The best and clearest history and exploration of the tangled web of East African history and politics I've ever read. A great introduction to the area and I really appreciated that the US's culpability was never side-skirted.

Reveals how Western focus on the "War on Terror" has enabled and emboldened dictators in East Africa. Written by an aid worker who has seen & experienced the consequences first hand. America has created these situations but refuses to deal with what America has wrought.

A thoroughly researched and well written book Museveni's effect in Eastern and Central Africa. It provides insight to how the political landscape is influenced.

In truth, if in conversation you mentioned history or politics, I'd normally tune you right out. All too often these subjects are presented as dry, boring, information overloads, and in the case of politics, overwhelming passion. So, I'm always on the lookout for a book that avoids all the things that often infuse a conversation or lecture about history and/or politics. This book is amazing. I am by no means a history buff, but this book is so well written I forgot I was reading a history book, and learned so much. I can't recommend this book enough!

Although this focuses on the last 30 years and Museveni, this is a good political history of Uganda--the roots of Uganda'a brutal anti-LGBTQ policies in the struggle between missionaries and the rule of Mwanda II, the British-engineered constitutional chaos from which Idi Amin emerged, Uganda's role in the Hutu-Tutsi conflict of its neighbors, the destruction of the traditional cattle economy by raiding (by raiders and government false flags) and the rampage of Kony. Epstein's argument is very familiar from the Cold War--in order to have an ally against Terror, the US has tolerated atrocious strong man governments and actions.