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  • "An un-put-downable page turner overflowing with outrageous, exciting, funny, tragic tales that could only happen in Zimbabwe. Filled with undiplomatic language and racy, colourful characters, Eric de Jong describes a life where bravery and foolishness go hand in hand. De Jong describes, with a mixture of humour and fear, the turmoil and trauma families caught up in Zimbabwe's land invasions, politics and activism have lived through for two decades. A story of love and courage, tragedy and humour."
    Cathy Buckle

Running Dogs & Rose's Children

An African memoir

Eric de Jong and his wife, Jenny plunged into parenthood when they adopted three siblings from the children's dying mother. The new family set about living happily ever after in their rambling farmhouse outside Harare. But ever after proved short lived as Zimbabwe's small window of stability closed in on them quickly when Robert Mugabe unleashed a war on white farmers and opposition party members, launching an era of economic, social and political turmoil which eventually saw the family fleeing the country for fear of being killed.

Eric well knew the cost of conflict, but his fierce love of his country and his principles saw him immersing himself in the dangerous opposition politics of the day where elections were rigged and fellow party members were tortured and murdered.

Eric de Jon's irrepressible sense of humour bubbles throughout this absorbing, honest and deeply personal account of a growing family, of love, entrepreneurial success and failure, mental illness, political exile, and the distressing and often absurd collapse of a beautiful African country and stoicism of its people.

CAPE TOWN TO KILIMANJARO

The Third World As Seen From The Saddle

It is never too late to do something crazy wonderful. "Your mid-life crisis doesn't have to be boring". Eric De Jong, aged 60, took up mountain biking. The next thing he was making 'pinky-promises' with a fellow rider to ride from Cape Town to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Detouring off highways in search of roads less travelled, Cape Town to Kilimanjaro is about having fun, doing good and doing epic. Join Eric on his jaw-dropping, foot-cramping adventures through Africa and he'll make you laugh, cry and will hopefully inspire. 

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