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Title: Refreshing look at our misperceptions of Zulu history.
Review: Carolyn Hamilton writes with a commanding knowledge of her subject, in this case the Zulu founding king Shaka kaSenzangakona. Hamilton's efforts are essential reading for anybody who has wondered about the myth that is Shaka. She shows how he has been used to symbolise Zulu power, and how many Zulu historians have erred by casting him as a villain or a hero without having enough evidence to prove it. Hamilton's approach is highly refreshing. While she always respects the limitations of a subject that has bewildered many, her angle is intriguing. Her work ranks right up there with the great Zulu historians: John Laband, Jeff Guy and John Wright. And that is more than enough reason to purchase this book.
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