Three Sips of Gin Memoirs of an African Adventure Timothy G Bax Gail Adams Tim Bax 9780615455525 Books
Download As PDF : Three Sips of Gin Memoirs of an African Adventure Timothy G Bax Gail Adams Tim Bax 9780615455525 Books
Are you single, married . . . or from the colonies? In Three Sips of Gin the author gives a fascinating and hilarious insight into the decadent lifestyle that prevailed in East Africa during his childhood. As a young boy, Tim takes us on an incredible adventure of growing up in an isolated and often hostile African landscape. He takes us into the realm of the remote boarding school where status amongst schoolboys was determined not by achievements within the classroom, but by more notable deeds worthy of schoolboy lore. As a young adolescent and teen, Tim takes us on a remarkable journey away from Africa. A short time later we return with him to an African continent at war with itself. We accompany him as a young officer with the Rhodesian Army into the exclusivity, glamour and frivolity of the Officers Mess. Then with Tim as a member of the famed Selous Scouts, we follow him into the silence of the shadows to share in the lighter, yet sometimes painful moments of an insurgency fought in the stark and unforgiving harshness of the African bush. Here you will find the significance of three sips of gin finally revealed. Later with Tim having left the army, we accompany him as he stumbles his way through the intrigues, excesses and scandals of the boardroom of a large multi-national company based in South Africa. But above all, we share with Tim in the laughter, candor, wit and self-deprecating humour of an adventurous journey few could ever have experienced.
Three Sips of Gin Memoirs of an African Adventure Timothy G Bax Gail Adams Tim Bax 9780615455525 Books
Extremely funny and well worth reading. PLEASE! everyone buy it even if you have not lived in this part of the world.Product details
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Tags : Three Sips of Gin - Memoirs of an African Adventure [Timothy G. Bax, Gail Adams, Tim Bax] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Are you single, married . . . or from the colonies? In Three Sips of Gin the author gives a fascinating and hilarious insight into the decadent lifestyle that prevailed in East Africa during his childhood. As a young boy,Timothy G. Bax, Gail Adams, Tim Bax,Three Sips of Gin - Memoirs of an African Adventure,Masai Publisher Inc.,0615455522,1652023,Nonfiction General
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Three Sips of Gin Memoirs of an African Adventure Timothy G Bax Gail Adams Tim Bax 9780615455525 Books Reviews
I so enjoyed reading this on my kindle that I've bought a paperback version for my library. It stands out from the rest of the books written about Africa and in particular, the Rhodesian bush war. Amusing and warm with very little anguish. It was most refreshing in that there were so few unneccessary profanities in it and most members of the family can read it.
There are quite a few friends and family that will be getting a copy from me for their next birthday. Come on Mr Bax, get on with the next one!
I received this book from a friend so I am not a verified buyer of the book but it is one of the finest books on serving in the Rhodesian war that I have read thus far. Few in the West know about the struggle of the former Rhodesia, now called Zimbabwe and the life and blood many families poured into the land to make it the breadbasket of Africa. Tim Bax became 'one of the few' serving with the Famed Selous Scout unit. To be an officer was a challenge, much less and officer in such a hardcore unit.
This memoir is unique among war memoirs as humor is a driving force in his exploits from childhood in a well to do family to the bloody external operations in the Scouts. No matter the case, he served his country with vigor, optimism and humor. As a member of the special forces, he endured numerous injuries nearly losing his leg except for a divine intervention. The story leading up to that is worth reading the whole book. He captures not only the details of living as a warrior in an elite unit but his life in general as a positive person who 'flows with the go'.
There is an increasing interest in America and the UK about Rhodesia and its struggle for independence and the effort of Britain and the US to ensure its downfall into the hands of marxist dictator Robert Mugabe. Along with other books, this should be one of the Primers for study of the Rhodesian Bush war and the people who fought it.
D.R. Tharp author of Task Force Intrepid The Gold of Katanga
One of the most uniquely insightful books on the Rhodesian Bush War I've ever had the pleasure to read. It's well written which in itself is refreshing these days, as is the author's consistently unassuming style. His ability to seduce the reader in becoming one with him, seeing everything unfold through his eyes, is uncanny. The energy, bravery and spirit of adventure with which the author portrays himself and his comrades-in-arms gives the word 'courage' a new meaning. The entire book is 'bullet-ridden' with 'laugh-out-loud' humour. It's inconceivable that the author actually survived to fight another day let alone write his memoirs! I've not yet finished reading it (I know when I do I'm going to miss this bedtime story), and when I have I will be back to complete this review. Everything else I have to do during the day has now become irritating as I can't wait to get back to 'my' Three Sips of Gin!!!
Right, I'm back.. and I'm not happy. Yes, you guessed it, the bottle is empty - I've finished my 'Three Sips of Gin'. Tim Bax you are an inspiration. Never will I again be able to have a Gin without it putting a smile on my face! This is, without a doubt, one of the most enthralling and exciting memoirs I've ever read! In fact it reads more like a novel. I've purposely not looked at any other reviews as I did not want to be influenced in any way and I certainly don't want to try to re-write this masterpiece other than to say the author has a remarkable ability to transport one back in time as if it were yesterday. If I were a film producer this book would certainly inspire me - definitely a movie in there somewhere! Tim Bax, thank you! You are greatly gifted and I'm very pleased to hear that you are writing another book. I, for one, can't wait to buy it!
"Three Sips of Gin" is many things. Not simply a collection of war stories or the usual memoir, Tim Bax's recounting of his own personal history reminded me more of James Corbett's "Man Eaters of the Kumaon" or to some extent even Henning-Haslund Christensen's "In Secret Mongolia". This book was a pleasant surprise that, although taking place in contemporary times, reminded me of some of my favorite yarns written by the gentlemen adventurers of the past. Perhaps that is because of Tim's unique background, his dry humor, or maybe it is his sense of the absurd.
Born in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania in 1949, Tim Bax was born into a life of adventure in many ways. In the opening chapters he recounts an early affinity for Africa and doesn't spare much detail recounting the decadence of the British colonists of the time. One thing you will notice is that Tim is rarely sober during many of his adventures, if you hadn't guessed from the title of the book. Failing horribly at formal schooling, his mother eventually finds him a job as a lumberjack while living in Canada. Being a lumberjack seems to give Tim some sense of purpose but he knows that his future lays else where, yearning to return to Africa.
After initially traveling to find a job in South Africa, it is only quite my mistake and happenstance that Tim is recruited into the Rhodesian Light Infantry. The RLI was something of a killing machine in it's heyday, culling terrorists from surrounding nations, sometimes conducting four call outs a night. Combat parachute jumps were a regular occurrence. Although it seems as something of a mystery to the author, he is selected to attend the Officer Candidate Course and is soon commissioned as a lieutenant.
Posted back to the RLI, Tim leads his troops in cross-border operations before being asked by Colonel Ron-Reid Daly to attended the Selous Scouts selection course. The Scouts were a military unit completely unique to Rhodesia. Trojan horse type attacks have been practiced throughout history but no army professionalized or implemented the concept of pseudo-operations as well as the Selous Scouts did. During this time we begin to learn where the three sips of gin comes into play. Tim is viciously wounded during numerous contacts with terrorist forces, each time utilizing the medicinal qualities to be found in copious amounts of gin.
However, this book isn't the typical war memoir, it is much more than that. The author maintains a self deprecating and humorous attitude through out, poking fun at himself and the military, all through some very dangerous situations! More time is spent lamenting about the good times had with friends. Officers past out drunk outside the formal dinning hall, riding his motor cycle through the mess, detonating a flash bang in a bar as a distraction to steal someone else's beer and much more is included. Tim perfectly captures what it is like to be a young man in the military, working hard, and playing harder.
Three Sips of Gin isn't without it's historical insights, some details are to be gleaned as to why the Rhodesian Bush War ended in defeat. Like many former Rhodesian soldiers, he is very suspicious of Ken Flower, the head of the Central Intelligence Office. One memorable moment takes place when the legendary Col. Daly stands up in a COMOPS meeting (the equivalent of America's joint chiefs) and calls his fellow officers a bunch of gobshites who aren't serious about winning the war. Good luck finding an American officer with that kind of brutal honesty!
Finding employment in South Africa's Defense Forces in 1980, Tim describes how and why the South Africans failed to incorporate the former Selous Scouts into their ranks. When his contract is up at the end of the year he bolts to the private sector. The remainder of the book talks about the author's experience working in the private security industry (and other ventures) and the drunken mishaps that happen throughout. I particularly liked one tactic he used during union negotiations!
There is much, much more in "Three Sips of Gin", far to much to cover in a single book review, and besides, why would I want too? Tim tells the whole story exceptionally well in this unique memoir.
-Jack Murphy, author of Reflexive Fire
Extremely funny and well worth reading. PLEASE! everyone buy it even if you have not lived in this part of the world.
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