of it. My life had already fallen into a pattern that concentrated on Amin. The closer I got to him, the fewer my illusions about him – and still I stayed, more fascinated than frightened.”
Why did Nicholas Garrigan stay? Why didn't he board the first plane and leave Uganda? Giles Foden's The Last King of Scotland tells the tale. And a shocking tale it is, a remarkable first novel by an English author who spent his youth in Africa.
Published in 1998, The Last King of Scotland focuses on documented history within Uganda in the 1970s and features Idi Amin, “President for Life,” as a central character. In this way, the work shares much in common with American author Robert Coover's groundbreaking 1977 A Public Burning, a novel populated with living historical figures, most notably Richard Nixon.
In her New York Times review, Michiko Kakutani described the novel as “an uncomfortable amalgam of black comedy and historical tragedy.” Of course, we might be inclined to take the moral high ground and simply shake our heads and shout No! No! No! - Idi Amin was one of the world's most brutal, demented, murderous dictators and anybody who had anything to do with this evil brute must have been crazy.
An understandable sentiment - and one will undoubtedly pass harsh judgment on Nicholas Garrigan after finishing this novel. However, a reader will have a deeper comprehension of all of the many factors contributing to why Nicholas did what he did.
A point of historic context: Georges Simenon's novel Tropical Moon is set in Gabon, West Africa in 1933. Simenon examines how white French colonialists strongarm the native blacks into submitting to one fiercely maintained ironclad rule: whites can do whatever they want to blacks - an example of unflinching racism running throughout the entire history of whites in Africa.
Forty years later, at a lavish banquet with many white guests present, mostly British officials and their wives, a Ugandan official sounds a gong and reads from a paper: “His Excellency President for Life Field Marshal Al Hadj Doctor Idi Amin Dada, Vc, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea and Conqueror of the British Empire of Africa in General and Uganda in Particular welcomes the Court of Kampala and assembled worthies of the city to this banquet.”
As part of his welcoming speech, Idi Amin proclaims, “And cosmetics too can be bad themselves, and wigs. I do not want Ugandans to wear the hair of dead imperialists or the Africans killed by imperialists...No member of my own family is to wear a wig, or she will cease to be my family member. Because we are all one happy family in Uganda, like it is we are gathered around this table in one single house. Myself, I started cleaning the house until I succeeded in placing indigenous Ugandans in all important posts. Can you remember that even cooks in hotels were white?”
Idi Amin's message is clear: white rule is at an end; native blacks have taken control and will continue to rule their own lands and peoples.
Nicholas Garrigan, a Scotsman, travels to Idi Amin's Uganda as a young medical doctor having been sent by the British Ministry of Health. And Dr. Nicholas becomes Idi Amin's personal physician after tending to Amin's arm fractured in an auto crash (Amin hit a cow) while speeding along in his flashy red Maserati out in the Ugandan hinterlands, an area of the country where Dr. Nicholas was working as part of the local village clinic.
The bulk of the novel covers the time prior to Nicholas's association with Amin. This to say, Giles Foden devotes many pages to his Scottish narrator, Dr. Nicholas. We learn Nicholas is an effective enough doctor but otherwise walks around as a blustering nincompoop (Michiko Kakutani called him a nightmare version of Forrest Gump). We learn Nicholas's backstory, his growing up under the stern eye of his Presbyterian minister father, his teenage insomnia, his horrific nightmares. We also learn of his time at that rural clinic, including his deep affection for a Jewish lab technician by the name of Sara, a keenly perceptive dark-haired beauty from Israel.
But why did Nicholas continue to associate with Idi Amin? After pondering this question, I think a few ideas are worth considering. Firstly, Joseph Campbell speaks of our desire for being fully alive, to feel the rapture, the intensity of life beating within us. When Nicholas first comes in contact with Idi Amin out there in the hinterlands, our good doctor reports “I felt as if I were encountering a being out of Greek myth.” Idi Amin - 6' 4”, 285 lbs.- huge penetrating eyes, infectious smile, formidable athlete (Idi challenged Muhammad Ali to a boxing match), a man exuding extraordinary power, magnetism and charisma. Idi Amin, repeatedly calls himself the rightful King of Scotland and takes an instant liking to Nicholas the Scot. Idi and Nicholas, Nicholas and Idi – are we talking symbiotic relationship here?
Secondly, consider our human urge to experience risk and danger. As J.G. Ballard was fond of saying: “I would sum up my fear about the future in one word: boring. And that's my one fear: that everything has happened; nothing exciting or new or interesting is ever going to happen again ... the future is just going to be a vast, conforming suburb of the soul.” Is wishy-washy Nicholas reluctant to return to a lukewarm, lackluster pre-Idi Amin plodding along?
Thirdly, would Nicholas be safe if he attempted to board a plane to put as much turf between himself and Idi Amin? Would it be wise to flee a man who has great international influence, who proclaims himself the greatest politician in the world, that his work is God's work, that anybody who does not obey him is going against God?
With The Last King of Scotland, Giles Foden has written a captivating tale, a novel that will both engross and disturb, a novel that will linger in memory long after you close the book.
English author Giles Foden, born 1967
October 20, 2018
So, what did we learn?
1. If you’re a white guy who hangs around with a black dictator and the black dictator gets thrown out, you run out of friends real fast. So fast it will make your head spin.
2. If you write a novel about Africa for western readers then you probably will want to have a white guy as the protagonist. Even if your story is as historically accurate as you can make it, except that there was no such white guy in this role of the Dictator’s personal physician, so that part has to be completely made up. It’s the only way to go.
3. If you make a movie based on this book you’ll probably want to take a minor but gruesome anecdote where a black guy has an affair with one of Idi Amin’s wives and they’re caught and killed, and you’ll probably want to rewrite this completely into a major part of the story and have the white doctor guy be the person who has the affair with the wife, so there can be some handsome-multiracial-couple-in-peril scenes. It’s the only way to go.
4. The Last King of Scotland has one really great thing about it, the picture of the grotesque, comical, horrible, frightening but 100% believable human His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular. Also ex light heavyweight boxing champion of Uganda. His gangster sophistry, his miraculous tongue. He had all the best tunes.
5. But The Last King of Scotland has too many bad things about it, mainly, the longwindedness of our doctor narrator Nicholas Garrigan. Also, the nervewracking spinelessness of our doctor narrator. Either longwindedness and a sprightlier doctor or crisp unflorid narration and a grovelling self-abasing doctor, one or the other. Both at the same time is a bit of a damper on the whole proceedings.
6. Idi Amin did have a way with words though :
The problem with me is that I am fifty or one hundred years ahead of my time. My speed is very fast. Some ministers have had to drop out of my government because they could not keep up.
I propose getting rid of conventional armaments and replacing them with reasonably priced hydrogen bombs that will be distributed equally throughout the world.
There is freedom of speech. But I cannot guarantee freedom after speech.
1. If you’re a white guy who hangs around with a black dictator and the black dictator gets thrown out, you run out of friends real fast. So fast it will make your head spin.
2. If you write a novel about Africa for western readers then you probably will want to have a white guy as the protagonist. Even if your story is as historically accurate as you can make it, except that there was no such white guy in this role of the Dictator’s personal physician, so that part has to be completely made up. It’s the only way to go.
3. If you make a movie based on this book you’ll probably want to take a minor but gruesome anecdote where a black guy has an affair with one of Idi Amin’s wives and they’re caught and killed, and you’ll probably want to rewrite this completely into a major part of the story and have the white doctor guy be the person who has the affair with the wife, so there can be some handsome-multiracial-couple-in-peril scenes. It’s the only way to go.
4. The Last King of Scotland has one really great thing about it, the picture of the grotesque, comical, horrible, frightening but 100% believable human His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular. Also ex light heavyweight boxing champion of Uganda. His gangster sophistry, his miraculous tongue. He had all the best tunes.
5. But The Last King of Scotland has too many bad things about it, mainly, the longwindedness of our doctor narrator Nicholas Garrigan. Also, the nervewracking spinelessness of our doctor narrator. Either longwindedness and a sprightlier doctor or crisp unflorid narration and a grovelling self-abasing doctor, one or the other. Both at the same time is a bit of a damper on the whole proceedings.
6. Idi Amin did have a way with words though :
The problem with me is that I am fifty or one hundred years ahead of my time. My speed is very fast. Some ministers have had to drop out of my government because they could not keep up.
I propose getting rid of conventional armaments and replacing them with reasonably priced hydrogen bombs that will be distributed equally throughout the world.
There is freedom of speech. But I cannot guarantee freedom after speech.
August 25, 2013
This was a fascinating work of historical fiction that takes the reader right into the terrifying and often times comically surreal actions of a brutal African dictator. The entire novel is a first person account told through the eyes of Nick Garrigan, Idi Amin's fictional personal physician.
Amin is the most terrifying type of monster - the type that doens't play by rational rules and can become unhinged at a heartbeat's notice. Several absurd/comical/terrifying scenes come to mind:
1. The fact that he used Israeli technology to create a platform underneath a swimmingpool where he raised himself up to the glorious applause of enraptured bystanders ala "The Little Mermaid."
2. An episode where Garrigan has to come to Amin's rescue upon hearing that he's dying. It turned out that he needed burping with the aid of a baseball bat because he was so grossly overweight and ate alot of gas inducing vegetables.
3. The often obscene and ridiculous telegrams (there was no internet back in the day) he sent to world leaders. Here's a standout telegram sent to Nixon after learning about Watergate:
"My dear brother, it is quite true that you have enough problems on your plate and it is surprising that you have the zeal to add fresh ones. At the moment you are uncomfortablly sandwiched in that unfortunate affair, I ask Almighty God to help you solve your problems. I wish you a speedy recovery from this business. I am sure that any weak leader would have resigned or even committed SUICIDE after being subjected to so much harrassment because of this Watergate affair... Allow me to extend an invitation to you to come to rest in Uganda, so that you will be able to answer all questions with a healthy body and a clear conscience. You are not dammed. You needn't be doubtful about salvation."
"I think it might be taken the wrong way", I said [Garrigan speaking], when he called me on the phone to ask what I
thought."
"But that fellow Nixon", he said. "Even prostitutes on the street are more respected than him. I dont care what you say, I
will send it".
Goodreads gives this book an average score of 3.69 which is grossly underrated. Much of the negative reviews I"ve read had gripes with the passive/acquiescent nature of the protagonist we follow. Go become the personal physican to a creepy dictator in a country you are unfamiliar to. See if you snub your nose at him and his policies in public, knowing you will be jailed for life and/or tortured to death if you speak up. Armchair heroes; it's easy to critique from a safe distance. I didn't really find the main character's actions to be as reprehensible as some. Maybe that's the reason for the low score on GR.
P.S. The movie is an excellent representation of this book, starring the wonderful Forest Whitaker who won an Academy Award in 2006 for his depiction of Ugandan Dictator Idi Amin, and James McAvoy (Professor X in Xmen First Class and the Dune miniseries) as Dr. Garrigan.
Amin is the most terrifying type of monster - the type that doens't play by rational rules and can become unhinged at a heartbeat's notice. Several absurd/comical/terrifying scenes come to mind:
1. The fact that he used Israeli technology to create a platform underneath a swimmingpool where he raised himself up to the glorious applause of enraptured bystanders ala "The Little Mermaid."
2. An episode where Garrigan has to come to Amin's rescue upon hearing that he's dying. It turned out that he needed burping with the aid of a baseball bat because he was so grossly overweight and ate alot of gas inducing vegetables.
3. The often obscene and ridiculous telegrams (there was no internet back in the day) he sent to world leaders. Here's a standout telegram sent to Nixon after learning about Watergate:
"My dear brother, it is quite true that you have enough problems on your plate and it is surprising that you have the zeal to add fresh ones. At the moment you are uncomfortablly sandwiched in that unfortunate affair, I ask Almighty God to help you solve your problems. I wish you a speedy recovery from this business. I am sure that any weak leader would have resigned or even committed SUICIDE after being subjected to so much harrassment because of this Watergate affair... Allow me to extend an invitation to you to come to rest in Uganda, so that you will be able to answer all questions with a healthy body and a clear conscience. You are not dammed. You needn't be doubtful about salvation."
"I think it might be taken the wrong way", I said [Garrigan speaking], when he called me on the phone to ask what I
thought."
"But that fellow Nixon", he said. "Even prostitutes on the street are more respected than him. I dont care what you say, I
will send it".
Goodreads gives this book an average score of 3.69 which is grossly underrated. Much of the negative reviews I"ve read had gripes with the passive/acquiescent nature of the protagonist we follow. Go become the personal physican to a creepy dictator in a country you are unfamiliar to. See if you snub your nose at him and his policies in public, knowing you will be jailed for life and/or tortured to death if you speak up. Armchair heroes; it's easy to critique from a safe distance. I didn't really find the main character's actions to be as reprehensible as some. Maybe that's the reason for the low score on GR.
P.S. The movie is an excellent representation of this book, starring the wonderful Forest Whitaker who won an Academy Award in 2006 for his depiction of Ugandan Dictator Idi Amin, and James McAvoy (Professor X in Xmen First Class and the Dune miniseries) as Dr. Garrigan.
April 10, 2021
Βαθμολογία: 9/10
Ούτε ξέρω πόσα χρόνια έψαχνα το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο στα διάφορα παλαιοβιβλιοπωλεία, επιτέλους όμως το βρήκα πριν λίγες μέρες από ιδιώτη σε φυσιολογική τιμή για την αξία και την κατάστασή του, και αποφάσισα να το διαβάσω άμεσα, γιατί από τη μια ήθελα να διαβάσω κάτι που να διαδραματίζεται στην Αφρική του χθες και από την άλλη γιατί ήθελα να δω επιτέλους την ομότιτλη ταινία του 2006 -που βασίζεται στο βιβλίο αυτό-, χάρη στην οποία ο Φόρεστ Γουίτακερ πήρε το Όσκαρ Α' Ανδρικού Ρόλου. Είχα αρκετά υψηλές προσδοκίες για το βιβλίο του Φόντεν, λόγω κάποιων συγκεκριμένων εγκωμιαστικών κριτικών που διάβασα γι' αυτό πριν το πιάσω στα χέρια μου, και μπορώ να πω ότι οι προσδοκίες αυτές εκπληρώθηκαν στον απόλυτο βαθμό: Πρόκειται για ένα βιβλίο που με καθήλωσε από την πρώτη μέχρι την τελευταία σελίδα, χάρη στην πολύ καλή γραφή και την αρκετά χειμαρρώδη αφήγηση, όπως επίσης χάρη στην υπέροχη ατμόσφαιρα και τα φοβερά σκηνικά. Και, βέβαια, όλα αυτά τα τρομερά που συμβαίνουν στο βιβλίο βασίζονται εν πολλοίς σε πραγματικά γεγονότα, έστω και αν ο αφηγητής της ιστορίας, ο γιατρός Νίκολας Γκάριγκαν, δεν υπήρξε ποτέ (πάντως χρησιμοποιήθηκαν κάποια γεγονότα που έζησε στ' αλήθεια ο Μπομπ ��στλες, ένας Βρετανός στρατιωτικός που ήταν κοντά στον Ίντι Αμίν Νταντά κατά τη δεκαετία του '70). Το βιβλίο συνδυάζει άριστα το ιστορικό δράμα, το πολιτικό θρίλερ και την περιπέτεια, ζωντανεύει με τον πιο γλαφυρό τρόπο την ιδιόρρυθμη προσωπικότητα ενός εξαιρετικά στυγνού Αφρικανού δικτάτορα, και όντας τόσο καλογραμμένο, ατμοσφαιρικό και σε σημεία γεμάτο νεύρο και ένταση, πιστεύω ότι θα ικανοποιήσει τους λάτρεις των πολιτικών μυθιστορημάτων που διαδραματίζονται σε πιο εξωτικά μέρη, λίγες ή πολλές δεκαετίες πίσω στον χρόνο. Το μόνο σίγουρο είναι ότι θα μου λείψει η Ουγκάντα της δεκαετίας του '70, ο μάλλον αφελής Νίκολας Γκάριγκαν, ακόμα και ο τρελάρας Ίντι Αμίν Νταντά!
Ούτε ξέρω πόσα χρόνια έψαχνα το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο στα διάφορα παλαιοβιβλιοπωλεία, επιτέλους όμως το βρήκα πριν λίγες μέρες από ιδιώτη σε φυσιολογική τιμή για την αξία και την κατάστασή του, και αποφάσισα να το διαβάσω άμεσα, γιατί από τη μια ήθελα να διαβάσω κάτι που να διαδραματίζεται στην Αφρική του χθες και από την άλλη γιατί ήθελα να δω επιτέλους την ομότιτλη ταινία του 2006 -που βασίζεται στο βιβλίο αυτό-, χάρη στην οποία ο Φόρεστ Γουίτακερ πήρε το Όσκαρ Α' Ανδρικού Ρόλου. Είχα αρκετά υψηλές προσδοκίες για το βιβλίο του Φόντεν, λόγω κάποιων συγκεκριμένων εγκωμιαστικών κριτικών που διάβασα γι' αυτό πριν το πιάσω στα χέρια μου, και μπορώ να πω ότι οι προσδοκίες αυτές εκπληρώθηκαν στον απόλυτο βαθμό: Πρόκειται για ένα βιβλίο που με καθήλωσε από την πρώτη μέχρι την τελευταία σελίδα, χάρη στην πολύ καλή γραφή και την αρκετά χειμαρρώδη αφήγηση, όπως επίσης χάρη στην υπέροχη ατμόσφαιρα και τα φοβερά σκηνικά. Και, βέβαια, όλα αυτά τα τρομερά που συμβαίνουν στο βιβλίο βασίζονται εν πολλοίς σε πραγματικά γεγονότα, έστω και αν ο αφηγητής της ιστορίας, ο γιατρός Νίκολας Γκάριγκαν, δεν υπήρξε ποτέ (πάντως χρησιμοποιήθηκαν κάποια γεγονότα που έζησε στ' αλήθεια ο Μπομπ ��στλες, ένας Βρετανός στρατιωτικός που ήταν κοντά στον Ίντι Αμίν Νταντά κατά τη δεκαετία του '70). Το βιβλίο συνδυάζει άριστα το ιστορικό δράμα, το πολιτικό θρίλερ και την περιπέτεια, ζωντανεύει με τον πιο γλαφυρό τρόπο την ιδιόρρυθμη προσωπικότητα ενός εξαιρετικά στυγνού Αφρικανού δικτάτορα, και όντας τόσο καλογραμμένο, ατμοσφαιρικό και σε σημεία γεμάτο νεύρο και ένταση, πιστεύω ότι θα ικανοποιήσει τους λάτρεις των πολιτικών μυθιστορημάτων που διαδραματίζονται σε πιο εξωτικά μέρη, λίγες ή πολλές δεκαετίες πίσω στον χρόνο. Το μόνο σίγουρο είναι ότι θα μου λείψει η Ουγκάντα της δεκαετίας του '70, ο μάλλον αφελής Νίκολας Γκάριγκαν, ακόμα και ο τρελάρας Ίντι Αμίν Νταντά!
April 5, 2017
Well, if I didn't already think Amin was a whacko, this book would certainly serve to cement that perception. The fictional doctor becomes a confidante of the dictator, which seems like a precarious position. But not only does his cruelty come through, but also many humorous situations ensue. I can't really say I know what to believe about this plot. I'm sure it was well researched. And we all know about Amin's arrogance and violence, but hypochondria? Interesting
March 10, 2021
Well-written and well-researched! This novel is about the life of the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (1923/8-2003) and written from the perspective of a fictional Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan. I watched the movie The Last King of Scotland many years ago and thought it was excellent. Like most book-to-movie adaptations, the movie didn't include everything that was written in the book and some scenes even deviate quite a lot (in the movie Dr. Garrigan has an affair with one of Amin's wife, which wasn't the case in the book).
The writing is surprisingly fluid and very engaging. We meet Dr. Garrigan, a young and naive Scottish doctor who accepts a job through the British government mission as a doctor in a Ugandan town called Mbarara. A failed romance at the hospital and a chance encounter with Idi Amin, prompts Dr. Garrigan to accept Amin's offer to work as his personal doctor in the capital city Kampala.
Through the people and friends Dr. Garrigan meets, we learn about Uganda's history and tribalism. I never knew that Idi Amin was initially backed up by America who feared the spread of communism in Africa (the more I read, the more I come across this pattern of American intervention in Asia, Latin America and Africa; and bringing despots to power). Amin was a poster boy for the British because of his early declaration and support for democracy. He even trained with the Israeli military and had a good relationship with them until... Well, until Amin used the power given to him to challenge those who were in power. Hundreds of thousands of people died during his regime, which explains why Idi Amin is often compared to other dictators such as Pol Pot and even Hitler.
There were signs everywhere. First, Dr. Garrigan witnesses the expulsion of Asians (mainly Indians) from Uganda. When he gets to know Idi Amin, he is astounded by the man's huge ego. Idi Amin was so self-aggrandizing especially in the way he talked to the media, to foreign politicians and government people and his treatment of women. Amin believed and repeatedly stated that he was doing the job God wanted him to do. One bizarre scene that stands out was the 1976 hostage crisis. There were always rumors that his soldiers were committing atrocious crimes and going on a killing spree throughout the country. But Dr Garrigan was too captivated by Idi Amin's charisma, that he simply remained passive.
The book gets bloodier, more violent and more shocking towards the end. For me, the most horrifying moment in the book were the child soldiers. How the lunacy and reckless behavior of a state leader can turn society upside down and cause so much violence and suffering. I thought the author made a good decision to present us Dr. Garrigan as a flawed character because in such times there are really no heroes. Everybody has lost in some way.
The writing is surprisingly fluid and very engaging. We meet Dr. Garrigan, a young and naive Scottish doctor who accepts a job through the British government mission as a doctor in a Ugandan town called Mbarara. A failed romance at the hospital and a chance encounter with Idi Amin, prompts Dr. Garrigan to accept Amin's offer to work as his personal doctor in the capital city Kampala.
Through the people and friends Dr. Garrigan meets, we learn about Uganda's history and tribalism. I never knew that Idi Amin was initially backed up by America who feared the spread of communism in Africa (the more I read, the more I come across this pattern of American intervention in Asia, Latin America and Africa; and bringing despots to power). Amin was a poster boy for the British because of his early declaration and support for democracy. He even trained with the Israeli military and had a good relationship with them until... Well, until Amin used the power given to him to challenge those who were in power. Hundreds of thousands of people died during his regime, which explains why Idi Amin is often compared to other dictators such as Pol Pot and even Hitler.
There were signs everywhere. First, Dr. Garrigan witnesses the expulsion of Asians (mainly Indians) from Uganda. When he gets to know Idi Amin, he is astounded by the man's huge ego. Idi Amin was so self-aggrandizing especially in the way he talked to the media, to foreign politicians and government people and his treatment of women. Amin believed and repeatedly stated that he was doing the job God wanted him to do. One bizarre scene that stands out was the 1976 hostage crisis. There were always rumors that his soldiers were committing atrocious crimes and going on a killing spree throughout the country. But Dr Garrigan was too captivated by Idi Amin's charisma, that he simply remained passive.
The book gets bloodier, more violent and more shocking towards the end. For me, the most horrifying moment in the book were the child soldiers. How the lunacy and reckless behavior of a state leader can turn society upside down and cause so much violence and suffering. I thought the author made a good decision to present us Dr. Garrigan as a flawed character because in such times there are really no heroes. Everybody has lost in some way.
September 20, 2022
Макар и на моменти твърде политическа (неизбежно е, след като изследва живота на диктатор), това е една чудесна и обогатяваща книга - поне що се отнася до това да даде представа на читателя, че светът е видял не един или двама жестоки лидери. Главният герой, шотландският лекар, е измислен, но повечето от фактите за самия Амин, доколкото си направих труда да сверя, са верни. Поредната книга, която доказва, че хората могат и да помнят, но по-често историята обича да се повтаря. Е, надявам се да не стигнем до поредния Амин, разбира се.
С интерес най-сетне и аз ще гледам филма.
С интерес най-сетне и аз ще гледам филма.
December 3, 2018
The movie was definitely better
July 1, 2014
The Last King of Scotland is a fictional novel about Uganda and the rise and fall of Idi Amin as told through the eyes of the protagonist, Dr. Nicholas Garrison. Dr. Garrison comes from Scotland to Uganda to serve as a doctor in a medical clinic. Through happenstance, he works on Idi Amin after Amin was in a car accident. Idi Amin decided to have Dr. Garrison become his personal physician. During that time, Dr. Garrison also became a confidant of Amin’s.
I was looking forward to reading this book and learning more about Ugandan culture and on the reign of Idi Amin. I did finish the book feeling a connection to a place, such as any good historical novel will do. I did not, however, feel any connection to the protagonist. I found Doctor Garrison to be a person lacking in depth and easily swayed by those around him, which may have been the author’s intention.
The first third of the book dealt with the Doctor’s arrival in Uganda and his living and working in Uganda prior to his first encounter with Idi Amin. I really enjoyed this section. It gave me an appreciation of how challenging life was at that time in Uganda, and it described the culture and the people very well. However, this section began to drag and it was past time to move on to the next section of the book.
The last two-thirds focused on Dr. Garrison’s work as Idi Amin’s personal physician and on Amin’s dictatorial and brutal reign of Uganda, and subsequent fall from power. I was in my early teens during Amin’s reign and knew of his atrocities, but reading about them was very difficult in some places (a sign of good writing). I felt the author did an excellent job of creating a portrait of Idi Amin as a man, a military leader, and a dictator. The description of Amin made it very clear that he suffered from delusions of grandeur and was in most likelihood not mentally stable, perhaps even bipolar; which puts me in mind of some current dictators in the world.
Although the story is very good, I struggled with reading through a number of chapters. In addition to the first part of the book dragging, there were other sections of the book that were too wordy and tangential to the main story. For example, one fifteen-page chapter described one of Amin’s weddings in unnecessary and excruciating detail down to the church's crown molding. Another example is taking three pages to describe how to clean battle wounds. For me, the book started on the wrong note when the protagonist discussed his defecation at the very beginning of the book. I really did not need these unnecessary visuals - Amin provided enough awful visuals (that were story related).
I learned a great deal about Africa, Uganda and Idi Amin through this book. There were many parts of the book that were eloquently written and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn about this part of history.
I was looking forward to reading this book and learning more about Ugandan culture and on the reign of Idi Amin. I did finish the book feeling a connection to a place, such as any good historical novel will do. I did not, however, feel any connection to the protagonist. I found Doctor Garrison to be a person lacking in depth and easily swayed by those around him, which may have been the author’s intention.
The first third of the book dealt with the Doctor’s arrival in Uganda and his living and working in Uganda prior to his first encounter with Idi Amin. I really enjoyed this section. It gave me an appreciation of how challenging life was at that time in Uganda, and it described the culture and the people very well. However, this section began to drag and it was past time to move on to the next section of the book.
The last two-thirds focused on Dr. Garrison’s work as Idi Amin’s personal physician and on Amin’s dictatorial and brutal reign of Uganda, and subsequent fall from power. I was in my early teens during Amin’s reign and knew of his atrocities, but reading about them was very difficult in some places (a sign of good writing). I felt the author did an excellent job of creating a portrait of Idi Amin as a man, a military leader, and a dictator. The description of Amin made it very clear that he suffered from delusions of grandeur and was in most likelihood not mentally stable, perhaps even bipolar; which puts me in mind of some current dictators in the world.
Although the story is very good, I struggled with reading through a number of chapters. In addition to the first part of the book dragging, there were other sections of the book that were too wordy and tangential to the main story. For example, one fifteen-page chapter described one of Amin’s weddings in unnecessary and excruciating detail down to the church's crown molding. Another example is taking three pages to describe how to clean battle wounds. For me, the book started on the wrong note when the protagonist discussed his defecation at the very beginning of the book. I really did not need these unnecessary visuals - Amin provided enough awful visuals (that were story related).
I learned a great deal about Africa, Uganda and Idi Amin through this book. There were many parts of the book that were eloquently written and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn about this part of history.
February 19, 2013
This book was most of all a big disappointment. I have seen and loved the movie, and it deals with a part of history that many people, uh including myself, know little about but is characterised by excess that should make for an emotionally engaging story.
However, instead of focusing on the broader events, the book chooses to recount very limited experiences of one character. This wouldn't be so bad if the protagonist in question wasn't one of the most spineless, passive and self-absorbed twits I've read about. He spends the first half of the book trying to get laid, and once that fails there seems absolutely to reason for him to stay in Uganda. Yet he does.
The author might be trying to portray him as suffering from some kind of Stockholm syndrome (and his unhealthy and OK inexplicable obsession with Amin might suggest this) but there is simply no way to tell as he doesn't seem to have any motivation or will of his own. And while he can't necessarily be blamed for lack of action, the unfortunate conclusion is that he's simply choosing to ignore the suffering so clearly going on around him because he's too lazy/passive to start doing something useful. Or, more likely, because the plot requires him to stay.
It also means that the narrative goes off tangent during quite frequent streams of consciousness, which while realistic, detracts from the the plot, such as it is in an uh unnecessary attempt to seem more arty.
It could have been a great book. The story was there, waiting to be told. Some snippets made it through, but simply not enough.
However, instead of focusing on the broader events, the book chooses to recount very limited experiences of one character. This wouldn't be so bad if the protagonist in question wasn't one of the most spineless, passive and self-absorbed twits I've read about. He spends the first half of the book trying to get laid, and once that fails there seems absolutely to reason for him to stay in Uganda. Yet he does.
The author might be trying to portray him as suffering from some kind of Stockholm syndrome (and his unhealthy and OK inexplicable obsession with Amin might suggest this) but there is simply no way to tell as he doesn't seem to have any motivation or will of his own. And while he can't necessarily be blamed for lack of action, the unfortunate conclusion is that he's simply choosing to ignore the suffering so clearly going on around him because he's too lazy/passive to start doing something useful. Or, more likely, because the plot requires him to stay.
It also means that the narrative goes off tangent during quite frequent streams of consciousness, which while realistic, detracts from the the plot, such as it is in an uh unnecessary attempt to seem more arty.
It could have been a great book. The story was there, waiting to be told. Some snippets made it through, but simply not enough.
May 24, 2020
Yes, it has been quite a few years since I watched the movie. In searching for something to read that would be different from my usual choices I landed here. This is a very well written offering of historical fiction featuring a remembered despot from years of news headlines, Idi Amin. The doctor from Scotland creation worked very well as the narrator and observer of unpredictable, erratic and overall terrifying behavior threaded with tender moments of vulnerability and lucidity considering the source.
This very good book did give us a very good movie and is well worth reading.
Library Loan
This very good book did give us a very good movie and is well worth reading.
Library Loan
February 9, 2008
Having lived in Uganda, on-and-off, for over 5 years, I was under the (false) impression that Idi Amin was simply another ruthless African military dictator. Open and shut. Did Amin govern Uganda with an iron fist? Without a doubt. Were over 300,000 Ugandans murdered during his presidency? It's a historical fact. Was Amin an uneducated, eccentric baffoon? By western standards, yes. However, as you'll be able to observe from this documentary, Amin was very popular throughout black Africa, especially in Uganda. I have spoken with Ugandans whose parents were slaughtered by Amin that still think he was a "great leader of Uganda." When Amin died in 2003, there was a massive popular outcry for him to be given a state funeral in Kampala. How is this possible?
When Amin came to power in 1971, he was the darling of the British government, who described him as a "splendid type." Shortly thereafter, Amin provided a state funeral for the popular and exiled Bugandan king Mutesa. Also, he freed numerous political prisoners who had been wrongfully detained by Milton Obote's regime. He was famous for throwing lavish parties, and personally entertaining guests from all parts of the world. In the begining, Amin was committed to democratic government and free elections. At various points during his administration, he had the financial and military backing of the UK, USA, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Admittedly, Amin was a soilder and not a politician.
While Amin was a murderous African dictator, was he any worse than his contemporaries or his successors in black Africa? Certainly, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire and Daniel arap Moi of Kenya have comparable "amounts" of blood on their hands. As cold blooded as this may sound, in the geo-political context of sub-Saharan Africa, Amin's biggest fault was his inability to cover his tracks.
At issue, this book is an entertaining read for anyone interested in Ugandan history and current affairs. Moreover, it provides a fictional medium to envision the many layers of a megalomaniac.
When Amin came to power in 1971, he was the darling of the British government, who described him as a "splendid type." Shortly thereafter, Amin provided a state funeral for the popular and exiled Bugandan king Mutesa. Also, he freed numerous political prisoners who had been wrongfully detained by Milton Obote's regime. He was famous for throwing lavish parties, and personally entertaining guests from all parts of the world. In the begining, Amin was committed to democratic government and free elections. At various points during his administration, he had the financial and military backing of the UK, USA, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Admittedly, Amin was a soilder and not a politician.
While Amin was a murderous African dictator, was he any worse than his contemporaries or his successors in black Africa? Certainly, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire and Daniel arap Moi of Kenya have comparable "amounts" of blood on their hands. As cold blooded as this may sound, in the geo-political context of sub-Saharan Africa, Amin's biggest fault was his inability to cover his tracks.
At issue, this book is an entertaining read for anyone interested in Ugandan history and current affairs. Moreover, it provides a fictional medium to envision the many layers of a megalomaniac.
February 9, 2011
It is interesting how much I struggled to decide whether Nicholas was a character born of Foden's imagination or somebody who actually lived and witnessed the horror in Uganda during Idi Amin's days. I don't want the answer. He's too real to doubt. I was born many years after Amin had come and gone. But I was nonetheless told many stories about this ruthless dictator from my neighboring country. At the time it sounded like some horror designed to scare us as children. Now, I have come across many similar things in Foden's Last King of Scotland. [His] Amin is perfectly fashioned, an outstanding tower of horror. Too bad the naive and almost pure spirited Nicholas fell under his spell.
I saw the movie, two years ago? Yes. So I also had this problem of comparing the memory of it to the book. Which is better and that kinda stuff! Almost made me struggle somewhere in the beginning of the book, but the finishing absorbed me to the core. It's a very important piece of history for anyone interested in knowing a little more about Africa, and Uganda in particular. And Yes, despite it's being so good, I'd recommend anyone to read the Abyssinian Chronicles by Moses Isegawa too [or is it first]. I keep looking for that book, because I want to read it again!
I saw the movie, two years ago? Yes. So I also had this problem of comparing the memory of it to the book. Which is better and that kinda stuff! Almost made me struggle somewhere in the beginning of the book, but the finishing absorbed me to the core. It's a very important piece of history for anyone interested in knowing a little more about Africa, and Uganda in particular. And Yes, despite it's being so good, I'd recommend anyone to read the Abyssinian Chronicles by Moses Isegawa too [or is it first]. I keep looking for that book, because I want to read it again!
January 30, 2019
I am left with a strong desire and cautious appreciation to read a nonfiction account of Idi Amin’s life, rise to power and horrific dictatorship.
This was not all what I anticipated, but that’s often the best experience.
This was not all what I anticipated, but that’s often the best experience.
August 4, 2019
Solid work, with very complex but still relevant discussion of the role of toxic colonialism on the colonized, and the unwillingness of Europeans to address their direct culpability in the past and current genocidal wars in Africa.
June 21, 2011
This is a difficult book. I went into this book knowing its basic premise (a British doctor moves to Uganda to work in a clinic and becomes the personal physican for Idi Amin), and so I knew that gruesome scenes would occur in its pages. On the other hand is the narrator of the book (the main character? one could argue the main character is Amin, the man that moves the action forward), a man so dislikable that I had trouble finishing the final chapters. It is not that Garrigan actively participates in the torture and killing of Ugandans; his participation is passive--he refuses to leave or to take on Amin. Garrigan cites the charisma of Amin, as well as an incredible fear for his life, when he tells the reader why he did not leave Uganda.
What frustrates me, however, is not that Garrigan did not leave nor that he did not try to take Amin's life. What frustrates me is Garrigan's repeatitive realization throughout the book that one action he could take would redeem all his passivity. In the final pages life presents Garrigan with several actions, time and again, that he could take that would make right all his wrongs. This means that, contrary to Garrigan's claims that he did not realize the extent of Amin's actions and the danger around him, Garrigan did feel responsible and guilty for his inaction. Towards the end of the book, Garrigan asks a local fisherman what the significance of the Clavie is, to which the fisherman answers, "It's the deil, can ye not see it? I wuld 'a thought ye could see that." Is this meant to be vindication? Is the reader meant to take this statement to mean that Garrigan could not recognize the devil were it burning before him? This feels too easy, and I am not inclined to let Garrigan off of the hook so easily.
Finally, in the final pages of the book, I began to question the trustworthiness of the narrator. Garrigan writes early in his 'memoir' that his purpose is to lay down the truth of his Ugandan experience, but, if he was looking for ablution, of course Garrigan would write such words to support his claim to innocence. Throughout the whole book, I took Garrigan at his word, but in the final pages, I began to wonder if Garrigan is a trustworthy source. Its an interesting question to ponder.
While a difficult book, The Last King of Scotland certainly raises many, many questions for the reader (what are our responsibilities when face with evil, for instance). For that reason alone, I would highly recommend this book to anyone with a strong stomach.
What frustrates me, however, is not that Garrigan did not leave nor that he did not try to take Amin's life. What frustrates me is Garrigan's repeatitive realization throughout the book that one action he could take would redeem all his passivity. In the final pages life presents Garrigan with several actions, time and again, that he could take that would make right all his wrongs. This means that, contrary to Garrigan's claims that he did not realize the extent of Amin's actions and the danger around him, Garrigan did feel responsible and guilty for his inaction. Towards the end of the book, Garrigan asks a local fisherman what the significance of the Clavie is, to which the fisherman answers, "It's the deil, can ye not see it? I wuld 'a thought ye could see that." Is this meant to be vindication? Is the reader meant to take this statement to mean that Garrigan could not recognize the devil were it burning before him? This feels too easy, and I am not inclined to let Garrigan off of the hook so easily.
Finally, in the final pages of the book, I began to question the trustworthiness of the narrator. Garrigan writes early in his 'memoir' that his purpose is to lay down the truth of his Ugandan experience, but, if he was looking for ablution, of course Garrigan would write such words to support his claim to innocence. Throughout the whole book, I took Garrigan at his word, but in the final pages, I began to wonder if Garrigan is a trustworthy source. Its an interesting question to ponder.
While a difficult book, The Last King of Scotland certainly raises many, many questions for the reader (what are our responsibilities when face with evil, for instance). For that reason alone, I would highly recommend this book to anyone with a strong stomach.
April 1, 2008
From what I've seen in the reviews of this book, either people really really liked it or they really really disliked it. Personally, I liked it (not really really) and created opportunities to be in my car to continue the story (this edition is the unabridged audiobook). Let me note here that I did see the movie prior to reading the book -- a definite plus in this case since the screenplay of the movie was changed quite a bit from the book.
The narrator is one Dr. Nicholas Garrigan, a Scottish doctor who is somewhat disillusioned with life under his father and life in general -- so he ends up in Uganda, where he is helping out at a clinic there, until a chance meeting with Idi Amin changes his life forever. When Nicholas had arrived in Uganda, Amin had not yet cemented his power, but after the freak accident that put Nicholas in Amin's path, Nicholas found himself in the position of Amin's personal physician and moved to the capital. On one level the story is about Nicholas and his dealings with Amin, but on another level, it turns out to be about his examination of his own soul as he wonders why he has failed to see the truth about Amin, and what it says about him that he let himself become so immersed in and remained somewhat in denial of the evils of the entire situation and of Amin himself until it was nearly too late. As Garrigan said at one point to a reporter, "You've never known real fear," but it's really obvious that he was somewhat fascinated by Amin at the same time he was afraid. It wasn't until some time after he eventually found himself on the other side of Amin's generosity that he realized that he was probably a marked man and tried to find a way out; yet in the meantime, he stayed put while others were cruelly tortured and while whole villages & peoples were destroyed.
This is fiction, so if you're looking for a book to fill in holes in your knowledge about the reign of Idi Amin, this may not be what you're looking for. However, if you want something really good to take your mind off things for a while, this book is perfect. And don't expect the movie between the covers. I can definitely recommend this one to anyone interested in the topic. The writer did a great job.
The narrator is one Dr. Nicholas Garrigan, a Scottish doctor who is somewhat disillusioned with life under his father and life in general -- so he ends up in Uganda, where he is helping out at a clinic there, until a chance meeting with Idi Amin changes his life forever. When Nicholas had arrived in Uganda, Amin had not yet cemented his power, but after the freak accident that put Nicholas in Amin's path, Nicholas found himself in the position of Amin's personal physician and moved to the capital. On one level the story is about Nicholas and his dealings with Amin, but on another level, it turns out to be about his examination of his own soul as he wonders why he has failed to see the truth about Amin, and what it says about him that he let himself become so immersed in and remained somewhat in denial of the evils of the entire situation and of Amin himself until it was nearly too late. As Garrigan said at one point to a reporter, "You've never known real fear," but it's really obvious that he was somewhat fascinated by Amin at the same time he was afraid. It wasn't until some time after he eventually found himself on the other side of Amin's generosity that he realized that he was probably a marked man and tried to find a way out; yet in the meantime, he stayed put while others were cruelly tortured and while whole villages & peoples were destroyed.
This is fiction, so if you're looking for a book to fill in holes in your knowledge about the reign of Idi Amin, this may not be what you're looking for. However, if you want something really good to take your mind off things for a while, this book is perfect. And don't expect the movie between the covers. I can definitely recommend this one to anyone interested in the topic. The writer did a great job.
July 30, 2014
I wasn't expecting much from this book because I know so little about Africa and Uganda. But, I was pleasantly surprised how well written and enjoyable this book was.
Dr Nicholas Garrigan is a Scottish doctor working for the Foreign Office and assigned to Mbarare, Uganda. He embraces the ex-pat life and his work at a small clinic. One day, he is asked to minister to Idi Amin who was in a car accident. Amin takes to the doctor immediately and requests (how can you turn him down) Garrigan becomes his private doctor. Now, Dr G has a personal view of the tyranny.
This was written as a narrative by the doctor. You see his views only; not what others are doing. It is his way of dealing with the crazy & egomaniacal Amin. Could he have killed Amin as requested by the British government? I understand why he didn't - he's not James Bond nor is he a killer. Could he have advised Amin to stop the slaughter? If he did, he probably would have been murdered too. His short time in Amin's torture jail taught him that lesson. Fear of tyranny is what this story is all about.
Excellent read.
Dr Nicholas Garrigan is a Scottish doctor working for the Foreign Office and assigned to Mbarare, Uganda. He embraces the ex-pat life and his work at a small clinic. One day, he is asked to minister to Idi Amin who was in a car accident. Amin takes to the doctor immediately and requests (how can you turn him down) Garrigan becomes his private doctor. Now, Dr G has a personal view of the tyranny.
This was written as a narrative by the doctor. You see his views only; not what others are doing. It is his way of dealing with the crazy & egomaniacal Amin. Could he have killed Amin as requested by the British government? I understand why he didn't - he's not James Bond nor is he a killer. Could he have advised Amin to stop the slaughter? If he did, he probably would have been murdered too. His short time in Amin's torture jail taught him that lesson. Fear of tyranny is what this story is all about.
Excellent read.
April 7, 2019
Probably not one I would read again, but don’t get me wrong - it's definitely readable. That sentence alone probably tells you enough about what I think about this book. Relatively spoiler free premise: Scottish Doctor goes to Uganda, attempts to get laid, meets Idi Amin.
I didn't take as much issue with the main character as other reviewers. He is indeed spineless and spends basically the first act of the book trying to get laid - but his flaws are realistic and this a work of historical fiction. He has to fit into events more or less as they happen. A lot of people complain that he does nothing and makes excuses for not doing something to oppose Idi Amin's regime. Yet, If the third act turned into Nicholas Garrigan's rampage, culminating in a shirtless showdown on Idi's yacht on Lake Victoria then they'd also be upset (well come to think of it, maybe not).
That said, Nicholas is a hard character to care about. He's seemingly distracted by any passing woman who gives him attention, oblivious (willing or not) to anything happening around him, prone to going off on long tangents and randomly recalling anecdotes of rural Scotland. He's not a good person and he doesn't inspire sympathy. He's mostly passive. That being said he doesn't remain so and that's when things start to pick up. You just have to make it through to that point first.
That theme though, about passivity in the face of obvious evil, is interesting to explore. I also think that the historical setting of Amin's Uganda is a great place to do it. Amin is great in the novel. His characterisation really captures his eccentricity and sheer presence. It’s hard not to feel afraid for Nicholas whenever he’s forced to be near Amin, yet you want Nicholas to be close to Amin because then the book has a character that you’re actually interested in. It’s funny to see Amin act weird at his swimming pool, it’s scary to be in the room when he’s having a psychotic breakdown. The novel provides a view of the dictator which helps you to understand how people get capture by this sort of person, how people come to do the bidding of monsters.
But Amin aside, the events of the book outshine its character. That’s not really to the author’s credit as the book follows the troubles of Uganda in the 70s, and what is known about Idi Amin’s family and inner circle. Several historical characters make appearances, or are referenced, whereas the ones closer to the action are represented by proxies. Nicholas himself is a mix of various real life people. Landmark events such as Idi’s coup, Operation Entebbe, the telegrams to world leaders all make an appearance. The onset of the Uganda-Tazania war carries you through the third act. Reading a first-person account, if fictionalised, of the Fall of Kampala is of course gripping and it restored some of my engagement with the book.
On reflection, it’s the narrative in between that was the weaker parts. Going back to the characters, I found myself struggling to remember the pop-up side characters, with a couple of exceptions. Of course, there’s enough there to keep the pages turning but most of the time I felt like I was reading just to see how Amin was going to react when/if he finds out about the next drama or transgression.
Some passages of this book felt odd. I mentioned before the random tangential anecdotes about Scotland. There’s also a frankly comical description of Amin, involving comparisons to “Sausage meat slices”. I’ll let you discover that gem for yourself. I also could have done without the consistent, and frankly strange, sexual imagery and metaphor. What did it add to the story to have Nicholas dream about an erotic music box? I also want to raise personal umbrage with the phrase "cunning cavity" - you can just say vagina. If you're going to make me read about two little models having sex, with no connection to the plot, then you can damn sure use the proper vernacular. If you do think this is an interesting book, be forewarned you'll have to read some strange passages - the purpose of which I could not really discern. I guess it’s a reflection of Nicholas’s (attempted) womanising? But again, I’m still left asking why.
Overall, read this book for the relatively believable account of Uganda in the 1970s and for the interesting depiction of Idi Amin – or as he preferred: His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular. Be prepared however, for some very strange and unfulfilling paragraphs about fishing in Scotland, sex in the tropics, attempted adultery, and wilful ignorance.
Three stars seems most appropriate. I’d like to split hairs more finely, maybe at a 2.7, but Goodreads apparently frowns on that.
Sidenote: apparently the film is much better, but I’m yet to see it and this is about the book so I can’t really help you with that one.
I didn't take as much issue with the main character as other reviewers. He is indeed spineless and spends basically the first act of the book trying to get laid - but his flaws are realistic and this a work of historical fiction. He has to fit into events more or less as they happen. A lot of people complain that he does nothing and makes excuses for not doing something to oppose Idi Amin's regime. Yet, If the third act turned into Nicholas Garrigan's rampage, culminating in a shirtless showdown on Idi's yacht on Lake Victoria then they'd also be upset (well come to think of it, maybe not).
That said, Nicholas is a hard character to care about. He's seemingly distracted by any passing woman who gives him attention, oblivious (willing or not) to anything happening around him, prone to going off on long tangents and randomly recalling anecdotes of rural Scotland. He's not a good person and he doesn't inspire sympathy. He's mostly passive. That being said he doesn't remain so and that's when things start to pick up. You just have to make it through to that point first.
That theme though, about passivity in the face of obvious evil, is interesting to explore. I also think that the historical setting of Amin's Uganda is a great place to do it. Amin is great in the novel. His characterisation really captures his eccentricity and sheer presence. It’s hard not to feel afraid for Nicholas whenever he’s forced to be near Amin, yet you want Nicholas to be close to Amin because then the book has a character that you’re actually interested in. It’s funny to see Amin act weird at his swimming pool, it’s scary to be in the room when he’s having a psychotic breakdown. The novel provides a view of the dictator which helps you to understand how people get capture by this sort of person, how people come to do the bidding of monsters.
But Amin aside, the events of the book outshine its character. That’s not really to the author’s credit as the book follows the troubles of Uganda in the 70s, and what is known about Idi Amin’s family and inner circle. Several historical characters make appearances, or are referenced, whereas the ones closer to the action are represented by proxies. Nicholas himself is a mix of various real life people. Landmark events such as Idi’s coup, Operation Entebbe, the telegrams to world leaders all make an appearance. The onset of the Uganda-Tazania war carries you through the third act. Reading a first-person account, if fictionalised, of the Fall of Kampala is of course gripping and it restored some of my engagement with the book.
On reflection, it’s the narrative in between that was the weaker parts. Going back to the characters, I found myself struggling to remember the pop-up side characters, with a couple of exceptions. Of course, there’s enough there to keep the pages turning but most of the time I felt like I was reading just to see how Amin was going to react when/if he finds out about the next drama or transgression.
Some passages of this book felt odd. I mentioned before the random tangential anecdotes about Scotland. There’s also a frankly comical description of Amin, involving comparisons to “Sausage meat slices”. I’ll let you discover that gem for yourself. I also could have done without the consistent, and frankly strange, sexual imagery and metaphor. What did it add to the story to have Nicholas dream about an erotic music box? I also want to raise personal umbrage with the phrase "cunning cavity" - you can just say vagina. If you're going to make me read about two little models having sex, with no connection to the plot, then you can damn sure use the proper vernacular. If you do think this is an interesting book, be forewarned you'll have to read some strange passages - the purpose of which I could not really discern. I guess it’s a reflection of Nicholas’s (attempted) womanising? But again, I’m still left asking why.
Overall, read this book for the relatively believable account of Uganda in the 1970s and for the interesting depiction of Idi Amin – or as he preferred: His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular. Be prepared however, for some very strange and unfulfilling paragraphs about fishing in Scotland, sex in the tropics, attempted adultery, and wilful ignorance.
Three stars seems most appropriate. I’d like to split hairs more finely, maybe at a 2.7, but Goodreads apparently frowns on that.
Sidenote: apparently the film is much better, but I’m yet to see it and this is about the book so I can’t really help you with that one.
April 1, 2020
'The Last King of Scotland' is a fictionalized tale of Dr. Nicholas Garrigan, personal physician to the Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin, or as the official title went - "His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular."
The story follows Garrigan's life in Uganda and his gradual proximity to Amin. Sent on behalf of the British kingdom to work in Africa, Garrigan arrives in Uganda on the heels of the coup that established Amin as the leader. A chance incident leads him to cater to Amin's injury which provides the professional jumping point for Garrigan, who is officially brought in as the personal physician to Amin.
What's fascinating about the entire story is that it reads like a cautionary tale. Given the political history of the country, you know where the plot is headed but you can't stop yourself from reading it. Amin's notoriety as a violent, ruthless leader is quite known but what Garrigan provides the voice for in this book is an attempt to humanize the dictator. Garrigan concedes that Amin is highly charismatic and he too, felt drawn to him, despite his best. His position as the physician is quite dichotomous. On one hand, he is a fearful citizen, intimidated by the towering persona of Amin, used to the tales of Amin presenting himself as a demigod, but on the other hand, he is his physician, privy to all his physiological fallings, aware of intimate things like the scars he has, the troubles he faces with his gut, at his beck and call to treat all maladies.
Amin is presented as this magnetic but contradictory person, seemingly delusion but shocking self-aware at times. Garrigan is forever walking on egg-shells around him, never sure of where he stands with him. And as Amin's violent machinations turn more gruesome over time, Garrigan finds himself seeping deeper into quicksand, losing sight of his own moral compass, painfully try to convince himself that he is but a pawn in the entire scheme, unable to do anything of note. Garrigan becomes somewhat obsessed with Amin, as his story becomes entirely about him. His diary is all about him, he starts dreaming about him frequently, and used to the violence by now, he even contemplates killing him just for the joy of it.
I thought it was a really intriguing story, written in an easy-to-read manner, and very engrossing. Would definitely recommend it!
The story follows Garrigan's life in Uganda and his gradual proximity to Amin. Sent on behalf of the British kingdom to work in Africa, Garrigan arrives in Uganda on the heels of the coup that established Amin as the leader. A chance incident leads him to cater to Amin's injury which provides the professional jumping point for Garrigan, who is officially brought in as the personal physician to Amin.
What's fascinating about the entire story is that it reads like a cautionary tale. Given the political history of the country, you know where the plot is headed but you can't stop yourself from reading it. Amin's notoriety as a violent, ruthless leader is quite known but what Garrigan provides the voice for in this book is an attempt to humanize the dictator. Garrigan concedes that Amin is highly charismatic and he too, felt drawn to him, despite his best. His position as the physician is quite dichotomous. On one hand, he is a fearful citizen, intimidated by the towering persona of Amin, used to the tales of Amin presenting himself as a demigod, but on the other hand, he is his physician, privy to all his physiological fallings, aware of intimate things like the scars he has, the troubles he faces with his gut, at his beck and call to treat all maladies.
Amin is presented as this magnetic but contradictory person, seemingly delusion but shocking self-aware at times. Garrigan is forever walking on egg-shells around him, never sure of where he stands with him. And as Amin's violent machinations turn more gruesome over time, Garrigan finds himself seeping deeper into quicksand, losing sight of his own moral compass, painfully try to convince himself that he is but a pawn in the entire scheme, unable to do anything of note. Garrigan becomes somewhat obsessed with Amin, as his story becomes entirely about him. His diary is all about him, he starts dreaming about him frequently, and used to the violence by now, he even contemplates killing him just for the joy of it.
I thought it was a really intriguing story, written in an easy-to-read manner, and very engrossing. Would definitely recommend it!
April 2, 2018
As a piece of historical fiction, this is a valuable book, but I didn’t feel any connection with the main character and his story didn’t go deep enough.
I enjoyed the first third of the book, which described Nicholas’ arrival in Uganda and his experiences as a doctor in a rural village. This section had some great potential, and had it been developed more, the memoir style could have produced something great. However, Nicholas comes across as a bit pathetic, and too much time was spent outlining his fawnings over Sara, the Israeli doctor.
The second two thirds deal with Nicholas’ time with Idi Amin in Kampala. The obvious big question of the novel was: why did he stay in Uganda? This could have been explored a lot, but it felt a bit limp. Apart from a few shallow throwbacks to his childhood in Scotland, relationship with his father etc, it was difficult to understand Nicholas or his actions. The issue of why people are complicit or silent in the face of brutality is extremely interesting, but unfortunately this novel didn’t provide any sort of convincing narrative.
On the other hand, there were some very moving and at times difficult scenes of violence and poverty, and some fascinating descriptions of the personality of Idi Amin.
This is worth a read, but I wouldn’t rush to recommend it.
I enjoyed the first third of the book, which described Nicholas’ arrival in Uganda and his experiences as a doctor in a rural village. This section had some great potential, and had it been developed more, the memoir style could have produced something great. However, Nicholas comes across as a bit pathetic, and too much time was spent outlining his fawnings over Sara, the Israeli doctor.
The second two thirds deal with Nicholas’ time with Idi Amin in Kampala. The obvious big question of the novel was: why did he stay in Uganda? This could have been explored a lot, but it felt a bit limp. Apart from a few shallow throwbacks to his childhood in Scotland, relationship with his father etc, it was difficult to understand Nicholas or his actions. The issue of why people are complicit or silent in the face of brutality is extremely interesting, but unfortunately this novel didn’t provide any sort of convincing narrative.
On the other hand, there were some very moving and at times difficult scenes of violence and poverty, and some fascinating descriptions of the personality of Idi Amin.
This is worth a read, but I wouldn’t rush to recommend it.
September 19, 2023
I struggled with this book a bit, although that may have been my fault. I wanted to read this book and learn about Uganda and Idi Admin, as I understand those parts of the book and the representation of Amin are based on fact.
Knowing this, I almost disregarded the 'fiction' aspect of the book and Dr Garrigan's story.
I struggled to wrap my head around the fact and fiction mixed together. For example, Dr Garrigan was put into one of Amin's notorious prisons... so what was happening around in the prison was based on fact, but Dr Garrigan's experience was fictional.
A good book, but I was overthinking it!! If I had just 'read' I might have enjoyed it better!
(Some cursing scattered throughout)
Knowing this, I almost disregarded the 'fiction' aspect of the book and Dr Garrigan's story.
I struggled to wrap my head around the fact and fiction mixed together. For example, Dr Garrigan was put into one of Amin's notorious prisons... so what was happening around in the prison was based on fact, but Dr Garrigan's experience was fictional.
A good book, but I was overthinking it!! If I had just 'read' I might have enjoyed it better!
(Some cursing scattered throughout)
December 22, 2018
There was so much more of the brutality of Idi Amin in the book than it was in the movie. But I always found myself asking, why didn't Nick just leave? He had several opportunities to get out and resources to just leave the country but he didn't. His escape in the movie was a much more dramatic event than what actually happened. This is one of those rare times where I'd recommend watching the movie and reading the book to get a good idea of the story. Although I'd recommend researching the legacy of Idi Amin to get. a true understanding of what a vile, brutal, killer that he truly was.
July 21, 2017
This was a fascinating look at Idi Amin and what it must have been like to live in Uganda at that time. Having seen the film many years ago, I thought it was based on a true story. However, it turns out that the character of the Scottish doctor who becomes the personal doctor to Amin is fictional. It reads, however, like a real memoir.
November 18, 2017
Enerzijds was ik gefascineerd door het verhaal dat het fictioneel personage vertelt over zijn ervaringen in Oeganda en meer specifiek in de omgeving van dictator Amin, anderzijds irriteerde datzelfde personage me vaak. Dat zorgt dan wel voor een heel menselijk personage, maar zorgde er ook voor dat ik het soms echt niet prettig lezen vond. Al bij al interessant om te lezen, maar toch ook blij dat ik weer een ander boek kan beginnen.
July 30, 2020
Ich interessiere mich schon seit einiger Zeit für die ugandische Geschichte, besonders für die Herrschaft des Despoten Idi Amin, darum fand ich es besonders unterhaltend. Es handelt sich um ein gutes, spannendes und fesselndes Buch.
April 19, 2020
Strangely captivating at times.
December 28, 2020
Draws you in from the very start, and once hooked you can no more escape than Nicholas is able. Idi Amin is portrayed in mesmerising clarity, with his moments of brilliance, charisma, vulnerability and brutality.
January 15, 2023
The second half was markedly better than the first, a slow burn that felt like it never truly reached its apex.
January 18, 2018
First, I would like to state my regret for seeing its film adaptation before reading this novel, although the film itself was a good one, especially Whittaker’s portrayal of Idi Amin. In this book we follow Nicholas Garrigan, a young doctor from Scotland who became entangled with Idi Amin, the Dictator of Uganda. At first merely a buffoonish clown with broken english grammar, throughout the book we can see as he become a more murderous man, even implied to be a cannibal. The fascinating thing to mention is that he was so charismatic, that even Garrigan found himself unable to leave Amin.
I can see why many people call this a good reading, I can feel myself immersed with what Garrigan lived inside Idi Amin’s Uganda. I became thrilled as Garrigan himself panicked. The book version is much better than the novel, for the book is devoid of sappy love affair story (which ended badly), and Garrigan was safer in the book than in the movie (for not being hung on a meat hook).
I can see why many people call this a good reading, I can feel myself immersed with what Garrigan lived inside Idi Amin’s Uganda. I became thrilled as Garrigan himself panicked. The book version is much better than the novel, for the book is devoid of sappy love affair story (which ended badly), and Garrigan was safer in the book than in the movie (for not being hung on a meat hook).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 355 reviews